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| |description=सामवेद का परिचय एवं वैशिष्ट्य | | |description=सामवेद का परिचय एवं वैशिष्ट्य |
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− | Samaveda (Samskrit:सामवेदः) is the third of the [[The Four Vedas (चतुर्वेदाः)|Four Vedas]], and is the third of Vedatrayi. Samaveda is made up of mantras called as "Saman" or "Sama" meaning lyrical mantra. The union of Rik mantras and Swara alone is Sama. Hence the text of the Sama Veda is a reduced version of the Rig Veda. It is mandatory for Sama to be lyrical and its secret is in its musical annotation and rendering. | + | Samaveda (Samskrit:सामवेदः) is the third of the [[The Four Vedas (चतुर्वेदाः)|Four Vedas]], and is the third of Vedatrayi. Samaveda is made up of mantras called as "Saman" or "Sama" meaning lyrical mantra. The union of Rik mantras and Swara alone is Sama. Hence the text of the Sama Veda is a reduced version of the [[Rigveda (ऋग्वेदः)|Rigveda]]. It is mandatory for Sama to be lyrical and its secret is in its musical annotation and rendering. |
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| == Introduction == | | == Introduction == |
| + | The Samaveda is shortest of all the four Vedas. It is closely connected with the Rigveda. It is important to note that the Samhita of the Samaveda includes many mantras, a large number indeed, from the Samhita of Rigveda. These mantras are chiefly derived from the eighth and the ninth Mandalas of the Rigveda. The Samaveda is compiled exclusively for ritual application, for Samans are all meant to be chanted during the ceremonies of the Soma-yajna. In the ritualistic tradition, these mantras are recited at those yajnas in which Soma plant is pressed and juice is extracted which with other ingredients is offered to various deities. The Samaveda is, therefore, specially intended for the Udgatr priest, who chants Samans at the yajnika ritual. Its mantras assume their proper character of musical samans or chants only in the various song-books called Ganas. According to Jaimini - Melody is called Saman. |
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| + | Traditionally the Vedas are spoken of as '''Veda Trayi''<nowiki/>' as they are composed of three kinds of mantras - Rk mantras set to metres, Yajus mantras in prose form, and Saman mantras set to musical chants.<ref>https://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/samaveda-samhitas/</ref> |
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| + | ==== Samaveda Dhyan Shlok ==== |
| + | नीलोत्पलदलाभासः सामवेदो हायाननः । अक्षमालान्वितो दक्षे वामे कम्बु धारः स्मृतः॥ <ref>Shukla Yajurveda Madhyandhineya Samhita. Varanasi: Choukhambha Orientalia </ref> |
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| == Meaning of Saman == | | == Meaning of Saman == |
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| (2) सा।Sa (i.e., ऋचा is female or wife) + Am (गान is male or man) = सामन् (saman). 'The relationship between Rigveda and Samaveda is like that of husband and wife.'<ref>सामवेद संहिता, (१९३९ ई0) श्री सातवलेकर - संपादित संस्करण की भूमिका, प० १-२</ref> | | (2) सा।Sa (i.e., ऋचा is female or wife) + Am (गान is male or man) = सामन् (saman). 'The relationship between Rigveda and Samaveda is like that of husband and wife.'<ref>सामवेद संहिता, (१९३९ ई0) श्री सातवलेकर - संपादित संस्करण की भूमिका, प० १-२</ref> |
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− | References of Saman in Brahmanas and Upanishads are as follows.<ref>Dvivedi, Kapil Dev. (2000) ''Vaidika Sahitya evam Samskrti (Vedic Literature and Culture).'' Varanasi: Vishvavidyalaya Prakashan. (Pages 77- 94)</ref> | + | References of Saman in Brahmanas and Upanishads are as follows.<ref name=":0">Dvivedi, Kapil Dev. (2000) ''Vaidika Sahitya evam Samskrti (Vedic Literature and Culture).'' Varanasi: Vishvavidyalaya Prakashan. (Pages 77- 94)</ref> |
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| - या ऋक् तत् साम । छान्दो १.३.४ That which is Rik is Sama. | | - या ऋक् तत् साम । छान्दो १.३.४ That which is Rik is Sama. |
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| - तस्य हैतस्य साम्नो यः स्वं वेद, .... तस्य स्वर एव स्वम् । बृहदा० उप० १.३.२५ | | - तस्य हैतस्य साम्नो यः स्वं वेद, .... तस्य स्वर एव स्वम् । बृहदा० उप० १.३.२५ |
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− | In the explanation of Mimamsa Sutras, Shabaraswami has also expresses that singing of richas in a special way is called Sama. | + | विशिष्टा काचिद् गीतिः सामेत्युच्यते । मी०सूत्र २.१.३७ In the explanation of Mimamsa Sutras, Shabaraswami has also expresses that singing of richas in a special way is called Sama. |
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− | विशिष्टा काचिद् गीतिः सामेत्युच्यते । मी०सूत्र २.१.३७
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| == Philosophical and Spiritual Nature of Samaveda == | | == Philosophical and Spiritual Nature of Samaveda == |
