Vaishampayana
Vaiśampāyana
Transmitter of the Black Yajurveda and reciter of the Mahabharata
Vaishampayana received the Krishna (Black) Yajurveda from Veda Vyasa and transmitted it to his disciples. He also recited the entire Mahabharata to King Janamejaya at the great serpent sacrifice — our primary source for the epic as we know it today.
Key compositions
The most widely studied recension of the Black Yajurveda — containing the Sri Rudram, Purusha Sukta, and core sacrificial formulas.
Vaishampayana recited the entire Mahabharata at King Janamejaya's serpent sacrifice — the primary occasion of its transmission to the world.
A key verse
जनमेजय उवाच — ब्रह्मर्षे किमिदं सर्वं यथावत् कथयस्व मे ॥
Janamejaya said: O brahmarishi, tell me truly all of this — the complete account of my forefathers.
Mahabharata Adi Parva — Janamejaya's request to Vaishampayana
Lineage & disciples
Lineage / Gotra
Direct disciple of Veda Vyasa
Notable disciples
Yajnavalkya (who later broke away to receive the Shukla recension)