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Line 145: − === Samaveda as an Independent Veda ===+ − + − On the occasion of [[Shrauta Yajnas (श्रौतयज्ञाः)|Shrauta Yajnas]], the Sama mantras were sung by the Udgaata. The same Ganaparaka mantras are compiled in the Samhita. It is called "Samveda Samhita" or "Samveda" It became very popular as it was useful for chanting the Vedas.+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Line 164:
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Total number of mantras in Purvarchika (640) and Uttararchika (1225) put together are 1875. Of these 1771 mantras are from Rigveda, thus Samaveda is said to have only 104 mantras that are unique to it. Most of the mantras in the Samaveda taken from the Rigveda are from mandalas 8 and 9. Apart from them, 237 mantras are taken from the first mandala and 110 mantras from the tenth mandala.<ref name=":0" />
Total number of mantras in Purvarchika (640) and Uttararchika (1225) put together are 1875. Of these 1771 mantras are from Rigveda, thus Samaveda is said to have only 104 mantras that are unique to it. Most of the mantras in the Samaveda taken from the Rigveda are from mandalas 8 and 9. Apart from them, 237 mantras are taken from the first mandala and 110 mantras from the tenth mandala.<ref name=":0" />
== Samaveda as an Independent Veda ==
Samaveda is the Veda predominantly of chanting. Therefore, the Saman must be lyrical 'gitishu samakhya' (Mimansa Sutra 2.1.36).<ref name=":0" />
Samaveda is the Veda predominantly of chanting. Therefore, the Saman must be lyrical 'gitishu samakhya' (Mimansa Sutra 2.1.36).<ref name=":0" />
Sama includes lyrical mantras, that is, the singing of the Richas in some specific way. Rigveda and Samaveda are interdependent but not exactly the same Veda.
Sama includes lyrical mantras, that is, the singing of the Richas in some specific way. Rigveda and Samaveda are interdependent but not exactly the same Veda. On the occasion of [[Shrauta Yajnas (श्रौतयज्ञाः)|Shrauta Yajnas]], the Sama mantras were sung by the Udgaata. The same Ganaparaka mantras are compiled in the Samhita. It is called "Samveda Samhita" or "Samveda" It became very popular as it was useful for chanting the Vedas.
Some Indian and Western scholars<ref name=":0" /> believe that Samveda does not have an independent existence, rather it is merely a compilation of Richas collected for singing. Some reasons against this argument are:
(1) If Samaveda were a collection of mantras compiled only for singing or singing, then it would have contained only those mantras which were required for singing. However, this is not the case. There is a collection of 450 mantras in Samveda, which are not sung.
(2) Most of the Rigveda Richas found in the Samaveda have partial similarities. Had the Rigveda samhita been the same in Samaveda there should not have been any textual and spelling differences.
(3) The order of Samans of Samaveda and Richas in Rigveda are significantly different. Had the Richas been copied they would have remained same in at least large segment of Rigveda.
(4) There is a complete difference in the method of vocalization in Rigveda and Samaveda. In Rig Veda there are Udatt, Anudatt and Swarit. Samveda has numbers 1,2,3. According to 'Naradiya Shiksha', these represent Madhyam (M), Gandhar (Ga) and Rishabh (Re) notes respectively. There is complete difference in the pronunciation of mantras of Rigveda and Samaveda. The mantras of Rigveda are chanted at a fast pace and those of Samaveda at a slow (very slow) pace.
(5) The words related to Samaveda themselves have appeared 37 times in Rigveda. Such as - Sama (13 times), Samaga Iva (1), Samagam (1), Samna (3), Samnam (1), Samanau (1), Samanah Samabhih (4), Samani (4), Samnah (1), Samna (1), Samna (2) etc. The mention of the words Sama, Samani, Samaga etc., in Rigveda proves that the process of Samaveda and Samagana is older than Rigveda.
(6) There is a mention of the 4 Ritvijas or [[Rtvik (ऋत्विक्)|Rtviks]] or the four priests of the Vedas within the Rigveda. The singer of the songs is mentioned as Udgata, due to this Samaveda is known to have a separate existence from Rigveda.
