Rigveda Chanting : Kothamangalam Vasudevan Namboothiri and N.M.

Narayan
Vedic chanting refers to the recitation of the hymns of the Vedas, the most ancient sacred texts
of India. Counted among one of the four Vedas, the Rig is a magnificent collection of over
10,000 verses. These contain ancient prayers for prosperity and hymns dedicated to several
nature gods. As one of the oldest religious tradition of the world, Vedic chanting has continued
for several millennia. Some of its verses continue to be recited as Hindu prayers at religious
and other occasions. The tradition has been kept alive and unbroken by a handful of people
who implicitly understand that fidelity to pronunciation and accent is important because of the
belief that the energy of the mantra is in its sound. The human voice chanting these verses has
the healing power to replenish the universe, and promote harmony and health. K.M.
Vasudevan Namboothiri and N.M Narayanan present Rigvedic Chanting. Shri Namboothiri
learned Sanskrit and the Rig Veda traditionally. After his post-graduation in Statistics, he
worked as an officer in the Indian Statistical Service. H sought voluntary retirement after 21
years and is now engaged fully in the teaching and propagation of the Rig Veda. Dr Narayanan
is a scholar of the Rig Veda and studied the canon through the traditional system up to
Ghanapatha, or Bell mode an advanced stage of learning to chant the scripture in which
words are repeated back and forth in a bell shape. A Ph.D in Sanskrit Poetics, he is Assistant
Professor, Department of Sanskrit at Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur.
The Sukta begins with the Mantra Bhadram karnebhih. in Rig Veda. This 10-verse sukta
invokes all the divine beings of the cosmos, requesting them to bestow noble thoughts, wellbeing, health and long life to all animate and inanimate objects in the world. The sukta also
wishes brotherhood and peace among the human beings of the world. The 10 verses will be first
chanted in Samhita Swara. The eighth verse, or Rk - Bhadram karnebhih srunuyama devah
will be chanted in Samhita, Pada, Krama, Jata and Ratha modes (all elaborated musical
methods of chanting).

Samveda Chanting : Sreejith Namboothiri M.N, Bhavadas K.S. & Devadas K.S.
Sreejith Namboothiri MN, Bhavadas KS and Devadas KS present Sama Veda chanting. The
Sama Veda is a collection of samans, or chants, derived from the Rigveda and are better known
for their precision of poetic meter than for their literary quality. The Sama also meticulously
instructs on how certain hymns must be sung for optimum effect on the environment and the
one who chants them. The verse, or Rk, beginning Yajna yajna vo agnaye of Jaimineeya
Sama Veda will be chanted with their modes, Archika and Samagana, or Gramageya. The four
Samas of the Rk will be chanted. The Samagana or Gramageya mode of chanting is highly
elaborate and musical. The elaboration of swaras of Sama chanting has various similarities to
the elaboration of swaras in classical music.
The full Rk is: Yajna yajna vo agnaye Gira gira ca dakshase / Prapra vayam amrtam
jatavedasam Priyam mitram na samsisham //. Translated, the verse means, Oh! Rtwiks
(purohitas of yaga!), please pray to God Agni in Yagas for prosperity. You praise God Agni who
knows everything, who is eternal and who is the friend of the universe.
Sreejith Namboothiri MN has studied the Sama Veda (Keraleeya Jaimineeyapatha)
traditionally. He did his Acharya degree in Sanskrit, post which he has been teaching at
Vadakke Madham Brahmaswam since 2007. He has participated in and presented papers on
the Vedas at many seminars in the state and other parts of India. Bhavadas KS and Devadas
KS, 12 and 11 years respectively, have been learning Sama Veda traditionally since 2007.