Changes

ऋषि-s || Rishis (Vedic seers) devised means of protecting and preserving the text of वेदाः ॥ Vedas letter by letter, with all their accessories and accents. Vedic mantras have स्वराः || Svaras (accents) which preserve its original form of word- construction. Thus, वेदाः ॥ Vedas are not just textual, written matter but comprise of intonations, pitch, accents, pronunciation, time duration and of fine nuances of human element which cannot be captured on 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.

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.  

===प्रकृतिपाठः || Prakrti Patha===

== Introduction ==

 

 

==प्रकृतिपाठः || Prakrti Patha==

ऋग्वेदसंहिता ॥ Rigveda samhita was of two divisions. The following forms of recitation are explained using ऋग्वेदमन्त्रः ॥ Rigveda mantra (1.1.1) अग्निमीळे पुरोहितम् ॥ agnimīḻe purohitam ॥

ऋग्वेदसंहिता ॥ Rigveda samhita was of two divisions. The following forms of recitation are explained using ऋग्वेदमन्त्रः ॥ Rigveda mantra (1.1.1) अग्निमीळे पुरोहितम् ॥ agnimīḻe purohitam ॥

*निर्भुजसंहिता || Nirbhuja Samhita : मन्त्राः ॥ Mantras are in true form as in अग्निमीळे पुरोहितम् ॥ agnimīḻe purohitam ॥ This form is also called as आर्षीसंहिता ॥ Arshi Samhita

*निर्भुजसंहिता || Nirbhuja Samhita : मन्त्राः ॥ Mantras are in true form as in अग्निमीळे पुरोहितम् ॥ agnimīḻe purohitam ॥ This form is also called as आर्षीसंहिता ॥ Arshi Samhita

*#क्रमसंहिता || Krama Samhita : Each word of a मन्त्रः ॥ Mantra is uttered along with the next word in a sequence as in अग्निम् ईडे; ईडे पुरोहितम् ; पुरोहितमिति पुरःऽहितम् ॥<ref name=":0">Shastri, Jwalanth Kumar. (2009) ''Ved aur vedarth'' Rajasthan: Sri Ghudhmal Prahladkumar Arya Dharmarth Nyasa</ref>agnim īḍe; īḍe purohitam ; purohitamiti puraḥ'hitam ॥

*#क्रमसंहिता || Krama Samhita : Each word of a मन्त्रः ॥ Mantra is uttered along with the next word in a sequence as in अग्निम् ईडे; ईडे पुरोहितम् ; पुरोहितमिति पुरःऽहितम् ॥<ref name=":0">Shastri, Jwalanth Kumar. (2009) ''Ved aur vedarth'' Rajasthan: Sri Ghudhmal Prahladkumar Arya Dharmarth Nyasa</ref>agnim īḍe; īḍe purohitam ; purohitamiti puraḥ'hitam ॥

The above forms of recitation are also called as प्रकृतिपाठः || Prakriti Patha<ref name=":1">Introduction to Vedas ([http://vedicheritage.gov.in/introduction/ Vedic Heritage Portal])</ref>

The above forms of recitation are also called as प्रकृतिपाठः || Prakriti Patha<ref name=":1">Introduction to Vedas ([http://vedicheritage.gov.in/introduction/ Vedic Heritage Portal])</ref>

#संहितापाठः || Samhita Patha –   in which मन्त्रः ॥ Mantra remains in its true form.

#संहितापाठः || Samhita Patha –   in which Mantra (मन्त्रः) remains in its true form.

#पदपाठः || Pada Patha-   in which each word of a मन्त्रः ॥ Mantra is separately spoken.

#पदपाठः || Pada Patha-   in which each word of a Mantra (मन्त्रः) is separately spoken.

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

#क्रमपाठः || Krama Patha-  in which two words of Mantra (मन्त्रः) are spoken jointly as  क-ख, ख-ग ॥ Ka-kha, kha-ga.

===विकृतिपाठः || Vikrti Patha===

==विकृतिपाठः || Vikrti Patha==

Memorization of the sacred वेदाः ॥ 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>

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>

#जटापाठः || Jatapatha

#जटापाठः || Jatapatha

#मालापाठः || Malapatha

#मालापाठः || Malapatha

#घनापाठः || Ghanapatha

#घनापाठः || Ghanapatha

An example of a few of these pathas are given below

An example of a few of these pathas are given below

*मन्त्रः ॥ Mantra :<blockquote>ओषधयः सं वदन्ते सोमेन सह राज्ञा । यस्मै कृणोति ब्राह्मणस्तं राजन्पारयामसि ॥२२॥ (Rigveda 10.97.22)<ref>Rig Veda ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A6.%E0%A5%AF%E0%A5%AD Mandala 10 Sukta 97])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>oṣadhayaḥ saṃ vadante somena saha rājñā । yasmai kṛṇoti brāhmaṇastaṃ rājanpārayāmasi ॥22॥ (Rig Veda 10.97.22)</blockquote>

*'''मन्त्रः ॥ Mantra''' :<blockquote>ओषधयः सं वदन्ते सोमेन सह राज्ञा । यस्मै कृणोति ब्राह्मणस्तं राजन्पारयामसि ॥२२॥ (Rigveda 10.97.22)<ref>Rig Veda ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A6.%E0%A5%AF%E0%A5%AD Mandala 10 Sukta 97])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>oṣadhayaḥ saṃ vadante somena saha rājñā । yasmai kṛṇoti brāhmaṇastaṃ rājanpārayāmasi ॥22॥ (Rig Veda 10.97.22)</blockquote>

*पदपाठः || Pada Patha : (1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6 indicate ओषधयः । सं । वदन्ते । सोमेन । सह । राज्ञा । words respectively)<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''' : (1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6 indicate ओषधयः । सं । वदन्ते । सोमेन । सह । राज्ञा । words respectively)<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: (1, 2 । 2, 3। 3, 4। 4, 5। 5, 6। राज्ञेति राज्ञा । Similar is the case for the second line)<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''' : (1, 2 । 2, 3। 3, 4। 4, 5। 5, 6। राज्ञेति राज्ञा । Similar is the case for the second line)<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>

 

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 scholar. 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>

== References ==

== References ==