Introduction

The mass of knowledge called Veda was divided into four – Ṛgveda, Yajurveda, Sāmaveda and Atharvaveda. Sāmaveda is formed by assigning music to the Mantras in Ṛgveda. The system of music has emerged from Sāmaveda and is called Gāndharvaveda. Originally, Sāmaveda had had one thousand śākhas (branches). Unfortunately only three branches could survive the test of time and the number of learners of Sāmaveda today is meagre. The Mantras of Sāmaveda are used in Yāgas and the priest who recites them is called Udgātā. Sāyaṇācārya did a commentary on Sāmaveda. The Prātiśākhyā (grammar) of Sāmasaṃhitā was authored by Puṣparṣi. Śākaṭāyana’s “Ṛktantram” is a popular Prātiśākhyā.

1. Śākhas

            According to Mahābhāṣyam (Paspaśā), Śrīmadbhāgavatam (12-6-76-79), Caraṇavyūhapariśiṣṭam, Sarvānukramaṇī and Viṣṇupurāṇam, Sāmaveda has one thousand śākhas (branches). Even Divyāvadānam, a work on Bauddham enumerates the thousand śākhas.

2. Definition of Sāma

Jaimini in his Pūrvamīmāṃsādarśanam defines a Sāma as “a Mantra associated with music” –

गीतिषु सामाख्या (मी॰ द॰२.१.३६)

gītiṣusāmākhyā(Mīmāṃsādarśanam 2.1.36)

Chāndogyopaniṣat also says that Sāma is dependent on Ṛk –

तस्मादृच्यध्यारूढं साम गीयते (छा॰ उ॰ १.६)

tasmādṛcyadhyārūḍhaṃsāmagīyate (Chāndogyopaniṣat 1.6)

But this definition is given simply following the popularity of the same among Vedic scholars. In seventh Adhyāya of Pūrvamīmāṃsā, Jaimini clearly defines that both the general term “Sāma” and the names of Sāmas such as “Rathantaram” mean “gīti” (singing / music) only –

साम्नोऽभिधानशब्देन प्रवृत्तिः स्याद्यथाशिष्टम् (मी॰ द॰७.२.१)

sāmno’bhidhānaśabdenapravṛttiḥsyādyathāśiṣṭam (mī. da. 7.2.1)

In second pāda (leg) of the ninth Adhyāya, Jaimini reminds that both the terms, i.e. Sāma and Rathantaram etc. mean “gīti” (singing / music) only –

सामानि मन्त्रमेके स्मृत्यपुदेशाभ्याम् (मी॰ द॰ ९.२.१)

sāmānimantramekesmṛtyupadeśābhyām (mī. da.9.2.1)

On the other hand, Atharvasaṃhitā established conjugal relation between Ṛk and

Sāma –

अमोऽहमस्मि सा त्वम् सामाहमस्मि ऋक् त्वम् द्यौरहं पृथिवी त्वम् ताविह सं भवावः प्रजां जनयावहै (अथर्वसंहिता १४.२.७१)

amo’hamasmisātvamsāmāhamasmiṛktvamdyaurahaṃpṛthivītvamtāvihasaṃbhavāvaḥprajāṃjanayāvahai (atharvasaṃhitā 14.2.71)

I am Svara (accent in the form of a song) and you are Ṛk, I am Sāma and you are Ṛk, I am heaven and you are earth, so let us get married and have children.

3. Ṛgveda and Sāmaveda

Except seventy five, the Mantras in Sāmaveda are borrowed from the eighth and ninth Maṇḍalas of Ṛgveda. Since Gānam (music) is important in Sāmaveda there are no Vikṛtipāṭhas like Jaṭa, Mālā, Ratha, Ghana etc. Only Padapāṭha and Stobhapāṭha are available.

4. Saṃhitā-Brāhmaṇam-Āraṇyakam-Upaniṣat

Out of the thousand śākhas of Sāmaveda, only three are available – Rāṇāyanīyaśākhā, Kauthumaśākhā and Jaiminīyaśākhā. Sages Rāṇāyani, Kuthumi and Jaimini were the perceivers and propagators of these branches. Kauthumaśākhā has got two Brāhmaṇas – Tāṇḍyabrāhmaṇam and Chāndogyabrāhmaṇam. Talavakārabrāhmaṇam is related to Jaiminīyaśākhā.

