A History of Indian Literature v1.c8.s1.8

v1.c8.s1.8

There must once have existed a fairly large number of Saṁhitās, which originated in different schools of priests and singers, and which continued to be handed down in the same. However, many of these "collections" were nothing but slightly diverging recensions—Śākhās, "branches," as the Indians say—of one and the same Saṁhitā. Four Saṁhitās, however, are in existence, which differ clearly from each other, and which have been preserved in one or more recensions. These are:—