Samaveda: Earlier people used to read all the Vedas orally only. With time, when inconsistencies started emerging among the people, Krishnadvapayan Veda Vyas collected the detailed Veda compositions spread over thousands of mantras and divided them into four parts according to the subject, namely Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda.
After dividing the Vedas, he preached it to his four disciples named Pail, Vaishampayan, Jaimini and Sumantu. The tradition of Samveda starts from Jaimini. Jaimini taught it to his son Sumantu, Sumantu to his son Sunvan and Sunvan to his son Sukarma. In this way the tradition of studying Samveda has been continuing. Geetibhag of the Vedas, famous for the difference in form of prose, poetry and songs, is called Samaveda.
On the occasion of Samatarpan, the thirteen Acharyas who sing Samatarpan, to whom tarpan is offered, are-
(1) Ranayan,
(2) Satyamugri-Vyas,
(3) Bhaguri Aulundi,
(4) Goulmulvi,
(5) Bhanuman,
(6) Aupamanyava,
(7) Daral,
(8) Gargya,
(9) Savarni,
(10) Anniversaries,
(11) Kuthumi,
(12) Shalihotra and
(13) Jaimini.
Of these, today there are three branches known as Ranayan, Kuthumi and Jaimini Acharyas – Ranayaniya, Kauthumiya and Jaimini, out of which the Ranayaniya branch is more popular in the south. Kauthumiya is found from Vindhyachal in North India. In Kerala, study and teaching of Jaiminiya branch is done more. Most of the Kauthumi branch is prevalent throughout India.
‘Sa Chamashcheti Tatsamnah Samatvam’ in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.3.22) Samaka has been derived from the sentence by saying ‘sa’ means song and ‘am’ means song. This makes it clear that both of them should be known by the word ‘Sam’. Therefore, by combining the verses and songs, the mantra part of Samveda is completed. Mantrabhag is also called Samhita. For this reason Samaveda Samhita is found written.
In Samavedic verses, nature songs and Ooh and Uhya songs have been sung with various voices and alaps. Nature songs include Gram Geyagaan and Aaranyak Gaan. In the first song, mantras in praise of Agni, Indra and Som are mainly recited in the three festivals of Agneya, Aindra and Pavman respectively. Aranyakarma has been a confluence of Arka, Dwandva, Vrat, Shukriya and a festival called Mahanamni. Samvedis belong to the sect of reciting Shukriya Parva on every Sunday in the form of Surya Namaskar.
This part of the song has been called Aranyaka because it contains the text of the hymns sung in the forests. On the basis of Gramageya Gaan and Aranyaka-Gaan, Uhagaan and Uhyagaan are influenced respectively. Especially the stotras sung in Som Yagas are found in Ooh and Oohyagan. In both of these, stotras are recited in the seven festivals of Dasharatri, Samvatsara, Ekaah, Ahin, Satra, Prayaschitta and Kshudrasangyak, based on the order determined by Tandya Brahmin. Like Tandya Brahmana describes Yagya from its fourth chapter itself.
Brahmin part:,
Brahmins appropriate the mantra part in their deeds. Generally, eight Brahmins of Samveda have been counted in the invocation verses of Sayana Bhasya of Devadhyaya Brahmin, whose names are as follows –
(1) Mature (Tandya) Brahmin,
(2) ShadvinshaBrahmin,
(3) SamvidhanBrahmin,
(4) ArsheyaBrahmin,
(5) Devadhyaya-Brahmin,
(6) Chandogyopanishad-Brahmin,
(7) Samhitopanishad-Brahmin and
(8) VanshBrahmin.
Tandya-Brahmin is named Panchvinsh on the basis of number of chapters and being the largest, it is also called MahaBrahmin. Apart from these Brahmins, Jaiminiya Brahmins of Jaiminiya branch, Jaiminiyo Upanishad and Jaiminiyarsheya Brahmin are also seen, due to which the name of Brahmin was also kept as Shadvinsh. Apart from the naturally occurring events, many amazing events also take place in the world. To deal with it, Smart Yagas and Samas have been prescribed in this chapter.
Like lightning striking houses, increasing disputes with administrative officials and sudden death of elephants and horses are inauspicious signs for the people. Arsheya Brahmana presents the sages associated with the names divided into six chapters. Mantra seer Arsheya is lying. Divided into four sections, Devadhyayan Brahman tells about the gods of Samas on the basis of their demise.
The first two Prapathakas of Chhandogyo Upanishad-Brahmin, which is complete with ten Prapathakas, contain the provisions of mantras related to marriage rituals. The remaining eight are Prapathaka Upanishads. In this Upanishad section, the essence of Sama has been called Swara. Like the movement of Sama in the dialogue between Shalavatya and Dalbhya ‘Swar Hovach’ Having said that, the notes are considered to be the everything of Sama.
It is seen that Brihad Rathantar etc. Sama are not related to Arsheya but are famous for their swaras only i.e. these Sama Krushta etc. express only the first swaras. In the same Upanishad (2.22.2) – the method of singing a stotra sung by Udgata has been explained to provide nectar to the gods, to fix food for the animals, to send the host to heaven, and to sing the stota itself with the aim of producing food.
Vedanga :-
In Vedanga, Kalpashastra is divided into 4 sections. Grihyasutra, Dharmasutra and Shulbasutra. There are two Shrautasuttas – Drahmayana and Latayana. Similarly two Grihyasutras are found Khadir and Gobhil. In this way, two categories have been made, Shrautasutta and Grihyasutra, depending on the country and usage.
That is, while the Samavedis of the South perform their rituals from their Shrauta and Smarta respectively, the Drahmayana Shrauta Sutta and Khadir Grihya Sutta, while the Samavedis of the North perform the same rituals from the Latayana Srauta Sutta.
There are three main teachings that explain the pronunciation process of Samveda – Naradiya Shiksha, Gautam Shiksha and Lomsha Shiksha.
The Aranyaka of this Veda is ‘Tavalkar’. It is also called Brahmin. Of the four Vedas, Kalpashastra is divided into four types – its text is made up of chapters and many Anuvas. Similarly, Ken and Chandogyo Upanishad are Upanishads of this Veda. On the basis of its branch, Ken is also called Tavalkar. Chandogyo Upanishad, which gives a detailed analysis of Udgeetha (Omkar) and Samas in the first five prapathakas of eight prapathakas, tells about spiritual knowledge in the last three prapathakas. The Samvedic Mahavakya ‘Tatvamasi’ has been described in this.
Musicology originated from Samaveda.
Musicology is considered to have originated from Samveda itself. ‘Samvedadidam Geetam Sanjagrah Pitamah’ (2.25) By saying this, the author of Sangeet Ratnakar, Sharngdev, has clearly acknowledged Samveda as the primary text of music. Bharat Muni also proved this point by saying that ‘Sambhyo Geetmev Va’ That is, ‘the song originated from Samveda itself.’
Similarly, the prolific Samavedic literature was written by Shri Krishna. ‘Vedanam Samavedosmi’ (Gita 10.22) That is, its importance has been increased by saying ‘I am Samveda among the Vedas’. Being a fan of Venu, appreciator of qualities and a Brahmin, Lord Krishna himself has accepted Samveda as his glory. It is seen that in Samveda there is a confluence of Padmapradhan Rigvedic mantras, prose based Yajurmantras and lyrical mantras.
Therefore, due to the integration of all the trinity Vedas into a single Samaveda, due to its immense importance and comprehensiveness, Lord Shri Krishna has called himself the Samaveda.
read this also: Yajurveda: Yajurveda is the second oldest Veda after Rigveda, know its characteristics and brief introduction.
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