PavamAna Saamam recitation during 60th and 80th anniversaries

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear VedAbhimAnis:

 

A dear friend of mine belonging to Saama Veda

Saakhai is celebrating his father's Shastiabdha

Poorthy celebrations in the Vaidhic way .

 

The Bruhaspathis have arranged for PavamAna KANDa

PaarayaNam the evening before and have

scheduled Udaga Saanthi in the early morning

next day for consecrating the Udagam ( Water )

in the Kumbham for abhishEkam at the MuhUrtham.

 

When I learnt about it , I thought I will share some

thoughts about the PavamAna KhANDa PaarAyaNam

at home on Special occaasions . PavamAna Sooktham

from KrishNa Yajur Vedam used as part of PuNYAvachanams

is different from the longer PavamAna KhaaNDam from

Saama Vedam .

 

This Saama Vedin friend of mine has informed me

that the recitation of PavamAna Saamans --which lasts

for 3 hours approximately -- on EkAdasi days is

as sacred as reciting Achidhram and AswamEdham

from KrishNa Yajur Vedam on the EkAdasi days .

Perhaps this PavamAna KaaNDa PaarAyaNam

can be recorded for others to benefit from

listening to it .

 

What are Soma PavamAna Hymns ?

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The Soma PavamAna hymns are from

the entire 9th Canto of Rg Vedam housing

114 hymns and 1108 manthrams .

 

They are found as PoorvArchika and UttharArchika Saamans.

They pay tribute to King Soma , the Vedic Elixir linked to

Soma Yaagams . Sathapatha BraBrahmana sings the glories

of the Soma Creeper giving Soma juice used as offering

for Indhra . The glories of the Soma Juice is celebrated

as " Sathyam vai Srir-- jyOthi: Soma: " (Soma is Truth ,

Iswaryam and effulgence ).

 

What is SomA ?

***************

Soma plant growing in the mythical Mujavath mountain is

a creeper and the leaves are collected by

Moonlight , pressed between stones by

the priests , filtered , mixed with ghee and flour

and fermented . This sacred libation is then offered

in Soma Yaagams in a ceremonial manner to

the accompaniment of Saama ghAnam . The Soma

plant ( version of hop plant ) is not easy to find and

therefore other plants have been substitued by

Rishis for Soma Yaj~nams .

 

King SomA is the Moon (Somaa rAjA chandramA: ) .

SomA juice is the essence of any oushadhi (medicinal

herbs) . The Vedic connation and tradition takes us

to higher and higher levels of conceptualization of

SomA . Ultimately , SomA is addressed as "BrahmaNaspathi".

 

Soma is conceptualized to flow out to

the Aanandhamaya and Vij~nAnamaya kOsAs(Sheaths)

and enjoyed by the Self having the abode in the innermost

cavity of the Hrudhay a kamalam ( Heart lotus) .

 

When Soma PavamAna manthrams of Rg Vedam(9th canto)

are set to music in Saama Vedam ( with occasional

variations) and are sung in a house , it pleases the Veda

Purushan , Sriman NaarAyaNan to the utmost and

therefore it is a great and unique Vaidhika Gaanam

to hear and brings dheergAyus , auspicousness , and

growth in Kaimakrya SrI of the YajamAnan .

 

Pavamaana means self-purifying . Pavamaana Soma

Saamans purifies the listeners and reciters . In a Soma

Yaagam , the Soma Juice prepared according to Vedic

way is offered as a libation to gods .

 

Rishis , DEvathAs and Chandas for PavamAna Saamans

*********************************************************

The PavamAna Saamans have various Rishis but

they have as DEvathA , PavamAna Soman and

the chandas is mostly Gayathri . Occasionally ,

Thrishtup or Jagadhee or Pankthi chandas

take over from Gaayathri Chandas as metre.

In some of the PavamAna Soma hymns , Soma

as DEvatha is invoked jointly with Agni , Indhra ,

Arka , Brahaspathi , VaruNa , Rudra et al.

 

As mentioned before , the PavamAna Soma Saamans

originate from Rg Vedam , 9th KaaNDam with occasional

variations .

 

Let us study some of the PavamAna Soma Saamans

and reflect on their meanings in subsequent posts.

 

Veda PurushAya Nama:

 

SrImath Azhagiya Singar Thiruvadi ,

Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri SaThakOpan