PuNyAhavachana Saamans : Part I

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear AasthikAs :

 

Sriman ShrEyas Sarangan, the Web Master of

Oppiliaappan Web site belongs to Kautuma SaakhA

of Saama Vedam . He has identified (A) the Kumbha Prathishtai

and (B) PuNyAha Vachana Saamans as follows :

 

A. Kumbha Prathishtai: Three Saama R^ks : 321 , 352 and 449

 

B. PuNyAha Vachana Japam : Seven Saama R^ks:

500 , 350 , 91, 274 , 321 , 565 and 169

 

All of the Saama PuNyAha Vachana Saamans come from

PurvArchika section .PurvArchika section can be called

the Karma KhANDam .

 

As an introduction , Saama Vedam has a total of 1875 mantrams

(R^ks) classified as Follows:

 

1. PUrvArchika : 1-585 ( AagnEya : 114, Aendra : 352, PavamAna : 119).

 

2. AaraNya : 586-640 (55 Saamans)

 

3. MahAnAmni-Archika : 641-650 ( 10 Saamans)

 

4. UttarArchika ( 651-1875)

 

Most of the Saama r^ks are from Rg Veda Mantrams

set to Saama GhAnam . Only 99 Saamans of Saama Veda

do not come from Rg Veda. Fifteen come from Yajur Veda ;

Two occur in both the Atharva Veda and Yajur Veda .There are

approximately 70-80 Saama Rks that are unique to Saama Vedam .

 

Kumbha PratishtA Saamans

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A.1 Saama R^k 321(Cf : Yajur Vedam XIII.3, Atharva VedamIV.1.1 , V.6.1)

 

Brahma jajn~Anam prTamam purastAdvi seematha: suruchO vEna Aava:

sa BudhnayA upamA asya vishDA: satasccha yOnimasatasccha viva:

 

(Meaning ):" In the beginning of the creation , the Supreme Lord alone

knew all the details . From all sides , this effulgent wise one has manifested

the bright rays. In the mid-space, our Lord has set up beautifully the celestial

bodies , which speak of His unparalleled eminence . He is the sole cause of

the today existing , and yet non-existing creation ." ( Saaman 321)

 

Another translation goes this way: " That God alone is adorable ,

who , in the beginning of the Universe created every thing is wide

in expansion . Highest of all effulgent , and worthy of worship .

The Sun ,Moon and other worlds in the atmosphere stationed in

their orbits , testify to His knowledge . He pervades them all through

His omnipresence and comprehends the visible and the invisible

in space ". ( Yajur Vedam: XIII.3 )

 

This translation is more in the Yajurvedic style . The same mantram

with svaram variations in different Vedams can acquire different

meanings .

 

Yajur Veda Mantram XIII.2 and XIII.4 bracket the XIII.3 under

discussion focus also on the Jagath Srushti KaaraNan ,

the Omniscient Lord and the mysteries of His Creation

this way :

 

Oh God ! Thou art the support of Waters ( apAm prushThamasi) ,

the abode of fire ( yOniragnE: ) , the enveloper of the Ocean

as it swells and surges( samudramabhimata: pinvamAnam) .

" Oh loftiest of All , worthy of adoration by humanity , and full

of majesty in space , shine forth for us with omnipresence and

Omniscience ( vardhamAnO mahaam aacha pushkarE divO

mAthrayA varimNA praTasva) ." -------Yajur Veda Mantram: XIII.2

 

Yajur Veda Mantram (XIII.4) acknowledges that the Lord is the Creator of

the Universe , its one and only Lord , who sustains luminous objects

like the Sun ( HiraNyagarbha: samavarthathAgrE bhUthasya jaatha:

pathirEka Aaseeth) . In the second paadham of this mantram , Vedam

acknowledges that the Lord sustains the Earth , the Sun and this world

( sa dhAdhAra pruTiveem dhyAmuthEmAm ) and commandfs us

to worship Him ( the Creator , Sustainer) with our devotion , Him,

the embodiment of happiness ( kasmai dEvAya havishA vidhEma) .

These are very similar to the revelations in the Rg Veda HiraNya

garbha sooktha mantrams .

