Saama Vedam & ThiruvAimozhi: Part 9/ Srirangam VedAdhyayanam by 500 Vedic Scholars for 10 days in Novemebr , 2006

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Saama Vedam & ThiruvAimozhi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lord Sri Lakshmi HayagrIvan

Saama Samhitha

In its importance in YaagAs and sacredness, Saama Veda SamhithAs rank next to Rig VedA. The Lord of GeethA however has put this Saama samhithA on the top of all four SamhithAs with His declaration that He is Saama VedA among the VedAs. This samhithA consists of hyms chanted by udhgAtri priests at the Soma YaagAs. Many of the hymns originate from Rig Vedam and have been rearranged without reference to the original order in the Rig Vedam and set to music. Only 75 verses of the total of 1,875 verses of Saama Vedam are not to be found in Rig Vedam. The remaining 1,800 verses are essentially the repetitions of Rig Vedic verses. The important distinction however is that they are sung instead of being recited. The Rig Vedam deals with knowledge and Saama Vedam deals with UpAsanA, Worship and DhyAnam.

Divisions of Saama Vedam

According to one classification, the Saama samhithA is catalogued under two sections: PurvArchikA and UttarArchikA. Each archikA is subdivided into prapaathakAs and adhyAyAs. In another classification, the 1875 verses are grouped under FOUR categories:

1. PurvArchikA: 585 verses ( 1-585 )2. AraNya KhAndam : 55 verses ( 586-640 )3. MahAnAmnyArchikA : 10 verses( 641-650 )4. UttarArchikA: 1225 verses ( 651-1875)

SamhithAkArAs & focus of Saama Vedam

Sage Jaimini spread this Vedam after being initiated by Sage VyAsa. It is present today in three SakhAs : KouTuma ,RaaNAyaneeya and Jaimineeya SaakhAs.If the matching of the divine knowledge has to be done with the Four VedAs , Rig Vedam is linked to Jn~Ana ( fundamantal Knowledge) ,Yajur Vedam for Karma ( applied knowledge) , Saama Vedam for Upaasanaa and Atharvam for Vijn~Ana. The musical aspect of Saama Vedam leads to its description as "Geethishu SaamAkhyaa ".

Commentators of Saama Vedam

The commentators of Saama Vedam are :Madhava of the 7th century , ChUNa VishNu of 12th century form Bengal ,Bharata Swamy ( 1272-1310 CE) from Hosala country , Sayana ( 1372-1444 CE) of Vijayanagar and few others .

Unique Saama Veda MantrAs

There are only 75 of the 1875 Saama veda mantrAs that are unique to it ; rest of them are mostly from Rg Veda with minor verbal differences and set to music .

Atharva Vedam's Praise of Saama Vedam

Atharva Vedam , the youngest of the Vedams has the highest praise for Saama Vedam : " Of the Supreme Lord , the Ucchishta brahman , Saaman verses are regarded as body hairs ( loma) . Elsewhere in the Atharva Vedam ( Canto XIV.2.71) , the mantram declares : " Thou art "Saa" or She; I am amah . I and You both conjoined would become Saama (She and I ( the svara) conjoined will form the couple pertinent for procreation ).

Saama Ghanam

In singing, the priests of the Yaj~nams follow specific styles through alteration of prolongation, repetition, modulation, rests et al. These become the various styles of Saama GhAnams: congregational (GrAma gEya GhAnam), AraNya ghAnam (Forest song style), Uha ghAnam and Uhya GhAnam.

Saakhaas of Saama Vedam

Saama Vedam had originally 1001 branches. We have very few left now. NammAzhwAr's celebrated Thiruvaimozhi is recognized as the Saama Veda SaarArtham.

ThiruvAimozhi and Saama Vedic Content

" Vedam Tamizh seytha MaaRan " is one of the salutations to Swamy NammAzhwAr. In this context , ThiruvAimozhi , which deals with Bahgavath PrApthi (Attainment of the Lord) , is considered as the precious gift of this AzhwAr to us on the quinessence of Saama Vedam . BhagavAn says in Gitaa that among the Four VedAs , He is in Saama Vedam . Such is the glory of Saama Vedam and by extrpolation, its Tamizh derivative , ThiruvAimozhi.

The Four PurushArthams (Goals of Life)

The four goals of life identified by the VedAs are : Dharma , ArTa , Kaama and Moksha . The ultimate and the most precious PrurushArTam in life is Moksha ( release from the cycles of births and deaths and ascent to the Supreme abode of the Lord , Sri Vaikuntam , to engage in blemishless Kaimkaryam there to the dhivya dampathis ) . The bliss ( Aanandham arising from Bhagavath Kaamam) granting the boon of enjoyment of BrahmAnandham by the Muktha Jeevan equal to that of the Parama Padha Naathan through the successful execution of Bhakthi or Prapatthi yOgam is the message of Saama Vedam and the Paasurams of ThiruvAimozhi rooted in the Saama Vedam . The Supreme Brahman , Sriman NarayaNan of VisishtAdhvaitham , His KalyANa guNams are the objects of meditation , salutation and singing of both Saama Vedam and ThiruvAimozhi . We shall illustrate this Saamyam between the Sanskritic and Tamizh Vedam in the next essay .

To be Continued ,

NamO Saama veda PurushAya ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

P.S: Please support the Saama Veda AdhyApAkAs ( Samhitha , Jadai and Ghanam ) at Srirangam during the forthcoming SathAbhishEkam .Thank you .