# SB 1.3.21 > ततः सप्तदशे जातः सत्यवत्यां पराशरात् । > चक्रे वेदतरोः शाखा दृष्ट्वा पुंसोऽल्पमेधसः ॥२१॥ ## Text > tataḥ saptadaśe jātaḥ > satyavatyāṁ parāśarāt > cakre veda-taroḥ śākhā > dṛṣṭvā puṁso 'lpa-medhasaḥ ## 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*—be seeing; *puṁsaḥ*—the people in general; *alpa*-*medhasaḥ*—less intelligent. ## Translation **Thereafter, in the seventeenth incarnation of Godhead, Śrī Vyāsadeva appeared in the womb of Satyavatī through Parāśara Muni, and he divided the one Veda into several branches and subbranches, seeing that the people in general were less intelligent.** ## Purport Originally the *Veda* is one. But Śrīla Vyāsadeva divided the original *Veda* into four, namely *Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva,* and then again they were explained in different branches like the *Purāṇas* and the *Mahābhārata.* Vedic language and the subject matter are very difficult for ordinary men. They are understood by the highly intelligent and self-realized *brāhmaṇas.* But the present age of Kali is full of ignorant men. Even those who are born by a *brāhmaṇa* father are, in the present age, no better than the *śūdras* or the women. The twice-born men, namely the *brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas* and *vaiśyas,* are expected to undergo a cultural purificatory process known as *saṁskāras,* but because of the bad influence of the present age the so-called members of the *brāhmaṇa* and other high-order families are no longer highly cultured. They are called the *dvija-bandhus,* or the friends and family members of the twice-born. But these *dvija-bandhus* are classified amongst the *śūdras* and the women. Śrīla Vyāsadeva divided the *Vedas* into various branches and subbranches for the sake of the less intelligent classes like the *dvija-bandhus, śūdras* and women.