Is Baskala Shaka of Rig veda Authentic?

Question

Vedas are the primary and oldest scriptures of Hinduism. Many sages wrote them and they are pure authentic and most sacred scriptures of Hinduism. Entire Hindu philosphy is based on them. The four Vedas are Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda.

According to some sources there were thousand branches of it but now only 10-12 branches are left. So my question is that is the Baskala Shaka of Rig veda as authentic as other Shakas? And can it be regarded as Sacred as other Shakas? Baskala Shaka also contains Shiv Sankalp Sukta and Lakshmi Sukta.

Answer 1

Yes, Bāṣkala was one of the disciplines of Paila who has received Rigveda Samhita from VedaVyasa. As graphically represented in this answer:

Refer 54^th verse of Srimad Bhagvata Canto 4, Chapter 6 where Bashkala is clearly mentioned as one direct discipline of Paila.

पैलः स्वसंहितामूचे इन्द्रप्रमितये मुनिः
बाष्कलाय च सोऽप्याह शिष्येभ्यः संहितां स्वकाम् ॥ १२.६.५४ ॥

pailaḥ sva-saṁhitām ūce indrapramitaye
bāṣkalāya ca so ’py āha śiṣyebhyaḥ saṁhitāṁ svakām

After dividing his saṁhitā into two parts, the wise Paila spoke it to Indrapramiti and Bāṣkala.

Charanavyuha Sutras of Shaunaka mentions five Shakas of Rigveda:

Rigveda Khanda:

एतेषां शाखाः पञ्च विधा भवन्ति ॥ ७ ॥
आश्वलायनी, शङ्खायनी, शाकला, बाष्कला, मापडूकायनश्चेति ॥ ८ ॥

So, Bāṣkala is authentic Shakha of Rigveda.