| The philosophical and spiritual form of Samaveda has been described in [[Brahmana (ब्राह्मणम्)|Brahmana]] texts. Samaveda is pertinent to Upasana. It mainly contains a collection of mantras of spiritual nature. | | The philosophical and spiritual form of Samaveda has been described in [[Brahmana (ब्राह्मणम्)|Brahmana]] texts. Samaveda is pertinent to Upasana. It mainly contains a collection of mantras of spiritual nature. |
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− | साम प्राणं प्र पद्ये | यजु० ३६.१ - Yajurveda says that Samaveda is vital element, that is, life force increases from Samaveda. <blockquote>प्राणो वै साम । शत० १४.८.१४.३ | + | साम प्राणं प्र पद्ये | यजु० ३६.१ - Yajurveda says that Samaveda is vital element, that is, life force increases from Samaveda. The same thing has been said in Shatapatha Brahmin and Jaiminiya Brahmana. <blockquote>प्राणो वै साम । शत० १४.८.१४.३ |
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| + | स यः प्राणस्तत् साम । जैमि० उप० ब्रा० १,२५.१०</blockquote>It is the coordination of Rik and Geeti, and Jaiminiya Brahmana expresses that it is the coordination of speech principle (सा Sa) and vital principle (अम Am). <blockquote>प्राणो वावामो वाक् सा, तत् साम । जै० ब्रा० ४.२३.३ </blockquote>Speech is the word form of Brahman and lifeforce is the power behind it. Samveda is representative of Sun, hence it imbibes the solar energy. Sun exists everywhere with equality, hence Sun is equated to Samaveda. Sama is the meaningful form of Sama. Samaveda is the |
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| + | The root of music with seven Swaras is Samaveda. Sastras convey that the divine blessed in the form of Sama Gana many mantras of eulogy from Rigveda. Maharishis listened to these ganas with their divine ears and sang them. |
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| + | The Samaveda represents the ecstasy of adhyatmik knowledge and the power of devotion. The Rigveda is the word, the Sama Veda is the song or the meaning. The Rigveda is the knowledge, the Sama Veda its realization. Hence the two always go together like husband and wife where Rig Veda is the wife and the Sama is the husband. |
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| + | One interpretation<ref name=":0" />of Saman is that they are Mantras representing the rays of the sun, that is, the solar energy from the Samaveda is given to man. In the Samaveda, Sama (song) is Svarga, and Rik (Richa or mantra) is the Prthvi (Earth), so the Samaveda is a combination of Svarga and Prthvi. |
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| + | Thus it is known that the Samaveda gives three major teachings: |
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| + | * To awaken a sense of Samatvabhava or equality. |
| + | * A sense of coordination. The combination of Rig and Sama is the combination of heaven and earth. It is the unification of husband and wife. To awaken the sense of harmony in life is an important teaching of Samaveda. |
| + | * Saman is the Prana or life force. The goal of man is to awaken the life force or self-power in life. |
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| + | == Greatness of Samaveda == |
| + | Samaveda has been acclaimed as the important one among the Vedas as mentioned in the following texts: |
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| + | 1. Samaveda is the essence of the Vedas. According to Shatapatha and Gopatha Brahmanas the essence of all the Vedas is Samaveda (सर्वेषां वा एष वेदानां रसो यत् साम । शत० १२.८.३.२३ । गोण २.५.७) |
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| + | 2. Yajnas are incomplete without Saman mantras as mentioned in Shatapatha Brahmana (नासामा यज्ञोऽस्ति । शत० १.४.१.१) |
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| + | 3. There is solar energy in Samveda. Shatapatha says that Samaveda originated from and has the power of the [[Surya (सूर्यः)|Surya]]. (सूर्यात् सामवेदः (अजायत) । शत० ११.५.८.३) |
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| + | 4. The essence (rasa) of Samveda is Dyulok (heavenly lokas). Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmin says that Prajapati created the world by taking the essence of Samveda. The same juice took the form of the Sun. (स्वरित्येव सामवेदस्य रसमादत्त । सोऽसौ द्यौरभवत् । तस्य रसः ... आदित्यः । जैमि० १.१.५) |
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| + | 5. 'Brihaddevta' says that only the one who knows the Samveda can know the secret of the Veda. (सामानि यो वेत्ति स वेद तत्त्वम् । बृहद्देवता ।) |
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| + | 6. In Bhagavadgita, Shri Krishna has given the highest place to Samveda and considered it to be highest divine form. (वेदानां सामवेदोऽस्मि । गीता १०.२२) |
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− | स यः प्राणस्तत् साम । जैमि० उप० व्रा० १,२५.१०</blockquote>As mentioned in Shatapatha and Jaiminiya Brahmana, Samaveda includes a vital and life force. It is the coordination of Rik and Geeti as per Jaiminiya Brahmana says that it is the coordination of speech principle (सा Sa) and vital principle (अम Am).
