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      Lord Sri Lakshmi 
      HayagrIvan 
           
      Saama 
      Samhitha 
      In its importance in YaagAs 
      and sacredness, Saama Veda SamhithAs rank next to Rig VedA. The Lord of 
      GeethA however has put this Saama samhithA on the top of all four 
      SamhithAs with His declaration that He is Saama VedA among the VedAs. This 
      samhithA consists of hyms chanted by udhgAtri priests at the Soma YaagAs. 
      Many of the hymns originate from Rig Vedam and have been rearranged 
      without reference to the original order in the Rig Vedam and set to music. 
      Only 75 verses of the total of 1,875 verses of Saama Vedam are not to be 
      found in Rig Vedam. The remaining 1,800 verses are essentially the 
      repetitions of Rig Vedic verses. The important distinction however is that 
      they are sung instead of being recited. The Rig Vedam deals with knowledge 
      and Saama Vedam deals with UpAsanA, Worship and 
      DhyAnam. 
      Divisions of 
      Saama Vedam 
      According to one 
      classification, the Saama samhithA is catalogued under two sections: 
      PurvArchikA and UttarArchikA. Each archikA is subdivided into prapaathakAs 
      and adhyAyAs. In another classification, the 1875 verses are grouped under 
      FOUR categories: 
      1. PurvArchikA: 585 verses ( 
      1-585 ) 2. AraNya KhAndam : 55 verses ( 586-640 ) 3. 
      MahAnAmnyArchikA : 10 verses( 641-650 ) 4. UttarArchikA: 1225 verses ( 
      651-1875) 
      SamhithAkArAs 
      & focus of Saama Vedam 
      Sage Jaimini spread this 
      Vedam after being initiated by Sage VyAsa. It is present today in three 
      SakhAs : KouTuma ,RaaNAyaneeya and Jaimineeya SaakhAs.If the matching of 
      the divine knowledge has to be done with the Four VedAs , Rig Vedam is 
      linked to Jn~Ana ( fundamantal Knowledge) ,Yajur Vedam for Karma ( applied 
      knowledge) , Saama Vedam for Upaasanaa and Atharvam for Vijn~Ana. The 
      musical aspect of Saama Vedam leads to its description 
      as   "Geethishu 
      SaamAkhyaa ". 
      Commentators of 
      Saama Vedam 
      The commentators of Saama 
      Vedam are :Madhava of the 7th century , ChUNa VishNu of 12th century form 
      Bengal ,Bharata Swamy ( 1272-1310 CE)  from Hosala country , Sayana ( 
      1372-1444 CE) of Vijayanagar and few others . 
       
      Unique Saama Veda 
      MantrAs 
      There are 
      only 75 of the 1875 Saama veda  mantrAs that are unique to 
      it ; rest of them are mostly from Rg Veda with minor verbal differences 
      and set to music .  
      Atharva Vedam's 
      Praise of Saama Vedam 
      Atharva Vedam , the youngest 
      of the Vedams  has the highest praise for Saama Vedam : " Of the 
      Supreme Lord , the Ucchishta brahman , Saaman  verses are 
      regarded  as body hairs ( loma) . Elsewhere in the Atharva Vedam 
       ( Canto XIV.2.71) , the mantram declares : " Thou art "Saa" or She; 
      I am amah . I and You both conjoined would become Saama (She and I ( the 
      svara) conjoined will form the couple pertinent for procreation ). 
          
      Saama Ghanam 
      In singing, the priests of 
      the Yaj~nams follow specific styles through alteration of prolongation, 
      repetition, modulation, rests et al. These become the various styles of 
      Saama GhAnams: congregational (GrAma gEya GhAnam), AraNya ghAnam (Forest 
      song style), Uha ghAnam and Uhya GhAnam. 
      Saakhaas of Saama 
      Vedam 
      Saama Vedam had originally 
      1001 branches. We have very few left now. NammAzhwAr's celebrated 
      Thiruvaimozhi is recognized as the Saama Veda 
      SaarArtham. 
      ThiruvAimozhi and 
      Saama Vedic Content  
      " Vedam Tamizh seytha MaaRan 
      " is one of the salutations to Swamy NammAzhwAr. In this context , 
      ThiruvAimozhi , which deals with Bahgavath PrApthi (Attainment of the 
      Lord) , is considered as the precious gift of this AzhwAr to us 
      on the quinessence of 
      Saama Vedam . BhagavAn says in Gitaa that among the Four VedAs , He 
      is in Saama Vedam .  Such is the glory of Saama Vedam and by 
      extrpolation, its Tamizh derivative , 
      ThiruvAimozhi.  
      The Four 
      PurushArthams (Goals of Life) 
      The four goals of life 
      identified by the VedAs are : Dharma , ArTa , Kaama and Moksha . The 
      ultimate and the most precious PrurushArTam in life is Moksha ( release 
      from the cycles of births and deaths and ascent to the Supreme abode of 
      the Lord , Sri Vaikuntam , to engage in blemishless Kaimkaryam there to 
      the dhivya dampathis ) . The bliss ( Aanandham arising from Bhagavath 
      Kaamam) granting the boon of  enjoyment of BrahmAnandham by the 
      Muktha Jeevan equal to that of the  Parama Padha Naathan  
      through the successful execution of Bhakthi or Prapatthi yOgam 
       is the message of Saama Vedam and the Paasurams 
      of ThiruvAimozhi rooted in the 
      Saama Vedam . The Supreme Brahman , Sriman NarayaNan of VisishtAdhvaitham , His KalyANa 
      guNams are the objects of meditation , salutation and singing of both 
      Saama Vedam and ThiruvAimozhi . We shall illustrate this Saamyam between 
      the Sanskritic and Tamizh Vedam in the next essay . 
      To be Continued 
      , 
      NamO Saama veda PurushAya 
      , 
      Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil 
      VaradAchAri Sadagopan    
      P.S: Please 
      support the Saama Veda AdhyApAkAs ( Samhitha , Jadai and 
      Ghanam ) at 
      Srirangam during the forthcoming SathAbhishEkam .Thank you 
      . 
        
        
         
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