 

Yajur Veda Mantrams XIII.2, 3 and 4 stay well together in

a thematic sense ( Creation ) and XIII.3 is sung as

Saaman 321 in Kumbha Prathishtai.

 

This same PoorvArchika Saaman (321) is seen at two chapters of

Atharva Vedam ( IV.1.1 and V.6. 1) and it has the same meaning

like the Yajur Veda mantram . They state that the Sun , Moon and

the Stars are pervaded by this Omnipotent Creator and they

testify to His Omniscience .

 

additional reflections on the first Saaman for Kumbha Prathishtai

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

This is an eulogy of the Jagath Srushti Karthaa , Aadhi-MadhyAntha

rahithan , Sriman NaarAyaNan . He is the One who revealed that He is

Saama Vedam among the four VedAs . Among the three VyApArams ,

the creation , sustenance and dissolution of the Universe and its beings ,

the Creation aspect is being highlighted for salutation here .

 

The VishNu PurAna slOkam echos this Sarvajn~athvam ( Omniscinece) ,

Sarva Sakthithvam ( Omnipotence ) , comprehension of all created objects

( ChEtana , achEtanams and Naama roopa Prapnacham) as Sarva dhruk .

This slOkam also salutes Him as the abode of KaaaruNyam , Vaathsalyam,

which are the subdivisions of His Jn~Anam . This slOkam further recognizes

Him as free from inauspicious attributes such as fatigue, laziness, fear, anger

and desire :

 

sarvajn~a: sarvadhruk sarva Sakthi Jn~Ana BalardhdimAn

klama-tandhree bhaya krOdha karmAdhibhi: asamyutha:

 

This unique state of our Creator has been saluted by Swamy

Alavanthar in HIs Sri Sookthi ( Aathma Siddhi) and AchArya

RaamAnuja in Sri Vaikunta Gadhyam as :

 

svAdheena thirividha chEtana achEtana svaroopa sTithi

pravrutthi bhEdham "

 

The svarropam ( inherent nature) , sTithi ( the sustenance) ,

pravrutthi ( vyApAram ) of the three kinds of ChEtanams

and three kinds of achEtanams are under the control ( adhenam)

of this Creator .

 

This famous passage has been extensively commented upon

by PoorvAchAryALs .

 

The ramifications of this Saama R^k is thus enormous and touches

on the relationship of the ChEtanAchEtanams with their creator

from AadhAra-AadhEyam , NiyAma-Niyanthruvam and Sesha-Seshi

bhAvam . AshtAksharam contains these meanings of the Lord being

all of the above as SarvAdhAran , Sarva NiyAmyan and Sarva Seshi .

 

The creation is the divine vyApAram of our Lord carved on the canvas

of Prakruthi ,the primordial mattrer . To fully appreciate the mysteries of Creation

by the Lord in the multiparameter, multidimensional aspects of space , time ,

nAmaa and roopam , the HiraNyagarbha Hymns of Rg Vedam ( X.121)

and the Naasadiya Sukthams of Rg Vedam ( X.129 ) have to be studied .

Selected excerpts from the HiraNyagarbha hymns will relate to the first

Saama r^k used in Kumbha PraTishtai ( 321) :

 

Rg R^k : X.121.1 : " In the beginning , there existed the Lord of divine

effulgence ( hiraNyagarbha: samavartaagrE ) ; He was the sole Lord of

all created beings. He fixed and held up this earth and heaven . To that Lord alone , may we offer our adorations !

 

Rg R^k : X.121.5: By Him , the heavens are strong and the earth is

steadfast; by Him light's realm and sky vault are supported ; by Him

the regions in the mid-air are measured . To that Lord alone , May we

offer our adorations !

 

The cosmic creation is conjoined in the Vedic views with cosmic worship

and " by this knowledge , men were raised to the highest sublime position

of Rishis"( Rg Vedam X.130.6) . In the matter of Creation , the Lord is

recognized as the Master Weaver , who weavs with exteme care and skill.

In this weaving , Saama hymns are considered as weaving shuttles ( Rg R^k:

130.1-2).

 

We will continue with the next two Saaman for Kumbha Pratishtai ( 352 & 449)

in a companion posting .

 

NamO Veda PurushAya ,

NamO NamO SrI HayagrIvAya ,

 

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan