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# क्रमपाठः || Krama Patha-  in which two words of a मन्त्रः ॥ Mantra are spoken jointly as  Ka-kha, kha-ga.

# क्रमपाठः || Krama Patha-  in which two words of a मन्त्रः ॥ Mantra are spoken jointly as  Ka-kha, kha-ga.

=== 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 | (vikṛti vallī 1.5)</blockquote>There were eight ways of memorizing Vedas. These are<ref name=":1" />

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" />

# जटापाठः || Jatapatha  

# जटापाठः || Jatapatha  

# मालापाठः || Malapatha

# मालापाठः || Malapatha

* पदपाठः || Pada Patha : <blockquote>ओषधयः । सं । वदन्ते । सोमेन । सह । राज्ञा । यस्मै । कृणोति । ब्राह्मणः । तं । राजन् । पारयामसि ॥२२॥ </blockquote><blockquote>oṣadhayaḥ । saṃ । vadante । somena । saha । rājñā । yasmai । kṛṇoti । brāhmaṇaḥ । taṃ । rājan । pārayāmasi ॥22॥</blockquote>

* पदपाठः || Pada Patha : <blockquote>ओषधयः । सं । वदन्ते । सोमेन । सह । राज्ञा । यस्मै । कृणोति । ब्राह्मणः । तं । राजन् । पारयामसि ॥२२॥ </blockquote><blockquote>oṣadhayaḥ । saṃ । vadante । somena । saha । rājñā । yasmai । kṛṇoti । brāhmaṇaḥ । taṃ । rājan । pārayāmasi ॥22॥</blockquote>

* क्रमपाठः || Kramapatha <blockquote>ओषधयः सं । सं वदन्ते । वदन्ते सोमेन । सोमेन सह । सह राज्ञा । राज्ञेति राज्ञा । यस्मै कृणोति । कृणोति ब्राह्मणः । ब्राह्मणस्तं । तं राजन् । राजन् पारयामसि । पारयामसीति पारयामसि ॥२२॥ </blockquote><blockquote>oṣadhayaḥ saṃ । saṃ vadante । vadante somena । somena saha । saha rājñā । rājñeti rājñā । yasmai kṛṇoti । kṛṇoti brāhmaṇaḥ । brāhmaṇastaṃ । taṃ rājan । rājan pārayāmasi । pārayāmasīti pārayāmasi ॥22॥</blockquote>

* क्रमपाठः || Kramapatha <blockquote>ओषधयः सं । सं वदन्ते । वदन्ते सोमेन । सोमेन सह । सह राज्ञा । राज्ञेति राज्ञा । यस्मै कृणोति । कृणोति ब्राह्मणः । ब्राह्मणस्तं । तं राजन् । राजन् पारयामसि । पारयामसीति पारयामसि ॥२२॥ </blockquote><blockquote>oṣadhayaḥ saṃ । saṃ vadante । vadante somena । somena saha । saha rājñā । rājñeti rājñā । yasmai kṛṇoti । kṛṇoti brāhmaṇaḥ । brāhmaṇastaṃ । taṃ rājan । rājan pārayāmasi । pārayāmasīti pārayāmasi ॥22॥</blockquote>

