Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c8.15

c8.15

‘**Saṁhitā**.’ The collection of Mantras is called *Saṁhitā*. For ages the Vedic Mantras remained one and undivided till the needs of worship which became more and more systematized called for an arrangement and a division in accordance with its scheme. Tradition ascribes this division to Kṛishṇa-Dvaipāyana Veda-Vyāsa, who made a fourfold division of the Vedic Mantras and created out of them four Vedic Saṁhitās known as Ṛik, Sāma, Yajus, and Atharva, which he imparted in the first instance respectively to his pupils named Paila, Vaiśampāyāna, Jaimini, and Sumantu.