Guest guest Posted July 1, 2004 Report Share Posted July 1, 2004 Beloved Kenji comments... "Why does Lord Krishna say 'Of the Vedas I am the Samaveda'? Others may like to comment. My own view is that although the Samaveda uses many of the Rks of the RgVeda, it is in the chanting that the essence, or essential meaning, can be heard. Must be more to it than that though so I would welcome other members' insights." Although i am in no way qualified to speak on this , let me offer a few comments as it was i who initiated this discussion. ( i am expecting lucid explanations from learned members who are present in this great sat-sangha) here is the exact verse... vedanam sama-vedo 'smi devanam asmi vasavah indriyanam manas casmi bhutanam asmi cetana (bg chapter 10 verse 22) WORD FOR WORD vedanam -- of all the Vedas; sama-vedah -- the Sama Veda; asmi -- I am; devanam -- of all the demigods; asmi -- I am; vasavah -- the heavenly king; indriyanam -- of all the senses; manah -- the mind; ca -- also; asmi -- I am; bhutanam -- of all living entities; asmi -- I am; cetana -- the living force. TRANSLATION Of the Vedas I am the Sama Veda; of the demigods I am Indra, the king of heaven; of the senses I am the mind; and in living beings I am the living force [consciousness]. Kenji, if you are reading this , be comforted to know that your favotrite deity Indra (vasava) is also mentioned in the same verse as the supreme among Devas! Why is Sama veda held in high esteem? it is said Saamnaa Udgitho Rasah "The essence of the Sama hymns is Udgitha") declares the Chandogya Upanishad. What is this Udgitha? Udgita means the Pranava. The essence of the Sama Veda is the Pranava (Om). Pranava is the very life-breath. Omkaaram Sarva Vedaanaam---the scriptures have also declared that Omkaara (the sacred syllable Om) is the supreme mantra in the Vedas. From this it will be realized how supremely important the Omkaara is in the eyes of the seers and what great significance is attached to It. The single syllable "Om" is pre-eminent among the letters of the alphabet. It symbolizes the Paramatma (Supreme Omni-Self). The Sama Veda is the embodiment of Pranava. and AuM is BraHman ! and AuM is Sabda BraHman ! (SABDA-SOUND) and AuM is Gaana BraHman ! (GAANA-MUSIC) Lord Krishna says in BG chapter 9, verse 17 pitaham asya jagato mata dhata pitamahah vedyam pavitram omkara rk sama yajur eva ca SYNONYMS pita--father; aham--I; asya--of this; jagatah--of the universe; mata-- mother; dhata--supporter; pitamahah--grandfather; vedyam--what is to be known; pavitram--that which purifies; om-kara--the syllable om; rk- -the Rg Veda; sama--the Sama Veda; yajuh--the Yajur Veda; eva-- certainly; ca--and. TRANSLATION I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support, and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable AUM . I am also the Rg, the Sama, and the Yajur [Vedas]. Kenji, please note that here Lord Krishna is saying that He is also the vedas, Rg, Sama and Yajur. and all the Vedas speak about the significance of the PRANAVA MMANTRA Aum! AND ALL ONE SEES OR HEARS EMANATES FROM THE SOUND OF pRANAVA MANTRA 'AUM' my gurudeva always said 'of all the sadhanas, AUM SADHANA is the best' - Sama veda is Music ! and Aum is the inner music ! the source of all Light and sound is the Pranava mantra Aum! The Chandogya Upanishads declare The essence of all beings is the earth. The essence of the earth is water. The essence of water is the plant. The essence of the plant is man. The essence of man is speech. The essence of speech is the Rigveda. The essence of Rigveda is the SamAveda. The essence of SamAveda is AUM . Thus AUM is the best of all essences, deserving the highest place. so, the message of Sama Veda is the divinity and sacredness of the Pranava MantRa 'AUM' Rishi Pippalada shares secrets about the Primal Sound Satyakama, the son of Sibi, asked Pippalada: "Sir, if among men someone should here meditate on the syllable Aum until death, which world, verily, would he win thereby?" Pippalada replied: "O Satyakama, the syllable Aum is the Supreme Brahman and also the other Brahman. Therefore he who knows it attains, with its support, the one or the other. "If he meditates on one letter (matri), then, being enlightened by that alone, he quickly comes back to Earth after death. The Rig verses lead him to the world of men. By practicing austerity, chastity and faith, he enjoys greatness. "If, again, he meditates on the second letter, he attains the mind and is led up by the Yajur verses to the intermediate space, to the Plane of the Moon. Having enjoyed greatness in the Plane of the Moon, he returns hither again. "Again, he who meditates on the Highest