FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.4.19

चातुर्होत्रं कर्म शुद्धं प्रजानां वीक्ष्य वैदिकम् । व्यदधाद्यज्ञसन्तत्यै वेदमेकं चतुर्विधम् ॥ १९ ॥
cātur-hotraṁ karma śuddhaṁ
[chaatur-hotram karma shuddham]
prajānāṁ vīkṣya vaidikam
[prajaanaam veekshya vaidikam]
vyadadhād yajña-santatyai
[vyadadhaad yajna-santatyai]
vedam ekaṁ catur-vidham
[vedam ekam chatur-vidham]
Word-for-word
cātuḥ — four hotram — sacrificial fires karma śuddham — purification of work prajānām — of the people in general vīkṣya — after seeing vaidikam — according to Vedic rites vyadadhāt — made into yajña — sacrifice santatyai — to expand vedam ekam — only one Veda catuḥ-vidham — in four divisions.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
cātur-hotraṁ karma śuddhaṁ
cātuḥ
four
hotram
sacrificial fires
karma śuddham
purification of work
prajānāṁ vīkṣya vaidikam
prajānām
of the people in general
vīkṣya
after seeing
vaidikam
according to Vedic rites
vyadadhād yajña-santatyai
vyadadhāt
made into
yajña
sacrifice
santatyai
to expand
vedam ekaṁ catur-vidham
vedam ekam
only one Veda
catuḥ-vidham
in four divisions.
He saw that the sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas were means by which the people’s occupations could be purified. And to simplify the process he divided the one Veda into four, in order to expand them among men.
Purport

Formerly there was only the Veda of the name Yajur, and the four divisions of sacrifices were there specifically mentioned. But to make them more easily performable, the Veda was divided into four divisions of sacrifice, just to purify the occupational service of the four orders. Above the four Vedas, namely Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma, and Atharva, there are the Purāṇas, the Mahābhārata, Saṁhitās, etc., which are known as the fifth Veda. Śrī Vyāsadeva and his many disciples were all historical personalities, and they were very kind and sympathetic toward the fallen souls of this Age of Kali. As such, the Purāṇas and Mahābhārata were made from related historical facts which explained the teaching of the four Vedas. There is no point in doubting the authority of the Purāṇas and Mahābhārata as parts and parcels of the Vedas. In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (7.1.4), the Purāṇas and Mahābhārata, generally known as histories, are mentioned as the fifth Veda. According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, that is the way of ascertaining the respective values of the revealed scriptures.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Seeing the purifying power of Vedic rites performed by the four priests for the people at large who were not inclined for jñāna, yoga or bhakti, he divided the one Veda into four for continuation of sacrifice.
Commentary

Vyāsa considered that Vedic rites were purifying (śuddham) for all people who were not qualified for jñāna, yoga or bhakti. These sacrifices were accomplished by four priests, the hotā (reciter of Ṛg-veda, offerer of oblations), udgātā (reciter of Sāma-veda, corrector of irregularity), adhvaryu (reciter of Yajur-veda, preparer of items for sacrifice), and the brahmā (reciter of Atharva-Veda, knower of all Vedas, supervisor). Santatyai means “for continuation.”

Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Vyāsa simplified by dividing one Veda into four — making the same truth accessible from different doors. Adapting form to audience without sacrificing essence is high spiritual craftsmanship.
Reflection Questions
  • Which message of mine is staying behind one door when it could be offered through several?
  • Where am I attached to a single form of teaching when the people in front of me need different doors?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 4