सामन्

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

अमरकोशः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

सामन् नपुं।

सामवेदः

समानार्थक:सामन्

1।6।3।2।2

श्रुतिः स्त्री वेद आम्नायस्त्रयी धर्मस्तु तद्विधिः। स्त्रियामृक्सामयजुषी इति वेदास्त्रयस्त्रयी॥

पदार्थ-विभागः : , अपौरुषेयः

सामन् नपुं।

उपायाः

समानार्थक:भेद,दण्ड,सामन्,दान

2।8।20।2।3

स प्रतापः प्रभावश्च यत्तेजः कोशदण्डजम्. भेदो दण्डः साम दानमित्युपायचतुष्टयम्.।

 : दण्डः, सामः, भेदः

पदार्थ-विभागः : , क्रिया

सामन् नपुं।

सामः

समानार्थक:सामन्,सान्त्व

2।8।21।1।4

साहसं तु दमो दण्डः साम सान्त्वमथो समौ। भेदोपजापावुपधा धर्माद्यैर्यत्परीक्षणम्.।

पदार्थ-विभागः : , क्रिया

वाचस्पत्यम्

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

सामन्¦ न॰ सो--मनिन्।
“अग्ने आया हि” इत्यादिके

१ वेदभेदे तत्रोक्तामृचमधिकृत्य गेये

२ गानभेदे
“ऋच्यध्यूढंसाम गीयते” छान्दोग्योप॰। साम्नो गोनरूपत्वं गानशब्दे

२५

७२ पृ॰ दृश्यम् तद्भेदादिकं वेदगाने ऊहगानादौमूलग्रन्थे च दृश्यं सामवेदस्य विभागादि चरणव्यूहेदृश्यम्। तच्छाखाभेदाः बेदशब्दे

४९

३४ पृ॰ दृश्याः। राज्ञां
“सामभेदस्तथा दानो दण्डश्चेत्युक्ते

३ उपायभेदेतस्य विषयादिकं मत्स्यपु॰

२२

१ अ॰ उक्तं यथामत्स्य उवाच
“सामभेदस्तथा दानो दण्डश्च मनुजेश्वर!। उपेक्षा च तथा माया इन्द्रजालञ्च पार्थिव। ! प्रयोगाःकथिताः सप्त तन्मे निगदतः शृणु। द्विविधं कथितंसाम तथ्यञ्चातथ्यमेव च। तत्राप्यतथ्यं साधूनामाक्रो-शायैव जायते। तत्र साधुः प्रयत्नेन सामसाध्यो नरो-त्तम!। महाकुलीना ऋजवो धर्मनित्या जितेन्द्रियाः। सामसाध्या न चातथ्यन्तेषु साम प्रयोजयेत्। तथ्यंसाम च कर्त्तव्यं कुलशीलादिवर्णनम्। तथा तदुप-चाराणां कृतानाञ्चैव वर्णनम्। अनयैव तथा युक्त्याकृतज्ञाख्यापनं स्वकम्। एवं साम्ना च कर्त्तव्या वशगाःधर्मतत्पराः। साम्ना यद्यपि रक्षांसि गृह्णन्तीति परा-श्रुतिः। तथाप्येतदसाधूनां प्रयुक्तं नोपकारकम्। अतिशङ्कितमित्येवं पुरुषं सामवादिनम्। असाधवो[Page5282-a+ 38] विजानन्ति तस्मात्तत्तेषु वर्जयेत्। ये शुद्धवंशा ऋजवःप्रणीता धर्मे स्थिताः सत्यपरा विनीताः। ते साम-साध्याः पुरुषाः प्रदिष्टा मानोन्नता ये सततञ्च राजन्”। तत्र मित्रादिसामप्रकारः शुक्रनीतिपरिशिष्टे तत्र विशेष-श्चोक्तो यथा
“त्वत्समस्तु मम नास्ति मित्रे साम इदं स्मृतम्। परस्परमनिष्टं न चिन्तनीयं त्वया मया। सुसा-हाय्यं च कर्त्तव्यं शत्रौ साम प्रकीर्त्तितम्”। विषय-भेदेनोपायभेदालम्बनं तत्रोक्तं यथा
“सर्वोपायै-स्तथा कुर्य्यान्नीतिज्ञः पृथिवीपतिः। यथा स्वाभ्यधिकान स्युर्मित्रोदासीनशत्रवः। सामैव प्रथमं श्रेष्ठं दानस्तुतदनन्तरम्। सर्वदा भेदनं शत्रोर्दण्डनं प्राणसंशये। प्रबलेऽरौ सामदानौ साम भेदोऽधिके स्मृतौ। भेददण्डौसमे कार्य्यौ दण्डः पूज्यः प्रहीणके। मित्रे च साम-दानौ स्तो न क्वचित् भेददण्डने। रिषोः प्रजानां सम्भेदःपीडनं स्वजयाय वै। रिपुप्रपीडिताद्यं च साम्ना दानेनसंग्रहः। स्वप्रजानां न भेदेन नैव दण्डेन पालनम्। कुर्वीत सामदानाभ्यां सर्वदा यत्नमास्थितः”।