* जटापाठः || Jatapatha <blockquote>ओषधयः सं, समोषधयः, ओषधयः सम् । सं वदन्ते, वदन्ते सम्, सं वदन्ते । वदन्ते सोमेन, सोमेन वदन्ते, वदन्ते सोमेन । सोमेन सह, सह सोमेन  सोमेन सह। सह राज्ञा, राज्ञा सह, सह राज्ञा । राज्ञेति राज्ञा ।</blockquote><blockquote>यस्मै कृणोति, कृणोति यस्मै, यस्मै कृणोति। कृणोति ब्राह्मणो, ब्राह्मणः कृणोति, कृणोति ब्राह्मणः। ब्राह्मणस्तं, तं ब्राह्मणो, ब्राह्मणस्तम् । तं राजन्, राजंस्तं, तं राजन् । राजन् पारयामसि, पारयामसि राजन्, राजन् पारयामसि । पारयामसीति पारयामसि ॥२२॥<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>Here two words of the mantra are chanted in forward and reverse orders till the end of the Mantra. In Shikhapatha three words of the mantra are chanted in such permutations and combinations.<ref name=":32222">Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamiji, (2000) ''[http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/chap5.htm Hindu Dharma (Collection of Swamiji's Speeches between 1907 to 1994)]''Mumbai : Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan </ref> Recitations of the Rekha (line), Dhvaja (flag), Danda (staff), and Ratha (chariot) are further complex recitation methods involving even the padas of the mantra.<ref>Dr. S. Yegnasubramanian, The Vedic Chanting-a perfectly formulated Oral Tradition available at http://www.svbf.org/journal/vol1no2/chanting.pdf </ref>  Among them Ghanapatha  is most difficult and the longest.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":32222" />

 

* जटापाठः || Jatapatha

<blockquote>ओषधयः सं, समोषधयः, ओषधयः सम् । सं वदन्ते, वदन्ते सम्, सं वदन्ते । वदन्ते सोमेन, सोमेन वदन्ते, वदन्ते सोमेन । सोमेन सह, सह सोमेन  सोमेन सह। सह राज्ञा, राज्ञा सह, सह राज्ञा । राज्ञेति राज्ञा ।</blockquote><blockquote>यस्मै कृणोति, कृणोति यस्मै, यस्मै कृणोति। कृणोति ब्राह्मणो, ब्राह्मणः कृणोति, कृणोति ब्राह्मणः। ब्राह्मणस्तं, तं ब्राह्मणो, ब्राह्मणस्तम् । तं राजन्, राजंस्तं, तं राजन् । राजन् पारयामसि, पारयामसि राजन्, राजन् पारयामसि । पारयामसीति पारयामसि ॥२२॥<ref name=":0" /></blockquote><blockquote>oṣadhayaḥ saṃ, samoṣadhayaḥ, oṣadhayaḥ sam । saṃ vadante, vadante sam, saṃ vadante । vadante somena, somena vadante, vadante somena । somena saha, saha somena somena saha। saha rājñā, rājñā saha, saha rājñā । rājñeti rājñā ।</blockquote><blockquote>yasmai kṛṇoti, kṛṇoti yasmai, yasmai kṛṇoti। kṛṇoti brāhmaṇo, brāhmaṇaḥ kṛṇoti, kṛṇoti brāhmaṇaḥ। brāhmaṇastaṃ, taṃ brāhmaṇo, brāhmaṇastam । taṃ rājan, rājaṃstaṃ, taṃ rājan । rājan pārayāmasi, pārayāmasi rājan, rājan pārayāmasi । pārayāmasīti pārayāmasi ॥22॥</blockquote>Here two words of the मन्त्रः ॥ mantra are chanted in forward and reverse orders till the end of the मन्त्रः ॥ Mantra. In शिखापाठः ॥ Shikhapatha, three words of the मन्त्रः ॥ mantra are chanted in such permutations and combinations.<ref name=":32222">Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamiji, (2000) ''[http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/chap5.htm Hindu Dharma (Collection of Swamiji's Speeches between 1907 to 1994)]''Mumbai : Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan </ref> Recitations of the रेखा ॥ Rekha (line), ध्वजः ॥ Dhvaja (flag), दण्डः ॥ Danda (staff), and रथः ॥ Ratha (chariot) are further complex recitation methods involving even the पदाः ॥ padas of the मन्त्रः ॥ mantra.<ref>Dr. S. Yegnasubramanian, The Vedic Chanting-a perfectly formulated Oral Tradition available at http://www.svbf.org/journal/vol1no2/chanting.pdf </ref>  Among them Ghanapatha  is most difficult and the longest.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":32222" />

