Inputs for CD ROM : XI.7:ThiruvAimozhi , An Introduction to Saama Vedam

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Dear BhakthAs:

 

Swamy NammAzhwAr's(SN's) ThiruvAimozhi (TVM) is

closely linked to Saama Vedam . Some describe it

as the essence of Saama Vedam in general and

the ChAndhOgya Upanishad (affiliated with Saama

Vedam )in particular.

 

One of the Taniyans for ThiruvAimozhi salutes

the connection of Saama Vedam and its thousand

Saakhais (branches/rescensions)to the Thousand

plus paasurams of TVM:

 

BhakthAmrutham Visva janAnumOdhanam

SarvArthatham SRISATAKOPA VAANGMAYAM

SAHASARA SAAKOPANISHAD SAMAAGAMAM

NamAmyaham DhrAvida Veda Saagaram

 

Bhagavaan identified Himself as Saama vedam among

the four Vedams . If our Lord were to take a stand

among Tamizh Marais , it is fair to anticipate that

He would say that among Dhivya prabhandhams ,

He is ThiruvAimozhi . It would be no surprise since

the subject matter of TVM at the highest level is

Bhagavath PrApthi through SaraNAgathi upAyam revealed

to us by Lord ParthasArathy on the battle field of

KurukshEthram through His charama SlOkam . ThiruvAimozhi

is recognized in our sampradhAyam as the Dheerga-SaraNAgathi

arising out of the elaboration of the sacred Dhvaya manthram.

 

Like Saama Vedam , ThiruvAimozhi is revelational

knowledge . It sings about the glorious attributes

of the Lord . It has been described as " an experience

of the vision of God; it is not a discourse but

an experience of God in a direct manner , unmediated

by the senses , a spiritual intuition comparable to

revelational knowledge" in Tamil language( Tamizh MaRai).

 

In this posting , adiyen would provide an introduction

to Saama Vedam .The links of TVM to Saama Vedam will be

elaborated in the subsequent postings.

 

Saama Vedam

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(1) Saama vedam has 1875 manthrAs/Saamans in the form of

verses.

 

(2) It has four sections: PoorvArchicka (1-585),

AaraNya (586-640) , MahAnAmni Archika (641-650),

UttarArchika (651-1875).

 

(3) Out of the 1875 verses of Saama Vedam , 1776 verses

are Rg veda manthrams set to music ; Thus, only 99

verses do not belong to Rg Vedam. Among the 99 ,

eleven have been adopted from Atharva vedam and

Four are from Yajur Vedam. Some 70 to 80 verses

belong uniquely to Saama vedam.

 

(4) The relationship of Saama Vedam to the other three

VedAs is understood this way : Rg Vedam stands for

Jn~Ana ( fundamental & TRUE knowledge);Yajur Vedam denotes

karma or applied knowledge(phalan);Saama Vedam stands for

UpAsanA(Glorification of the Supreme Lord addressed

particularly as Indra and Agni);Atharva Vedam denotes

Vij~nana (Perfection and conservation).

 

(5) Out of the 1001 SaakhAs that existed before , we

have today only three available to us : KouTuma ,

RaaNayaneeya and Jaimineeya.KouTama recension is

prevalent in Gujerat;Jaimineeya in Southern India

(Karnatic parts and Tamil Naadu);RaaNayaneeya in

MahArAshtrA.

 

(6) There are 11 BrahmaNAs dealing with rituals and

Soma/Saama Yaj~nams that are associated with

Saama vedam .

 

(7) Just as Aapasthambha Soothram is the Sroutha

Soothram of KrishNa Yajur Vedam ,Saama vedam

has for its Soothram , LaaDyAyana Sroutha

Soothram.It sets down the priestly duties of

Udhgathrus performing SomA Yaj~nams.

 

(8) Among the saptha svarAs , "Saa" is the " super-most"

note of Saama vedam. This is recognized as the life

principle of DevAs .In the present classification of

Indian music Shadja , Rishabha , GhAndhAra , madhyama ,

Panchama , dhaivatha and NishAdham SvarAs (notes, Tones)

are used. In the Saama vedam , Madhyama Svaram ( the Svaram

of Flute or VeeNA )becomes the first Svaram and is

followed by Ghaandharva, Rshabha , Shadja ,Dhavatha,

NishAdha abnd Panchama svarams.

 

(8) In Saaman recital ,every letter , every SvarA

has to be fully pronounced. As the manthrAs are

set into music , the words are some what modified

and undergo " VikArams" defined by Pushpa Soothram .

These VikArams are 18 in number and are called "BhAvAs".

 

(8) The Four Types of Saaman Chanting are: (a)vEya or

GrAma gEya that is chanted in public (b)AaraNya or

chanted in forests and in solitude © Uha and (d) Uhya

or Mystic chanting.

 

(9) In poorvaarchikA Samans ,the two song manuals are

graama gEya ghAna (Congregational) and the AaraNya

ghana ( sung by recluses and Moksham seekers in

the privacy of forests).UttarArchikA Saamans have two

song manuals , the Uha ghAnam and the Uhya GhAnam.

Source texts like Naaradi SikshA and Raaga VibhOdha

provide details on the singing of these four song manuals.

 

(9) The different types of instruments used in Saama Vedic

chanting are VeeNA , vENu , Mrudhangam and some special

types of Drums(Dundhubi et al).Vedic Music is Saama Gaanam.

 

(10) Achaarya Natha Muni taught his two disciples the TaaLam and

singing of the Dhivya Prabhandham (Tamizh MaRai) in the above

manner. Swamy Desikan celebrates the great help of AchArya

Nathamuni this way:

 

" Kaalam valampuri anna naRRkkAthal adiyavarkku

TaaLam Vazhangi Tamizh MaRai innisai tantha VaLLal

MooLum Tava neRi mootiya Naathamuni KazhalE

naLum thozhuthezhuvOm namakkAr nihar naanilatthE"

--AdhikAra Sangraham: Paasuram 6.

 

In the next postings , we will cover ThiruvAimozhi

of Swamy NammazhwAr.

 

Srimath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Daasan, V.SatakOpan