४ शत्रुवशीकरणोपायभेदे

५ प्रियवाक्यादिना सान्त्वने च।

५ पशुबन्धनरज्ज्वां स्त्री ङीप्।

शब्दसागरः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

सामन्¦ n. (-म)
1. The Sa4ma-Ve4da, the prayers of which composed in metre, are always sung or chanted: the Ch'ha4ndogya Upanishad belongs to this Ve4da.
2. Conciliation, reconciling, appeasing.
3. Calming, tranquillizing.
4. Speaking kindly or tenderly.
5. Gentle- ness.
6. Negociation, (one of the four means of success against an enemy.) f. (-नी) A rope, for tying cattle. E. षो to destroy, (sin,) Una4di aff. मनिन्, and ङीष् added for the fem. form.

Apte

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

सामन् [sāman], n. [सो-मनिन् Uṇ.4.152]

Appeasing, calming, comforting, soothing.

Cenciliation, pacific measures, negotiation, (the first of the four upāyas or expedients to be used by a king against an enemy); सामदण्डौ प्रशंसन्ति नित्यं राष्ट्राभिवृद्धये Ms.7.19.

Conciliatory or mild means; pacific or conciliatory conduct, gentle words; यो दुर्बलो ह्यण्वपि याच्यमानो बलीयसा यच्छति नैव साम्ना Pt.4.26,48.

Mildness, gentleness.

A metrical hymn or song of praise; सप्तसामोपगीतं त्वाम् R. 1.21; ब्रहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् Bg.1.35.

A verse or text of the Sāmaveda; सस्तोभस्वरकालाभ्यास- विकारायां हङ्कारप्रणवप्रस्तावोद्गीथप्रतिहारोपद्रवनिधनवत्यामृचि गीतौ सामशब्दो$भियुक्तैरुपचर्यते ŚB. on MS.7.2.1; स्तोभादिविशिष्टा ऋक् साम ibid.

The Sāmaveda itself (said to have been produced from the sun; cf. Ms.1.23).

Voice, sound; स्वरः सामशब्देन लोक$भिधीयते । सुसामा देवदत्त इति सुस्वरो देवदत्त इति । स्वरो घोषो नाद इति समानार्थाः । स सामशब्देनोच्यते । ŚB. on MS.7.2.7; त्रिःसामा हन्यतामेषा दुन्दुभिः शत्रुभीषणा Mb. 3.2.1.

A particular kind of sacred text or verse from the Vedas; प्रस्तौता साम प्रस्तौति; Bṛi. Up.1.3.28.-साम्ना ind. Willingly, gladly; तत्र स्म गाथा गायन्ति साम्ना परमवल्गुना Mb.3.43.28. -Comp. -उद्भवः an elephant.-उपचारः, -उपायः mild or conciliatory means, gentle or pacific measures. -कलम् ind. in a friendly tone. -गः a Brāhmaṇa who chants the Sāmaveda. -गर्भः, -गायनः N. of Viṣṇu. -ज, -जात a.

produced by the Sāmaveda.

produced by conciliatory means. (-जः, -तः) an elephant; नानाविधाविष्कृतसामजस्वरः Śi.12.11; दन्ता दन्तैराहताः सामजानां भङ्गं जग्मुर्न स्वयं सामजाताः 18.33. -प्रधानa. perfectly kind or friendly.

योनिः Brahman.

an elephant; सुरद्विपानामिव सामयोनिर्भिन्नो$ष्टधा विप्रससार वंशः R.16.3. -वादः kind words, conciliatory words; साम- वादाः सकोपस्य तस्य प्रत्युत दीपकाः Śi.2.55; Pt.3.28. -विद् see सामवेदिन्; Udgātā; साम सामविदसङ्गमुज्जगौ Śi.14.21.-विधानम् the employment of Sāmans (for religious purposes). -वेदः the third of the four Vedas. -वेदिन् m. a Brāhmaṇa who has studied the Sāmaveda. -वेदीयः a Chhāndoga priest.

सामन् [sāman], n. Likeness, similarity; वर्णः स्वरः । मात्रा बलम् । साम संतानः । T. Up.2.1; Bri. Up.1.6.1.

Monier-Williams

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

सामन् n. (fr. 1. सा= सन्1)acquisition , possession , property , wealth , abundance RV. VS.

