Moreover, the Sama Veda was used in Soma sacrifice. It represents the force of spiritual knowledge. So, Sama Veda helps you to attain spiritual evolution through music. In fact, the musical patterns in Samaveda have been derived from the vibrations of the cosmos. The hymns of Sama Veda, when sung in the appropriate manner, enable you to understand the universal truths. In fact, the system of music has emerged from Sama Veda. It has been formed by assigning music to the mantras in Rig Veda. It contains about 1900 verses which have been taken from the Rig Veda.
So, Sama Veda is not recited or read but sung. It basically contains the words of Rig Veda in music.
Sama means “melody,” and Veda means “knowledge.” Samaveda has been described as the “Book of Song” or “The Veda of Chants” or even as the “Yoga of Song.” It contains a collection of melodies and chants. It is one of the four main Vedas of Hinduism. Sama Veda is an ancient Hindu Vedic Scripture. It has shaped Hindu beliefs and practices down the centuries. So, Samaveda holds an important place in the Hindu context. It also contains the famous story of Uddalaka and Shvetaketu. Here, Om has been described as the source of being, which is superior to any ritual. It includes commentaries on the syllable Om, which is a sacred utterance in the Hindu tradition. It also contains topics centering on social customs as well as countering bad omens.Īs stated earlier, the Sama Veda also contains the Upanishad known as the Chandogya Upanishad. It sets the standards for the proper recitation of the Samhita. The veda also contains a Brahmana, which describes the necessary procedures that are to be followed before as well as during the chanting of the Samaveda Samhita. A vast majority of Sama Veda Samhita has been dedicated to the praise of Agni, Indra, and Soma. It comprises of Samaveda “Samhita,” which contains hymns in a ritual context. It is rather comprised of a number of texts that have been written over a large period of time. Moreover, the Sama Veda is not supposed to be a monolithic text.
For example, according to the Satapatha Brahmana, The Samaveda originates from the Sun, which has been embodied by the deity Surya. There have been many schools of thought on the origin of Sama Veda. It is the storehouse of knowledge of chants. The Sama Veda also contains Chandogya Upanishad and Kena Upanishad.Īll in all, Sama Veda is the Veda of Chants. The Gana part of the Samaveda has also been divided into Prakriti Gana and Uha Gana. The Uttararchika contains a total number of 1225 verses. Aranya: 55 verses for Indra, Agni, Soma, etc.Its first part (Purvarchika) contains four parts: Out of these, the Kauthuma Shakha is the most prominent one. However, as of now, only three recensions have survived. It believes that the Glorious Lord and Brahman are attainable only through devotion and musical chanting.Īccording to Sage Patanjali, the Samaveda had 1000 recensions (Shakhas). Here, the major theme is centered on worship and devotion. Moreover, its prayers are dedicated to invoking the Supreme Being. It praises deities such as Indra, Agni, and Soma. Its verses were chanted at the ceremonies such as the Soma-sacrifice. Sama Veda is exclusively compiled for ritual application.