There is neither Āraṇyakam nor Upaniṣat to Tāṇḍyabrāhmaṇam. Chāndogyabrāhmaṇam has got no Āraṇyakam but there is Upaniṣat called Chāndogyopaniṣat. The Āraṇyakam of Talavakārabrāhmaṇam of Jaiminīyaśākhā is called Jaiminīyopaniṣadbrāhmaṇam.

There are four Upabrāhmaṇas of Sāmaveda – Sāmavidhānabrāhmaṇam, Devatādhyāyabrāhmaṇam, Saṃhitopaniṣadbrāhmaṇam and Vaṃśabrāhmaṇam.

Finally, there is only one Āraṇyakam for Sāmaveda – Jaiminīyopaniṣadbrāhmaṇam.

5. Sāmasaṃhitā

Pūrvārcika and Uttarārcika are the two parts of Sāmasaṃhitā. A group of Ṛks is called Ārcikam. In Pūrvārcika there are six Prapāṭhakas, each consisting of two Adhyāyas (chapters). There are twelve Adhyāyas in Pūrvārcikam. A group of ten Mantras is called a Daśati. In the first five Prapāṭhakas, there are ten Daśatis each. In sixth Prapāṭhaka there are nine Daśatis. In brief, there are six Prapāṭhakas, twelve Adhyāyas and fifty nine Daśatis in Pūrvārcikam.

In the first twelve Daśatis the praise of Agni, in the next thirty six Daśatis the praise of Indra, who consumes Soma, and in the last eleven Daśatis the praise of Soma is seen.

Uttarārcikam consists of nine Prapāṭhakas. In each Prapāṭhaka there are two or more portions of which each one is called Adhyāya or “ardha”. In each Adhyāya, the Mantras usually are arranged in groups of three.Every first Mantra is seen in the Pūrvārcikam also. In the first five Prapāṭhakas there are two Adhyāyas each and in the last four Prapāṭhakas three Adhyāyas, making a total of twenty two Adhyāyas in nine Prapāṭhakas.

The Mahānāmnyārcikam, which exists between Pūrvārcikam and Uttarārcikam and wherein the praise of Indra is made, has got ten Mantras. Unlike other Mantras these do not have Ṛṣi, Devatā and Chandas.

The six Prapāṭhakas of Pūrvārcikam account for five hundred and eighty five Mantras, whereas one thousand two hundred and twenty Mantras are there in the nine Prapāṭhakas of Uttarārcikam.

Some scholars add the fifty five Mantras of Āraṇyakakāṇḍa and ten Mantras of Mahānāmnyārcikam and put the total number of Mantras of Sāmasaṃhitā at one thousand eight hundred and seventy.

One thousand five hundred and four Mantras are borrowed from Ṛgveda and seventy five are independent Mantras.

6. Dichotomy of Pāṭhas and Gānam 

Padapāṭha (splitting into words) and Stobhapadapāṭha are two kinds of Pāṭhas (texts) of Sāmasaṃhitā. Generally any different text of a Saṃhitā, such as Pada, Krama etc. are meant for preserving the original text of Veda. But in the case of Sāmaveda the Stobhapāṭha is for assisting the Gānam (music). While performing the Sāmagānam, some letters are prefixed and suffixed to the Ṛk and such letters are called Stobhākṣaras (letters for Stobha).

अधिकत्वे सति ऋग्विलक्षणवर्णः स्तोभः इति लक्षणात् (सायणः, सामवेदभाष्यभूमिका)

adhikatve sati ṛgvilakṣaṇavarṇaḥstobhaḥitilakṣaṇāt (Sāyaṇa, sāmavedabhāṣyabhūmikā)

The Padapāṭha associated with Stobhākṣaras is called Stobhapadapāṭha. “Hoyi, hrīvā” – are examples. The prefixed Stobha is called “Anvayi” and the suffixed one is “anuṣaṅgi”.

The Gānam is of two types – Prakṛti and Ūha. Prakṛti is of two kinds – Grāmageya (fit to be sung in a village) and Araṇyageya (fit to be sung in a forest). This is called Gānasaṃhitā (Prakṛti + Ūha). The Ūha, related to Grāmageya is “Ūhagānam” whereas that of Araṇyageya is “Rahasyagānam”. Sarvānukramaṇikā says that there are seven Gānas in Prakṛti and Ūha consists of seven Tantras. Gāyatram, Āgneyam, Aindram, Pāvamānam, Parvatrayam (three Parvas, viz. Arkaparva, Dvandvaparva and Vrataparva), Śukriyam and Mahānāmnī – are the seven Gānas of Prakṛti. The seven Tantras of Ūha are – Daśarātram, Samvatsaram, Aikāham, Ahīnam, Satram, Prāyaścittam and Kṣudram. One should keep in mind the seven Svaras, three Grāmas, twenty one Mūrchanas and forty nine Tānas.