सामन् n. ( m. only in TBr. ; prob. connected with सान्त्व्; accord. to some fr. 1. सा; See. 3. सामन्)calming , tranquillizing , ( esp. ) kind or gentle words for winning an adversary , conciliation , negotiation (one of the 4 उपा-यs or means of success against an enemy , the other 3 being दान, भेद, and दण्ड, qq.vv. ; ibc. or instr. sg. and pl. , " by friendly means or in a friendly way , willingly , voluntarily ") TBr. etc. etc.

सामन् n. (of doubtful derivation ; accord. to Un2. iv , 152 fr. सो= सा2 , as " destroying sin " ; in Nir. vii , 12 apparently connected with सम्मित; by others derived fr. 1. सन्, सा, सान्त्व्, and perhaps not to be separated fr. 1. and 2. सामन्)a metrical hymn or song of praise , ( esp. ) a partic. kind of sacred text or verse called a सामन्(intended to be chanted , and forming , with ऋच्, यजुस्, छन्दस्, one of the 4 kinds of Vedic composition mentioned first in RV. x , 90 , 9 ) RV. etc.

सामन् n. any song or tune (sacred or profane , also the hum of bees) MBh. Ka1v. etc.

सामन् n. the faculty of uttering sounds (?) TBr. ( Sch. )

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Sāman : nt. (mostly plural): Stands for the Sāmaveda, or a hymn or stanzas of that Veda (in this sense it often occurs along with ṛc and yajus); a melody in which the stanzas of the Sāmaveda are sung.


A. Relationship with Bhagāvān: Bhagavān told Arjuna that those who knew the Veda called him the Sāmaveda of a thousand branches (māṁ pracakṣate/sahasraśākhaṁ yat sāma ye vai vedavido janāḥ) 12. 330. 32; in the stanzas of the Sāmaveda, as in the other three Vedas and many other texts, many names of Bhagavān have been enumerated by the great sages (ṛgvede sayajurvede tathaivātharvasāmasu/…bahūni mama nāmāni kīrtitāni maharṣibhiḥ) 12. 328. 8.


B. Singing of sāman as daily routine: The āśrama of Dadhīca on the other bank of Sarasvatī hummed with the sound of bees as with the chantings of sāman- singers (ṣaṭpadodgītaninadair vighuṣṭṁ sāmagair iva) 3. 98. 13; on the Gandhamādana mountain the Pāṇḍavas could hear the sound of the songs and of the clapping of hands (by the Gandharvas and the Kiṁpuruṣas) which sounded like the melody of the sāman chants (gītānāṁ talatālānāṁ yathā sāmnāṁ ca nisvanaḥ) 3. 155. 84; the precincts of the āśrama of Upamanyu resounded with the auspicious melodies of sāman-singers (śubhaiḥ sāmagānāṁ ca vīra) 13. 14. 35.


C. Employment in sacrifices: In the Rājasūya of Yudhiṣṭhira the six fires were piled up with the chanting of sāman by those who had observed the vows (sāmnā ṣaḍagnayo yasmiṁś cīyante saṁśitavrataiḥ) 2. 12. 13; in this sacrifice Susāman, the chief of the Dhanaṁjayas, acted as the chanter of the sāmans 2. 30. 34 (dhanaṁjayānāṁ ṛṣabhaḥ susāmā sāmago 'bhavat/) Nī. on Bom. Ed. 2. 33. 34: dhanaṁjayānāṁ dhanaṁjayagotrāṇāṁ madhye śreṣṭhaḥ susāmā nāma āṅgirasaḥ); in the sacrifice of Janaka the excellent Ukthya sāman was sung 3. 134. 36; Bhīṣma told Yudhiṣṭhira that in a sacrifice the sāman- singers praise employing the Rathantara melody (rathantare sāmagāś ca stuvanti) 13. 143. 15; Ṛṣi Gṛtsamada told Yudhiṣṭhira that once, when Indra's long sacrificial session lasting for a thousand years was in progress, Vasiṣṭha, the son of Manu Cākṣuṣa, found fault the way Gṛtsamada was singing the Rathantara chant; Vasiṣṭha asked Gṛtsamada to set his jubilation aside and again think over what he had done (rathantaraṁ dvijaśreṣṭha na samyag iti vartate/samīkṣasva punar buddhyā harṣaṁ tyaktvā dvijottama); (he charged Gṛtsamada that by his incorrect singing he had committed a sin which would not carry the sacrifice to the gods; for this fault Gṛtsamada was cursed to be a deer) 13. 18. 15-17; Vālmīki told Yudhiṣṭhira that in a certain dispute regarding sāman (-chanting) the sages pronounced the judgement that Vasiṣṭha had incurred the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa and he was instantly seized by that sin (vīvāde sāmni munibhir brahmaghno vai bhavān iti/uktaḥ kṣaṇena cāviṣṭas tenādharmeṇa bhārata) 13. 18. 7. Trita, when he wanted to offer a sacrifice in the well, thought of ṛcs, yajuses and sāmans for using them in the rites 9. 35. 33; in the metaphorical sacrifice (saṁgrāmayajña 12. 99. 12) performed by a warrior (i. e. in a war) the words ‘cut, break’ uttered by the fighters in a war serve the purpose of the sāmans chanted by the sāman- singers in the abode of Yama (cf. the next section


