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Vedapatha Paddhati (Samskrit: वेदपाठपद्धतिः) was devised by rshis (Vedic seers) as a means of protecting and preserving the text of Vedas (वेदाः) letter by letter, with all their accessories and accents. Committing to memory and passing on the knowledge through oral tradition was the primary transmission method of the Vedas.  
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Vedapatha Paddhati (Samskrit: वेदपाठपद्धतिः) was devised by rshis (Vedic seers) as a means of protecting and preserving the text of Vedas (वेदाः) letter by letter, with all their accessories and accents. Committing to memory and passing on the knowledge through oral tradition was the primary transmission method of the Vedas.[[File:Pustaka vachana (The art of reading manuscripts easily and quickly).png|thumb|'''Disciples reading scripture'''s Courtesy: Permitted to use Copyrighted Images from the Book "Sarwang" Published by Adivasi Lok Kala Evam Boli Vikas Academy, Madhya Pradesh Sanskriti Parishad|600x600px]]
 
   
== परिचयः || Introduction ==
 
== परिचयः || Introduction ==
 
Vedic mantras have स्वराः || Svaras (accents) which preserve its original form of word- construction. Thus, Vedas are not just textual, which were later on in written format but comprise of intonations, pitch, accents, pronunciation, time duration and of fine nuances of human element which cannot be captured on manuscript or paper. Hence, existence of volumes of printed material is of minimal use as the real authority is vested with those very few scholars, who are remaining, keeping the age old tradition of recitation alive.  
 
Vedic mantras have स्वराः || Svaras (accents) which preserve its original form of word- construction. Thus, Vedas are not just textual, which were later on in written format but comprise of intonations, pitch, accents, pronunciation, time duration and of fine nuances of human element which cannot be captured on manuscript or paper. Hence, existence of volumes of printed material is of minimal use as the real authority is vested with those very few scholars, who are remaining, keeping the age old tradition of recitation alive.  
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The modes of chanting prescribe the basics like how much time one has to take for reciting a word, how to regulate breathing while reciting so that required vibrations are produced in the specific parts of the body which will yield pure word-sound. That preservation of the vedas was the aim of different पाठपद्धति-s || pathapaddhatis is given by many scholars. According to Dr. Bhandarkar<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>''"The object of these different arrangements is simply the most accurate preservation of the sacred text."(Indian Antiquary, 1874)''</blockquote>In Rigvedic India by Shri Avinash Chandra Das,<blockquote>''"These hymns, however, were not committed to writing on papyrus, palm-leaves, or baked clay-bricks, but to human memory carefully cultivated for the purpose and were handed down from generation to generation without the loss of even a single word or syllable."''</blockquote>
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The modes of chanting prescribe the basics like how much time one has to take for reciting a word, how to regulate breathing while reciting so that required vibrations are produced in the specific parts of the body which will yield pure word-sound. That preservation of the vedas was the aim of different पाठपद्धति-s || pathapaddhatis is given by many scholars. According to Dr. Bhandarkar<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>''"The object of these different arrangements is simply the most accurate preservation of the sacred text."(Indian Antiquary, 1874)''</blockquote>In Rigvedic India by Shri Avinash Chandra Das,<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>''"These hymns, however, were not committed to writing on papyrus, palm-leaves, or baked clay-bricks, but to human memory carefully cultivated for the purpose and were handed down from generation to generation without the loss of even a single word or syllable."''</blockquote>
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== पाठः || Patha ==
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Shabdakalpadruma refers to Patha (पाठः) as विधिना वेदस्याभ्यसनम् । Vidhina Veda  Abhyasana or methodical practice of the Vedas, which refers to the traditional chanting of the Vedas in a specific method as instructed by the Gurus. Since the guru-shishya parampara was the primary mode of transmission of Vedas शिष्याणामध्यापनम् । teaching to the students also constitutes Patha.
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Veda Patha consists of recitation of specific mantras with the prescribed intonation, pitch and matras etc according to the specifications, a few of which are mentioned, in [[Vaidika Bhasha Lakshana (वैदिकभाषालक्षणम्)|Vaidika Bhasha Lakshanas]] which are significantly different from the rules applied in Classical Samskrit. The following sections give an insight about the ways in which recitations are performed and how they aided in the preservation of Vedas when such schemes were committed to memory.
    
==प्रकृतिपाठः || Prakrti Patha==
 
==प्रकृतिपाठः || Prakrti Patha==
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== विकृतिपाठः || Vikrti Patha ==
 
