Changes

For generations, over thousands of years, Vedic education was imparted to students in a guru-shishya parampara, following the traditional system of oral recitation until Maharshi Veda Vyasa’s great contribution of organizing them into a written format.  In the Rigvedic time apart from Rishis, commoners existed in the society. Notably, Vedas were not common knowledge. If we understand the connection of pure lineage or गोत्र || Gotras, the strict disciplinary life in [[Gurukula (गुरुकुल)|गुरुकुल || Gurukula]], the austerity of the Rishis’ lifestyle, the process of protecting secret meanings of Vedas and process of the right way of reciting the mantras - it helps us understand that it was possible to protect one integral voice of Vedas.

For generations, over thousands of years, वैदिकविद्या || Vedic education was imparted to students in a गुरुशिश्य || guru-shishya parampara, following the traditional system of oral recitation until Maharshi Veda Vyasa’s great contribution of organizing them into a written format.  In the Rigvedic time apart from Rishis, commoners existed in the society. Notably, Vedas were not common knowledge. If we understand the connection of pure lineage or गोत्र || Gotras, the strict disciplinary life in [[Gurukula (गुरुकुल)|गुरुकुल || Gurukula]], the austerity of the Rishis’ lifestyle, the process of protecting secret meanings of Vedas and preserving the right way of reciting the mantras - these were the root cause to protect one integral voice of Vedas.

== परिचय || Introduction ==

== परिचय || Introduction ==

Transmission of texts in the Vedic period was by oral tradition, preserved with precision with the help of elaborate mnemonic techniques. Prodigious energy was expended in ensuring that these texts were transmitted from generation to generation with immaculate integrity, up until a few centuries back, when due to historical reasons like foreign invasions and colonisation that resulted in the loot and digestion of our knowledge systems and wealth that led to the decline in oral recitation of the Vedas.   

Transmission of texts in the Vedic period was by oral tradition, preserved with precision with the help of elaborate mnemonic techniques. Prodigious energy was expended in ensuring that these texts were transmitted from generation to generation with immaculate integrity, up until a few centuries back, when due to historical reasons like foreign invasions and colonization that resulted in the loot and digestion of our knowledge systems and wealth, led to the decline in oral recitation of the Vedas.<ref>Narayanacharya, K. S. (2011). ''Veda Sanskritiya Parichaya, Part I''. Hubli:​Sahitya Prakashana​</ref>  

== वेदपाठपद्धती || Vedapaatha Paddhati ==

== वेदपाठपद्धती || Vedapaatha Paddhati ==

Rushis (Vedic seers) devised means of protecting and preserving the text of Vedas letter by letter, with all their accessories and accents. Vedic mantras have स्वर || Swara (accents) which preserve its original form of word- construction.  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.   

Rishis (Vedic seers) devised means of protecting and preserving the text of Vedas letter by letter, with all their accessories and accents. Vedic mantras have स्वर || Swara (accents) which preserve its original form of word- construction.  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.   

==== प्रकृति पाठ || Prakriti Pathas ====

==== प्रकृति पाठ || Prakriti Pathas ====

There were eight ways of memorizing Vedas. These are   

There were eight ways of memorizing Vedas. These are   

# जातपाठ || Jatapatha

# जातपाठ || Jatapatha

# मालापाठ || Malapatha

# मालापाठ || Malaapatha

# शिखापाठ || Shikhapatha  

# शिखापाठ || Shikhaapatha  

# रेखापाठ || Rekhapatha  

# रेखापाठ || Rekhaapatha  

# ध्वजपाठ || Dhvajapatha

# ध्वजपाठ || Dhvajapatha

# दण्डपाठ || Dandapatha

# दण्डपाठ || Dandapatha

# रथपाठ || Rathapatha,  and

# रथपाठ || Rathapatha,  and

# घनापाठ || Ghanapatha

# घनापाठ || Ghanaapatha

Among them Ghana Patha  is most difficult and the longest.

Among them Ghanaa Patha  is most difficult and the longest.

As its reach became wider, it helped in disseminating the knowledge of the Vedas, their student lineage also helped committing it to memory.

As its reach became wider, it helped in disseminating the knowledge of the Vedas, their student lineage also helped committing it to memory.

Without the use of writing a fool-proof method each Mantra was chanted in various patterns and combinations to prevent any errors creeping into the Vedas. 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.   

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.   

Forms of recitation such as the jaṭā-pāṭha (literally "mesh recitation") is one in which every two adjacent words in the text were first recited in their original order, then repeated in the reverse order, and finally repeated again in the original order.   

Forms of recitation such as the jaṭā-pāṭha (literally "mesh recitation") is one in which every two adjacent words in the text were first recited in their original order, then repeated in the reverse order, and finally repeated again in the original order.   

== References ==

== References ==