Samaveda (सामवेदः)
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The Sama Veda is the Veda of Song. The word "Sama" as "Sa" meaning Rik(verses) and "Ama" meaning Swara(notes in a musical scale). The union of Rik and Swara alone is Sama. Hence the text of the Sama Veda is a reduced version of the Rig Veda. Its secret is in its musical annotation and rendering.
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.
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.
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.
References
http://www.hindunet.org/vedas/samveda/index.htm
- http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_heritage_intro_samveda.htm Posted by Dr. Shashi Tiwari | Vedic Heritage Portal.
- https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/prkannan/Sama%20Veda-%20An%20Introduction.pdf Book by Sri P.R. Kannan found at https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/prkannan/