* घनापाठः || Ghanapatha

* घनापाठः || Ghanapatha

Purvartha<blockquote>Backwards to Forwards : राज्ञेति राज्ञा ।सह राज्ञा । सोमेन सह । वदन्ते सोमेन । सं वदन्ते । ओषधयः सं ।</blockquote><blockquote>Forwards to Backwards : ओषधयः सं । सं वदन्ते । वदन्ते सोमेन । सोमेन सह । सह राज्ञा । राज्ञेति राज्ञा ।</blockquote>Uttarartha<blockquote>Backwards to Forwards : पारयामसीति पारयामसि । राजन् पारयामसि । तं राजन् । ब्राह्मणस्तं । कृणोति ब्राह्मणः । यस्मै कृणोति ।</blockquote><blockquote>Forwards to Backwards : यस्मै कृणोति । कृणोति ब्राह्मणः । ब्राह्मणस्तं । तं राजन् । राजन् पारयामसि । पारयामसीति पारयामसि ॥२२॥</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. 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 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>

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 मन्त्रः ॥ Mantra was chanted in various patterns and combinations to prevent any errors creeping into the वेदाः ॥ Vedas continued through ages. 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 वेदाः ॥ 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>

== अनुक्रमणिकाः || Anukramanikas ==

== अनुक्रमणिकाः || Anukramanikas ==

Another step in the preservation of Vedas was to prepare treatises known as अनुक्रमणिकाः || Anukramanis in which the names of ऋषि || Rishi, देवता || Devata, छन्दः || Chandas, similarly number of chandas, words are mentioned in reference to each hymn of the Vedas. Chandas (meter) a characteristic of veda mantras, also helps in avoiding loss of content by enforcing number of syllables.<ref name=":1">Introduction to Vedas ([http://vedicheritage.gov.in/introduction/ Vedic Heritage Portal])</ref><ref name=":42222">Gopal Reddy, Mudiganti and Sujata Reddy, Mudiganti (1997) ''[https://archive.org/stream/SAMSKRUTAKAVIJEEVITAMULUByMALLADISURYANARAYANASASTRIGARU/SAMSKRUTA%20SAHITYA%20CHARITRA%20BY%20MUDUGANTI%20GOPALA%20REDDI%26SUJATA%20REDDI%20#page/n33/mode/2up Sanskrita Saahitya Charitra] (Vaidika Vangmayam - Loukika Vangamayam, A critical approach)'' Hyderabad : P. S. Telugu University</ref> Shaunakanukramani, Katyayananukramani, Anuvakanukramani, Suktanukramani, Arshanukramani, Sarvanukramani, Brhadevata, Pratishakhya sutras etc are available texts in this context.<ref name=":0" />

Another step in the preservation of Vedas was to prepare treatises known as अनुक्रमणिकाः || Anukramanis in which the names of ऋषि || Rishi, देवता || Devata, छन्दः || Chandas, similarly number of chandas, words are mentioned in reference to each hymn of the Vedas. Chandas (meter) a characteristic of veda mantras, also helps in avoiding loss of content by enforcing number of syllables.<ref name=":1">Introduction to Vedas ([http://vedicheritage.gov.in/introduction/ Vedic Heritage Portal])</ref><ref name=":42222">Gopal Reddy, Mudiganti and Sujata Reddy, Mudiganti (1997) ''[https://archive.org/stream/SAMSKRUTAKAVIJEEVITAMULUByMALLADISURYANARAYANASASTRIGARU/SAMSKRUTA%20SAHITYA%20CHARITRA%20BY%20MUDUGANTI%20GOPALA%20REDDI%26SUJATA%20REDDI%20#page/n33/mode/2up Sanskrita Saahitya Charitra] (Vaidika Vangmayam - Loukika Vangamayam, A critical approach)'' Hyderabad : P. S. Telugu University</ref> Shaunakanukramani, Katyayananukramani, Anuvakanukramani, Suktanukramani, Arshanukramani, Sarvanukramani, Brhadevata, Pratishakhya sutras etc are available texts in this context.<ref name=":0" />