(7) The Rig Veda itself acknowledges the simultaneous existence of Rig, Sama and Yajur.
Based on these observations, Samaveda is said to be an independent ancient text and not the same as Rigveda.
== Shakas of Samaveda ==
== Shakas of Samaveda ==
The Kauthumiya branch is almost identical to the Ranayaniya branch. The order of the mantras in the Samhitas of these two branches is the same, only the method of calculation differs. Whereas in the Kauthumiya Samhita there is a division in the form of chapters, sections and mantras, in the Ranayana Samhita there is a division in the form of prapathakas, ardhaprapathakas and dashati. The Kauthum and Ranayana Samhitas contain 1875 mantras and the Jaimini Samhita contains 1687 mantras.
The Kauthumiya branch is almost identical to the Ranayaniya branch. The order of the mantras in the Samhitas of these two branches is the same, only the method of calculation differs. Whereas in the Kauthumiya Samhita there is a division in the form of chapters, sections and mantras, in the Ranayana Samhita there is a division in the form of prapathakas, ardhaprapathakas and dashati. The Kauthum and Ranayana Samhitas contain 1875 mantras and the Jaimini Samhita contains 1687 mantras.
== Contents of Samaveda Samhita ==
Being a music-oriented Veda, considerable literature was written on the singing of the mantras of Samveda. This theme is also the root of Indian musicology. Some essential elements related to Samagana have been instructed in Naradiya Shiksha. Due to which the importance of its theory and practical aspects can be easily understood. According to Naradiya Shiksha, the swaramandal of Samagaan i.e. the spectrum of notes consists of<ref name=":1"><nowiki>https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/103107/1/Unit-2.pdf</nowiki> </ref> <blockquote>सप्त स्वराः, त्रयो ग्रामाः, मूर्छनास्त्वेकविंशतिः।
ताना एकोनपंचाशत् , इत्येतत् स्वरमण्डलम् ।। नारदीय शिक्षा</blockquote>- 7 स्वर (Swaras or notes)
- 3 ग्राम (Grama)
- 21 मूर्च्छना (Murchana)
- 49 तान (Tana)
=== स्वरम् । Swara ===
There are seven swaras in Samveda.
# षड्ज (स) । Shadja (Sa)
# ऋषभ (रे)। Rishabh (Re)
# गान्धार (ग)। Gandhara (Ga)
# मध्यम (म)। Madhyam (Ma)
# पंचम (प)। Pancham (Pa)
# धैवत (ध)। Dhaivat (Dha)
# निषाद (नि)। Nishad (Ni)
According to Naradiya Shiksha, Paniniya Shiksha and Yajnavalkya Shiksha, these cosmic notes have developed from the three basic notes Udatta, Anudatta and Swarit.<blockquote>उदात्ते निषादगान्धारौ अनुदात्ते ऋषभधैवतौ । स्वरितप्रभाव ह्येते षड्जमध्यमपञ्चमाः ॥ </blockquote>To represent these notes, numbers 1,2,3 are given on the Samavedic mantras. Their meaning is 1 = उदात्त - Sublime, 2 स्वरित - Swarit 3 अनुदात्त - Anudatta. Similarly, numbers like 1, 2, 3 etc. respectively represent the seven notes like Madhyam, Gandhar, Rishabh etc. (in the order of Ma Ga Re..).
The fundamental difference between the seven notes of Samagana and the seven notes of secular classical music is that the octaves of Sama are in the 'अवरोहारोह'- Avaroharoh' descending-ascending order and the octaves of the secular song are in the 'आरोहावरोह '- Aarohavaroh' order or ascending-descending order.<ref name=":1" />
=== ग्राम । Grama ===
There are three grama or त्रिसप्तक । trisaptaka in Samaveda. It refers to the pitch of the singer.
# मन्द्र (निम्न) -
# मध्य (मध्यम)
# तीव्र (उच्च)
There are vowels. According to Naradiya Shiksha, Paniniya Shiksha and Yajnavalkya Shiksha, these cosmic notes have developed from these three basic notes Udatta, Anudatta and Swarit.
==References==
==References==