Udgātas sing in the form of Stotra during morning, afternoon and evening at Mandra (slow), Madhyama (medium) and Tāra (top / high pitch) levels. Singing (Gānam) a Ṛk with many Svaras (accents) is called “Sāma”. In Prakṛti, generally, a single Gānam is performed for a single Ṛk. In certain cases, there can be upto sixteen Gānas. There are eighteen Gānas for a single Ṛk. Rathantarasāma, Bṛhatsāma, Vāmadevyasāma etc. are the names of different Gānas of a single Ṛk.

1. Rathantarasāma

अभि त्वा शूर नोनुमोऽदुग्धा इव धेनवः।

ईशानमस्य जगतः स्वर् दृशमीशानमिन्द्र तस्थुषः ॥ सामवेदः, १.३.१.५.१, २.१.१.११.१,

ऐन्द्रकाण्डम् ॥

abhitvāśūranonumo’dugdhāivadhenavaḥ ।

īśānamasyajagataḥsvardṛśamīśānamindratasthuṣaḥ॥sāmavedaḥ, 1.3.1.5.1,

2.1.1.11.1,aindrakāṇḍam॥

1. Vāmadevyam

कया नश्चित्र आ भुवदूती कया वृधस्सखा।

कया शचिष्ठया वृता ॥सामवेदः, १.२.२.३.५, २.१.१.१२.१॥

kayānaścitra ā bhuvadūtīkayāvṛdhassakhā ।

kayāśaciṣṭhayāvṛtā॥sāmavedaḥ, 1.2.2.3.5, 2.1.1.12.1 ॥

• Bṛhatsāma

त्वामिद्धि हवामहे साता वाजस्य कारवः।

त्वां वृत्रेष्विन्द्र सत्पतिं नरस्त्वां काष्ठास्वर्वतः ॥ सामवेदः १.३.१.५.२, २.२.१.१२.१॥

tvāmiddhihavāmahesātāvājasyakāravaḥ ।

tvāṃvṛtreṣvindrasatpatiṃnarastvāṃkāṣṭhāsvarvataḥ॥Sāmavedaḥ1.3.1.5.2,

2.2.1.12.1 ॥

7. Five parts of Sāmasaṃhit

When a Ṛk is modified into a Sāma, by assigning Gānam there will be five parts – Prastāva, Udgītha, Pratihāra, Upadrava and Nidhana. Here is an example –

अग्न आयाहि वीतये गृणानो हव्यदातये।

निहोता सत्सि बर्हिषि ॥ सामवेदः १.१.१.१.१, ऋग्वेदः ६.१६.१॰ ॥

agna āyāhi vītaye gṛṇāno havyadātaye।

nihotā satsi barhiṣi ॥Sāmavedaḥ 1.1.1.1.1, Ṛgvedaḥ 6.16.1॥

humagnā3 (Prastāva) – Here, starting with “hum” is called Prastā

1. om āyāhi vītaye gṛṇāno havyadātaye (Udgītha) – Here, “om” is used in the beginning of the Ṛk. In Ṛgveda “om” is called Praṇava whereas the same is “Udgītha” in Sāmaveda (says Chāndogya).

• nihotā satsi barhiṣi om (Pratihāra) – The Ṛtvik (priest) completes the Ṛk with “om” and this is called Pratihāra.

1. nihotā satsi ba (Upadravam) – This is sung by Udgātā.

1. barhiṣi om (Nidhanam) – This is recited in chorus by Prastotā, Udgātā, Pratihartā etc.

Certain Śabdas in Sāmagānam such as “au, hau, vā, hā” do not have any meaning but are useful in preserving the Geya, i.e. protecting it from deformation.

The difference between Rāṇāyanīya and Kauthumīya branches is related to nomenclature mainly – the former takes up Prapāṭhaka – Ardhaprapāṭhaka – Daśati whereas the latter counts by Adhyāya-Khaṇḍa. In certain places differences in Svara (accent) and difference in text is seen.

Kauthumīyas say “hā u” while Rāṇāyanīyas say “hāvu” – also – “rāi” and “rāyi”, “no” and “ṇo” etc. Different versions are found in Jaiminīyasaṃhitā.