Vyasadeva divided the eternal Vedas into branches to guide fallen souls in Kali-yuga's lesser intelligence.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.21 — September 26, 1972, Los Angeles 720926SB-LOS ANGELES [48:28 Minutes] SB-01.03.21_720926SB-LOS ANGELES Prabhupāda: No kartals? [Govindam prayers playing; sings along] [leads singing of Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava] [prema-dhvani] Thank you very much.
Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. [obeisances] [break]
Prabhupāda: Recite. [indistinct] Recite. Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto One, Chapter 3, text 21. [leads chanting of verse] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] tataḥ saptadaśe jātaḥ satyavatyāṁ parāśarāt cakre veda-taroḥ śākhā dṛṣṭvā puṁso 'lpa-medhasaḥ [SB 1.3.21] Prabhupāda: Ladies. [ladies chant] That's all. Word meaning.
Pradyumna: [leads chanting of synonyms] tataḥ—thereafter; saptadaśe—in the seventeenth incarnation; jātaḥ—advented; satyavatyām—in the womb of Satyavatī; parāśarāt—by Parāśara Muni; cakre—prepared; veda-taroḥ—of the desire tree of the Vedas; śākhāḥ—branches; dṛṣṭvā—by seeing; puṁsaḥ—the people in general; alpa-medhasaḥ—less intelligent. [13:31] Translation: "Thereafter, in the seventeenth incarnation of Godhead, Śrī Vyāsadeva appeared in the womb of Satyavatī, wife of Parāśara Muni, and he divided the one Veda into several branches and sub-branches, seeing that the people in general were less intelligent." Prabhupāda: So this Parāśara actually was not husband of Satyavatī. When Satyavatī was not married, Parāśara [Satyavatī] gave birth to Vyāsadeva. Later on Satyavatī became the wife of Mahārāja Śantanu, father of Bhīṣmadeva.
This Satyavatī was the daughter of a fisherman. She was neither born of a brāhmaṇa father or kṣatriya father. So formerly, a higher-caste man could accept a girl born of lower caste, but a lower-caste man could not accept a girl born of higher caste. That was the system. Because in the śāstra it is...
Ordinary, I mean to say, instructive śāstra. Just like Cāṇakya, in his moral lessons he says that viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam. When there is a tub of poison, but if there is little nectar, then you take it. Don't think that "It is in the poison pot; why shall I take it?" No, you can take it. Viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam amedhyād api kāñcanam [Nīti-darpaṇa 1.16].