Person through this syllable Aum consisting of three letters, becomes united with the effulgent Sun. As a snake is freed from its skin, even so he is freed from sin. "The three letters of Aum [used separately] are mortal; but when joined together in meditation on the total Reality and used properly on the activities of the external, internal and intermediate states, the knower trembles not. "The wise man, meditating on Aum, attains this world by means of the Rig verses; the intermediate world by means of the Yajur verses; and that which is known to the seers by means of the Sama verses. And also through the syllable Aum he realizes that which is tranquil, free from decay, death and fear, and which is the Highest." (ideas weaned from many sources ) ********************************************************************** of all the vedas, Rig veda and Sama veda are popular. ON a humorous note My own marriage was conducted according to Sama Veda ! my in-laws claimed Sama veda was superior to Rig veda! and guess what , my husband and i had to sit in front of the 'AGNI' (fire) for hours and hours as Sama veda marriage rites are very elaborate!The priest kept chanting the vedic mantras, and my husband was chanting my name in low whispers... it was so hillarious ! instead of a blushing bride, i was caught 'laughing' ! ********************************************************************** Members! my bharatanatyam teacher always used to say tell a story "The Gods & Godesses pleaded Lord Brahma to create another veda which would be simple for the common man to understand. It is believed that considering this request Lord Brahma created the Panchamaveda, Fifth veda, Natyaveda, an essence of the other four vedas. It is believed that he has taken pathya (words) form the Rigveda, abhinaya (gesture) from the Yajurveda, geet (music and chant) from Samaveda and rasa (sentiment and emotional element) from Atharvaveda to form the fifth veda, Natyaveda." so, there you have it! i invite all learned members to express their views on this as to why Sama veda is held in such importance ! Aum Tat Sat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2004 Report Share Posted July 1, 2004 Namaste Kenji, adiji and all Fom Swami Chinmayanda's commentary on BG, Page 677 " The Bulk of Sama-veda is nothing but the essence of the Rig-Veda and the latter is considered as the most important of all the four vedas. In Chandogya Upanishad, the Sama-Veda is beautifully glorified. Again, In Sama-Veda, there is an added joy of music, in asmuch as, the Samans are to sung in complicated tunes, the melody and the rythm of which are evidences revealing a mighty art that has been exqusitely developed by our ancients. Through the beauty of the comparison, we may read that Krishna is ( I am) the infinite Essence tuned to music, as Rig-Veda Mantras are in the Samans." I'll find it difficult to add any but devotees who have an appreciation of all the Veda's may be able to take it further. Many thousand namaskarams to all Sridhar Many Pranams to all advaitin, "adi_shakthi16" <adi_shakthi16> wrote: > Beloved Kenji comments... > > "Why does Lord Krishna say 'Of the Vedas I am the > Samaveda'? Others may like to comment. My own view is > that although the Samaveda uses many of the Rks of the > RgVeda, it is in the chanting that the essence, or > essential meaning, can be heard. Must be more to it > than that though so I would welcome other members' > insights." > > Although i am in no way qualified to speak on this , let me offer a > few comments as it was i who initiated this discussion. ( i am > expecting lucid explanations from learned members who are present in > this great sat-sangha) > > here is the exact verse... > > vedanam sama-vedo 'smi > devanam asmi vasavah > indriyanam manas casmi > bhutanam asmi cetana (bg chapter 10 verse 22) > > WORD FOR WORD > vedanam -- of all the Vedas; sama-vedah -- the Sama Veda; asmi -- I > am; devanam -- of all the demigods; asmi -- I am; vasavah -- the > heavenly king; indriyanam -- of all the senses; manah -- the mind; > ca -- also; asmi -- I am; bhutanam -- of all living entities; asmi - - > I am; cetana -- the living force. > > > TRANSLATION > Of the Vedas I am the Sama Veda; of the demigods I am Indra, the king > of heaven; of the senses I am the mind; and in living beings I am the > living force [consciousness]. > > Kenji, if you are reading this , be comforted to know that your > favotrite deity Indra (vasava) is also mentioned in the same verse as > the supreme among Devas! > > Why is Sama veda held in high esteem? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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