Vedas : Rks and Samans

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Vedas : Rks and Samans

As we already know the Vedas have mantras and all other texts have mere slokas (verses). Sometimes we honour s’lokas by calling them mantras eg slokas of the Bhagavad Gita.

Mantras have the capacity to invoke the intended devata. And we already know that while devata means goddess in telugu, in Vedas, the devata is really the “one who is being invoked”. Also we know that though some vaishnava sects refer to devatas as demi-gods, the purusha suktha refers to the Purusha, himself (itself), as the devata and Narayana was the RShi of that suktha.

In olden days, people believed that the world was “daiva adhinam” under the control of the devas and that daiva was mantra adhinam, ie the devas were under the control of the brahmanas, and that mantras were brahmana adhinam, therefore brahmanas were to be respected. Of course that situation changed a lot under the British Rule and in free India, neither do brahmins, in general, command mantras, nor are they specifically respected, nor does anyone believe that the world is under the control of the devas. (Well maybe except Terry Pratchet.)

Foreign teaching has left us with the illusion that the “Rg Veda” is the first one and that other vedas were added later, atharva being the last.

However that we know now is not true. Based on the Rishis of the mantras and on slokas from the Srimad Bhagavatham, we know that Atharva is the first Veda and some of the sukthas in it have Brahma as the Rishi. (Atharva Veda : The First Veda : The Brahma Veda : atharvan, angIrA and brahmA were among the rishis.)

Even more interestingly, we know that 85% of the mantras are common to Rg and Sama Vedas.. so they must be of the same date! (no?)

That means that the Gayathri mantram for which Vishwamitra is the Rishi, can be rendered as a Rk, in the 3 swara chanting style of the Rg Veda or as a saman, in the more than 3 (7?) swaras chanting style of the sama veda. (Sama Veda Audio: Gayatri and Other mantras as per Sama Veda Swaras)

On the authority of the Bhagavad Gita, we know that, Krishna liked the Sama Veda better, he was after all a musician (flute player) par excellence. So much so that he said, of the Vedas, I am the Saman.

So a Rk or a Saman is a Veda Mantra, the only difference being the notes used to render them, and the purpose (yagnya/japa/adhyayana/pata) to which they are put.

Mantram – Slokam

Shlokas or Verses of poetry are not the same as Mantras. Shlokas are poetic verses, that are beautiful and enjoyable. The verses of the Itihasas (Ramayana and Mahabharata), the Puranas, the Upanishads are mostly shlokas, some stotras and very few mantras.

Sri Rama’s name itself is the perfect Mantram. There is a story that Valmiki himself meditated on the Rama Mantram. The Vedas are full of many mantras that you can chant as you meditate. (It is risky to mispronounce them).   Even today the word nimantranam means invitation. A Mantram is an invocation. Many Indians believe that the right sounds (sabdam) can invoke the Devas, even if you don’t know what they mean.

Shlokas also have chandas like Mantras, but Mantras have svaras which s’lokAs do not have. That is why a blessing in Sanskrit by a sat (good) brahman is considered far more effective then a general one in another language. In some brahmin homes even today, english is not allowed at meal time and at dinner time, sanskrit words are preferred to the local languages.

Astro-Mantras : As per this web-page, the vachika mantras have to be chanted loudly, the upansu mantras should be whispered quitely, the manasika mantras should be chanted mentally. A very special sound is the Omkaram.

Mantras : Space-Time Short-Circuits?

Posted by Indraja on March 21, 2009

It is believed that mantras can invoke the devas.

Our perception of time is 1 event at a time per place and 1 event at a time per person, with  a clear idea of a past which influences the present and the future.

The reality is that all events and all times exist “simultaneously’. Every space time co-ordinate has an event in it.

Going to the right place, say Mathura, and shortcircuiting the time, you can be present at Krishna’s birth.

Standing in bangalore and short-circuiting, time-space, you can be in Mathura at the time of Krishna’s birth.

(You must occupy a space not occupied by other objects…)

When we invoke devas, say Ganesha, we offer a clean place, on which we place  a Vigraham and we invite him into it. So he is present in a subtle form and occupies the gross object for the purpose of accepting our hospitality, listening to our needs and granting our wishes.

For this to work we say special mantras in Sanskrit. Mantras are special sanskrit sounds and words to be spoken in a special way. If we don’t know the mantras, we take a brahman’s help.

Holy places are places where Krishna, Rama, Buddha, and other holy people lived and walked. When you go to a place of piligrimage, you only need to short-circuit the time, place is already taken care of.

At the instant of short-circuit, Krishna is there as well as here, because the place-times have coalsced. You can connect with anyone from the past or from the future.. (if you have knowledge of future events.)

Similarly if you are good you can take birth in a ‘previous’… good… yuga!

The graph is one of space-time, with every co-ordinate marked by an event…

This is  arough idea, I am writing down so I don’t forget it…, when I detail it, I shall put it on old thoughts…

If you invite any Deva/Devi into yourself, at any 1 instant, either you or he/she will be present in your body….

The anology is like gchat. The event occurs in my space time as well as in yours.

Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula

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