== विकृतिपाठः || Vikrti Patha ==
Memorization of the sacred Vedas included up to eleven forms of recitation of the same text. These texts were subsequently "proof-read" by comparing the different recited versions. This ensured their verbatim preservation through ages of time. Based on the क्रमसंहिता || Krama Samhita eight methods of recitation are given by व्याडि-ऋषिः || Vyadi Rishi in व्याडिविकृतिवल्ली ॥ Vyadi Vikrtavalli<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>जटा माला शिखा लेखा ध्वजो दण्डो रथो घनः | अष्टौ विकृतयः प्रोक्ता क्रमपूर्वा मनीषिभिः | (विकृतिवल्ली 1.5)</blockquote><blockquote>jaṭā mālā śikhā lekhā dhvajo daṇḍo ratho ghanaḥ | aṣṭau vikṛtayaḥ proktā kramapūrvā manīṣibhiḥ | (vikṛtivallī 1.5)</blockquote>There were eight ways of memorizing Vedas. These are<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">Upadhyaya, Baldev. (1958) ''[https://archive.org/details/VaidikSahityaBaldevUpadhyaya1958 Vaidik Sahitya]''.</ref>
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Memorization of the sacred Vedas included up to eleven forms of recitation of the same text. These texts were subsequently "proof-read" by comparing the different recited versions. This ensured their verbatim preservation through ages of time. Based on the क्रमसंहिता || Krama Samhita eight methods of recitation are given by व्याडि-ऋषिः || Vyadi Rishi in व्याडिविकृतिवल्ली ॥ Vyadi Vikrtavalli<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>जटा माला शिखा लेखा ध्वजो दण्डो रथो घनः | अष्टौ विकृतयः प्रोक्ता क्रमपूर्वा मनीषिभिः | (विकृतिवल्ली 1.5)</blockquote><blockquote>jaṭā mālā śikhā lekhā dhvajo daṇḍo ratho ghanaḥ | aṣṭau vikṛtayaḥ proktā kramapūrvā manīṣibhiḥ | (vikṛtivallī 1.5)</blockquote>The following were eight ways of memorizing Vedas.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">Upadhyaya, Baldev. (1958) ''[https://archive.org/details/VaidikSahityaBaldevUpadhyaya1958 Vaidik Sahitya]''.</ref>
 
#जटापाठः || Jatapatha
 
#जटापाठः || Jatapatha
 
#मालापाठः || Malapatha
 
#मालापाठः || Malapatha
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'''पूर्वार्धः || Purvardha'''  <blockquote>Backwards to Forwards :</blockquote><blockquote>राज्ञेति राज्ञा ।सह राज्ञा । सोमेन सह । वदन्ते सोमेन । सं वदन्ते । ओषधयः सं ।</blockquote><blockquote>rājñeti rājñā ।saha rājñā । somena saha । vadante somena । saṃ vadante । oṣadhayaḥ saṃ ।</blockquote><blockquote>Forwards to Backwards :</blockquote><blockquote>ओषधयः सं । सं वदन्ते । वदन्ते सोमेन । सोमेन सह । सह राज्ञा । राज्ञेति राज्ञा ।</blockquote><blockquote>oṣadhayaḥ saṃ । saṃ vadante । vadante somena । somena saha । saha rājñā । rājñeti rājñā ।</blockquote>'''उत्तरार्धः ॥ Uttarardha'''<blockquote>Backwards to Forwards : पारयामसीति पारयामसि । राजन् पारयामसि । तं राजन् । ब्राह्मणस्तं । कृणोति ब्राह्मणः । यस्मै कृणोति ।</blockquote><blockquote>pārayāmasīti pārayāmasi । rājan pārayāmasi । taṃ rājan । brāhmaṇastaṃ । kṛṇoti brāhmaṇaḥ । yasmai kṛṇoti ।</blockquote><blockquote>Forwards to Backwards : यस्मै कृणोति । कृणोति ब्राह्मणः । ब्राह्मणस्तं । तं राजन् । राजन् पारयामसि । पारयामसीति पारयामसि ॥२२॥</blockquote><blockquote>yasmai kṛṇoti । kṛṇoti brāhmaṇaḥ । brāhmaṇastaṃ । taṃ rājan । rājan pārayāmasi । pārayāmasīti pārayāmasi ॥22॥</blockquote>Without the use of writing, a fool-proof method,where each Mantra was chanted in various patterns and combinations to prevent any errors creeping into the Vedas continued through ages.  
 
'''पूर्वार्धः || Purvardha'''  <blockquote>Backwards to Forwards :</blockquote><blockquote>राज्ञेति राज्ञा ।सह राज्ञा । सोमेन सह । वदन्ते सोमेन । सं वदन्ते । ओषधयः सं ।</blockquote><blockquote>rājñeti rājñā ।saha rājñā । somena saha । vadante somena । saṃ vadante । oṣadhayaḥ saṃ ।</blockquote><blockquote>Forwards to Backwards :</blockquote><blockquote>ओषधयः सं । सं वदन्ते । वदन्ते सोमेन । सोमेन सह । सह राज्ञा । राज्ञेति राज्ञा ।</blockquote><blockquote>oṣadhayaḥ saṃ । saṃ vadante । vadante somena । somena saha । saha rājñā । rājñeti rājñā ।</blockquote>'''उत्तरार्धः ॥ Uttarardha'''<blockquote>Backwards to Forwards : पारयामसीति पारयामसि । राजन् पारयामसि । तं राजन् । ब्राह्मणस्तं । कृणोति ब्राह्मणः । यस्मै कृणोति ।</blockquote><blockquote>pārayāmasīti pārayāmasi । rājan pārayāmasi । taṃ rājan । brāhmaṇastaṃ । kṛṇoti brāhmaṇaḥ । yasmai kṛṇoti ।</blockquote><blockquote>Forwards to Backwards : यस्मै कृणोति । कृणोति ब्राह्मणः । ब्राह्मणस्तं । तं राजन् । राजन् पारयामसि । पारयामसीति पारयामसि ॥२२॥</blockquote><blockquote>yasmai kṛṇoti । kṛṇoti brāhmaṇaḥ । brāhmaṇastaṃ । taṃ rājan । rājan pārayāmasi । pārayāmasīti pārayāmasi ॥22॥</blockquote>Without the use of writing, a fool-proof method,where each Mantra was chanted in various patterns and combinations to prevent any errors creeping into the Vedas continued through ages.  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
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<references />
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[[Category:Vedas]]
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[[Category:Vedangas]]

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