| + | 7. In Chandogya Upanishad, the essence of the Rik mantras has been described as Samaveda and the essence of Samaveda is Udgeetha (Pranav, Omkar, Om). Udgeetha has been described as the most precious juice in the world. In this way Samaveda propounds Om or Paramatma. (ऋचः साम रसः, साम्न उद्गीथो रसः । रसतमः परमः परार्ध्यः .. उदमीथः । छा० १,१.२ ओर ३) |
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− | Speech is the word Brahman and life is the power in it. Samveda is representative of Sun, hence it has solar energy. Sun exists everywhere with equality, hence due to equality Sun is Samaveda. Sama is the meaningful form of Sama. Samaveda is the sun and of Samaveda
| + | 8. Samveda is composed of geeti and is termed as the Veda of music. Music is the best knowledge in the world, hence Samaveda is praised among the four Vedas. The one who sings Samveda has been praised by calling him 'Samaga'. (सामगेभिः अ० २,१२.४) |
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− | The root of music with seven Swaras is Samaveda. Sastras convey that the divine blessed in the form of Sama Gana many mantras of eulogy from Rigveda. Maharishis listened to these ganas with their divine ears and sang them.
| + | 9. Samveda is a symbol of awareness. Therefore, it is said in Rigveda that the one who is aware, likes Rigveda and Samaveda. (यो जागार तमृचः .... तमु सामानि यन्ति । ऋग् ० ५.४.१४) |
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− | The Sama Veda represents the ecstasy of adhyatmik knowledge and the power of devotion. The Rig Veda is the word, the Sama Veda is the song or the meaning. The Rig Veda is the knowledge, the Sama Veda its realization. Hence the two always go together like husband and wife. The Rig Veda is the wife and the Sama is the husband.
| + | 10. Samagaan is the best way to praise and please deities. Music sung with a pure heart attracts all divine entities. That is why it is said in Rigveda that one should sing with a pure heart. |
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− | The Samaveda is shortest of all the four Vedas. It is closely connected with the Rigveda. It is important to note that the Samhita of the Samaveda is an independent collection (Samhita), yet it has taken many verses, a large number indeed, from the Samhita of Rigveda. These verses are chiefly derived from the eighth and the ninth Mandalas of the Rigveda. The Samaveda is compiled exclusively for ritual application, for its verses are all meant to be chanted at the ceremonies of the Soma-yajna. In the ritualistic tradition, these verses are sung at those yajnas in which Soma- juice with other ingredients is offered to various deities. The Samaveda is, therefore, specially intended for the Udagata priest, who chants psalms at the yajnika ritual. Its stanzas assume their proper character of musical samans or chants only in the various song-books called Ganas.
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| ==References== | | ==References== |
| <references /> | | <references /> |
− | #http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_heritage_intro_samveda.htm Posted by Dr. Shashi Tiwari | Vedic Heritage Portal.
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| #https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/prkannan/Sama%20Veda-%20An%20Introduction.pdf Book by Sri P.R. Kannan found at https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/prkannan/ | | #https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/prkannan/Sama%20Veda-%20An%20Introduction.pdf Book by Sri P.R. Kannan found at https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/prkannan/ |
| #http://www.hindunet.org/vedas/samveda/index.htm | | #http://www.hindunet.org/vedas/samveda/index.htm |
| [[Category:Vedas]] | | [[Category:Vedas]] |