Maharshi Parashara presented an analysis of Vedas to Maitreya Maha Muni as to how various Veda Vyasaas of different Yugas attempted divisions of Vedas. He compared Vedas as a Maha Vriksha comprising Veda Shaakhaas (Branches) in thousands and it would be impossible to declare classifications as they vary by Yugas, Times and Situations. Even in Dwapara Yuga there were variations as noticed in different Manvantaras. But one fact appeared to be clear that Bhagavan Vishnu created Veda Vyasaas of his own ‘Amsha’or Alternatives who kept in viewthe contexts and exigencies of Loka Kalyana made the best possible variations from the Single Veda now in Four ‘Shakhaas’. In the evolution of the twenty eight Dwapara Yugas, as many Vyasaas emerged from the positions of Brahma, Prajapati, Shukracharya, Brihaspati, Surya, Mrityu,  Indra, Vasishtha, Sarasvata, Tridhama, Trishikha, Bharadwaja, Antariksha, Varni, Traiyaruna, Dhananjaya, Kratigjna, Jaya, Bharadwaja, Gautama, Haryatma, Vaajashravaa Muni, Somavamsha’s Trina Bindu, Riksha, /  Valmiki, Shakti, Jatukarna and the latest Krishna Dwaipayana (the son of Maharshi Parashara). The Maharshi stated that after his son Krishna Dwaipayana, the next Vyasa woud be Ashwatthaama. Having prefaced thus about the Evolution of Veda Vyasaas, Parasara Maharshi defined and conceptualised the ‘Avinaashi Ekaakshara Mantra’ OMas Brahma. This Pranava Brahma represents Bhuloka-Bhuvarloka-Swarloka; that Pranava Brahma also represents Ruk-Yajur- Saama and Atharvana Shakhas of the Paramaika Veda Vriksha.

Rig Veda Shakha: As prompted by Lord Brahma, Mahatma Krishna Dwaipaayana Vyasa took the assistance of four of his disciples to fully assimilate the Totality of the Single Veda and entrusted the task  to Maha Munis viz. Paila in regard to Rig Veda, Vaishampayana to Yajur Veda, Jaimini to Saama Veda and Sumantu to Atharva Veda; besides Vyasa entrusted the task of Itihasas and Puranas to Maha Muni Lomaharshana. In the days of yore, there was only Yajur Veda and that was divided as four Vedas on the basis of ‘Yagna-anushthana Vyavasta’ or the Procedures of Performing Yagnas and the Chyatur hotra Vidhi was as follows:  Yajur Veda Vidhi by Adhvaryu, Ruk Veda Vidhi by Hota, Sama Veda Vidhi by Udgata and Atharva Veda Karma by Brahma. Subsequently, Vyasa did the editing of Ruk and Yajur Vedas and part-scripting of Sama Veda; through Atharva Veda,Vyasa then established the Raja Karma and Brahmatwa. Thus Vyasa had done the distribution of the Chatur Vedas in the form of Four Veda Vrikshas from the Maha Veda Vriksha. As regards the Rig Veda Vriksha, Maharshi Paila divided this Veda into two Shaakhaas and made his Sishyas Indraprimiti and Bashkala responsible to read them. Bashkala made further division into four Upa Shakhaas which in turn were subdivided among four further Sishyas viz. Bodhya, Agni maadhak, Yajnyavalkyaand Parashara (ie the present Purana Karta of Vishnu Purana). Further on, Indraprimiti taught his son Manduka Muni.  In this Parampara( link) of Sishya- Prasishyaas, Shakalya Veda Mitra scripted Samhitaas or Annotations and sub divided the same among five further sub-branches and  taught these to Mudgala, Gomukha, Vaatsya and Shaaliya. Yet another of his upils  called Shakapurna prepared three Veda Samhitas and a fourth Grandha on ‘Nirukta’. And thus the Sishyas carried on the Samhitas further.

