In the Vedic era of India, the four Vedas—Rigveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda, and Samaveda—formed the bedrock of spiritual and musical tradition. While the Rigveda, the oldest text, contains metrical hymns (called Richa) praising deities and describing rituals, the other Vedas contributed in unique ways to the evolution of music.

Rigveda

• Compiled: Around 1500–1000 BC
• Meaning: The term “rig” means “to praise.”
• Content: A collection of hymns organized into volumes called Mandal.
• Highlights: Mandal III contains the Gayatri Mantra (in praise of the sun god Savitri), while Mandal IX includes the Purusha Sukta, discussing the Varna system.
• Experts: Rishis specialized in the Rigveda were known as hotra or hotri.
• Connections: Many elements are shared with the ancient Iranian text, Zend-Avesta.

Samaveda

• Nature: A collection of songs derived mostly from Rigveda hymns.
• Expert: The Udgatri was the specialist in Samaveda recitations.
• Legacy: Its compilation laid the foundation for Indian music, emphasizing the melodic and lyrical aspects.

Yajurveda

• Content: A collection of sacrificial formulae, describing the rituals and practices during mantra recitation.
• Style: Contains both prose and poetry.
• Division: Split into two parts—Krishna Yajurveda and Shukla Yajurveda.
• Expert: The knowledge was traditionally mastered by the Adhvaryus.

Atharvaveda

• Content: A collection of charms, spells, and magical hymns meant to bring relief from diseases.
• Legacy: Laid the groundwork for Indian medicinal science and Ayurveda.

Vedic Musical Terminology

In the Vedic context, the way a sentence is pronounced played a crucial role in musical expression:

• Vachan: A sentence pronounced without vowels.
• Paath: When the sound fluctuates (high and low) but the vowels are not properly aligned.
• Gaan: Singing in which the vowels are correctly placed; hence, the origin of music is often attributed to Samaveda.

Music students are taught that the origins of different performing arts trace back to the Vedas: Paathya (for drama) from Rigveda, Geet (song) from Samaveda, Abhinaya (expression) from Yajurveda, and Rasas (sentiment) from Atharvaveda.

Components of Vedic Songs

The Rigveda describes several words for song such as gir, gaat, gatha, gayatra, geeti, and saam. When these hymns are transcribed into musical notes, they are known as stotras. Four primary parts of a song are identified:

• Swara: The musical notes (e.g., Shadja and other svaras).
• Pada: Groups of consonants (with or without meaning) combined with syllables.
• Taal: The repetitive structure or division of words.
• Marg: The style or speed of the rhythm (fast, medium, or slow).

Students of music seek the seeds of swaras, padas, taals, and margs in the Samaveda.

Sama-Gaan and Notation

Originally, Samagana did not have strict grammatical divisions. However, with the evolution of the Gandharva tradition, singers began incorporating specific notational techniques. By the tenth century, Acharya Abhinav Gupta, in his commentary Abhinav Bharati on the Natyashastra, discussed the pure form of Samaveda music, highlighting the origin of the Shadja-Gamiya notes.

For example, Acharya Abhinav Gupta explains that due to its relative pitch:

“Due to its highness, the 'Chatuhsruti' note is Udatta; due to its lowness, the 'Dwisruti' note is Anudaatta; and the intermediate note is called Trishruti or Svarit.”

In Samaveda, the descending order of notes led to today’s usage of notes in ragas such as Bageshri, where Madhyam, Gandhar, Rishab, and Padj correspond to Udatta, Anudaatta, Svarit, and Udatta, respectively.

The Legacy of Vedic Music

Sama-Gaan typically employs three, four, five, six, or seven notes—with five or six being most common. Over time, the performance traditions evolved to include dance (such as Nath dance art) and dramatic presentations. Vedic texts, including those found in the Brahman and Aranyak literature, indicate that music and dance were integral to yajnas (sacrificial rituals) and other ceremonies.

According to the Puranas, Veda Vyasa himself is credited with originating the original Sama branches. Both Vedic and secular musicians were appointed based on the demands of the yajna, and the notation used in Sama songs—with markers placed above and within the letters—served as one of the earliest forms of musical notation.

Conclusion 🎵

The musical practices of the Vedic period, as reflected in the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda, and especially the melodious Samaveda, laid the foundation for Indian classical music. From the intricate notational systems to the profound connection between language and melody, the legacy of Vedic music continues to inspire and influence musicians today.