Yajur Veda Shakha: Maharshi Vaishampayana who was entrusted Yajur Veda by Veda Vyasa converted the Shakha into a Tree which got twenty seven Shakhas. One of the most intelligent Sishyas  of the Maharshi was called Yagnavalkya. Once the Guru could not to reach a Meet of all the co-Students at an appointed time and date failing which the punishment was to be  Brahma hatya pataka; the Guru and requested his Sishyas to perform a Vrata as an atonement. But the egoistic Yagnavalkya boasted that he alone was enough to perform the Vrata and the enraged Vaishampayana cursed Yagnavalkyaand asked him to vomit whatever was learnt by him since he talked as thoughhe was Supreme and others were useless !Yagnavalkya apologised no doubt but Guru did not relent; although the former said that he himself could do the Vrata out of veneration and devotion to his Guru but did not out of arrogance nor out of spite for his co-students! Any way, Yagnavalkya pulled out Yajurveda in the form of a blood-stained Murti and left the Guru. The Sishyas consumed the remains of what Yagnavalkya vomitted by assuming the forms of ‘Tithiris’ or partridges and hence that part of Veda is called Titthiriya! Yagnavalkya then extolled Surya Deva stating: Namassavitrey dwaaraaya Mukteyramita tejasey, Rugyajussaama bhutaaya Trayee dhaamney cha tey Namah/---and as the latter appeared before the Muni in the form of an ‘Ashvya’ horse and bestowed to him the Yajur Veda in  Vajapa / form thus called Vajapa Yajur Veda, which even Vaishampayana was not conversant with!

(Yaagnyavalkyastadaa praaha pranipatya Divaakaram,

Yajumshi taani mey dehi yaani santi na mey Gurou!)

The Vaaja Shrutis that Kanva and other Maharshis realised were of as many as fifteen Shaakhaas which indeed were of Yagna-valkya’s own ‘Pravritti’ or distinction.

Saama Veda Shaakha: Jaimini’s son Sumantu and his son Sukarma dealt with one each of the branches of Sama Veda. Then Sukarma made  thousand sub branches of Sama Veda and taught some to KausalyaHiranya Nabha and the rest to another Sishya named Paushpanji. Hiranyanabha had five hundred Sishyas and they learnt Udeechya Saamaga. Hiranya naabha also propagated Praachya Saamaga. Paushpanji had four main Sishyas viz. Lokaakshi,Naudhami, Kakshivaan and Laangali and these and their next generations popularised their own Samhitas. Hiranyanabha’s yet another disciple Maha Muni Kriti and his pupils taught twenty four Samhitaas further.

Adharva Veda Shaakha: Sumantu Muni taught Atharva Veda to his pupil Kabandha and the latter taught one branch of Atharva Veda to each to Deva darsha and Patthya. Deva Darsha’s sishyas were Megha, Brahmabali, Shoaulkaayani and Pippala. Pathya’s students were Jaabaali, Kumudaadi and Shounaka and they were responsible to segregate Samhitaas. Shounaka sub-divided his Samhitas to Vibhru and Saindhava. The latter’s sishya Munjikesha further distributed his Samhitaas into five Kalpaas named Nakshatra Kalpa, Veda Kalpa, Samhitaa Kalpa, Angirasa Kalpa and Shanti Kalpa; it is stated that the ‘Ruchaas’or Hymns of these Kalpaas are among the popular Vikalpas.

Puranas:  Purana Visharada Veda Vyasa made a format of various Purana Samhitas viz. Akhayana, Upaakhyaana, Gaathaa, and Kalpa Shuddhi. Lomaharshana  Suta was the most acclaimed Sishya whom Vyasa made him study in depth. Suta’s pupils were Sumati, Agnivarcha, Mitraayu, Shaamsapaayana, Akrutavarna, and Saavarni; Lomaharshana construted his works on their Samhitas. Parashara Maharshi stated that the Vishnu Purana Samhitaas were scripted on these bases. Among the Eighteen Puranas the foremost was stated to be Brahma Purana, followed by Paadmya, Vaishnava, Shaiva, Bhagavata, Naaradeeya, Markandeya, Agneya, Bhavishyata, Brahma Vaivarta, Lainga, Vaaraaha, Skanda, Vaamana, Kourma, Maatsya, Gaaruda, and Brahmanda Purana. Munis scripted several Upa-Puranaas  too. Among all these, descriptions were invariably made about Srishti, Pralaya, Devataadi Vamshaas, Manvantaraas, Raja Vamsha Charitraas and so on. Sarga, Prati Sarga, Vamsha, and Manvantaraadi varnanaas are invariably covered in the Works of Vaishnava Orientation.

Vidyas: Maharshi Parashara enumerated fourteen Vidyas viz. Shat Vedangas, Four Vedas, Meemaamsa, Nyaya, Puraana and Dharma Shastra.In addition four more main Vidyas were to be included viz. Ayurveda, Dhanurveda, Gandhrva, and Artha Shastra. Among Rishis, there are three major categories viz. Brahmarshis, Devarshis and Rajarshis.