D. ) (chindhi bhindhīti yasyaitac chrūyate vāhinīmukhe/sāmāni sāmagās tasya gāyanti yamasādane) 12. 99. 22; sāmans were sung when formerly animals were bound for god Nārāyaṇa--this is mentioned in the ṛcs recited by those who know Nārāyaṇa and these are cited as an instance (ṛcaś cāpy atra śaṁsanti nārāyaṇavido janāḥ nārāyanāya devāya yad abdahnan paśūn purā// tatra sāmāni gāyanti tāni cāhur nidarśanam//) 14. 25. 16-17 (see however Nī. cited under ṛc p. 175. 2 above).


D. Employment in funeral rites: When the Pāṇḍavas set out for the forest Dhaumya, their Purohita, accompanied them chanting on the way the terrible sāmans addressed to Yama and holding in his hand kuśa grass directed towards the Nairṛtya direction (dhaumyo yāmyāni sāmāni raudrāṇi ca viśāṁ pate/ gāyan gacchati mārgeṣu kuśān ādāya pāṇinā//) 2. 71. 7 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 2. 80. 7: yāmyāni yamadaivatyāni); (kṛtvā tu nairṛtān darbhān dhīro dhaumyaḥ purohitaḥ/sāmāni gāyan yāmyāni purato yāti bhārata) 2. 71. 21 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 2. 80. 22: nairṛtān nirṛtikoṇagān); he thereby wanted to indicate that when the Bhāratas will be killed in the war the priests of the Kurus will similarly chant the sāmans (addressed to Yama) 2. 71. 22; at the cremation of Droṇa the sāman-singers sang three sāmans when his body was placed on the funeral pyre (droṇam ādhāya gāyanti trīṇi sāmāni sāmagāḥ) 11. 23. 38; when the pyre was lit, others followed them reciting the three sāmans in subdued voices (see Cr. Ed. Vol. 12. p. 119 note on 11. 23. 41) (sāmabhis tribhir antaḥsthair anuśaṁsanti cāpare/agnāv agnim ivādhāya droṇaṁ hutvā hutāśane) 11. 23. 41; sāmans were sung at the Pitṛmedha rites of some of those fallen in the war; due to the sound of the sāmans and the ṛcs, as also due to the lamentations of women, all beings were stupefied during the night (pitṛmedhāś ca keṣāṁcid avartanta mahātmanām/ sāmabhiś cāpy agāyanta…// sāmnāṁ ṛcāṁ ca nādena strīṇāṁ ca ruditasvanaiḥ/kaśmalaṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ niśāyām samapadyata) 11. 26. 39-40; at the Pitṛmedha rites of Bhīṣma the sāman-singers sang the chants 13. 154. 12; during the Pitṛmedha rites, at the cremation of Vasudeva, when the funeral pyre was lit there was a loud sound produced by the sāman-singers (sāmagānāṁ ca nirghoṣaḥ) 16. 8. 23, 25-26.


E. Use in the praise of deities:

(1) Indra: Arjuna saw Indra praised by excellent dvijas with praises consisting of ṛcs, yajuses and sāmans 3. 44. 18; when Arjuna and Indra sat on the same throne, Gandharvas led by Tumburu, skilled in songs and chants, sang gāthās in very agreeable melody (tatra sma gāthā gāyanti sāmnā paramavalgunā/gandharvās tumburuśreṣṭhāḥ kuśalā gītasāmasu) 3. 44. 28;

(2) Kubera: On the Gandhamādana mountain the sound of sāman- singing by Tumburu, who waits on Dhanada (Kubera) was heard on the junctions of the four changes of the moon (parvasadhiṣu) 3. 156. 28;

(3) Śiva: Upamanyu in his praise of Śiva said that the god was sung with chants by the sāman-singers (sāmabhir yaṁ ca gāyanti sāmagāḥ śuddhabuddhayaḥ) 13. 16. 49; Śatakratu (Indra) and Viṣṇu (who are the two sons of Aditi), and god Brahman sing the Rathantara melody near Bhava (Śiva) (śatakratus ca bhagavān viṣṇuś cāditinandanau/ brahmā rathantaraṁ sāma īrayanti bhāvāntike) 13. 15. 16; (however, the Editor's note, Cr. Ed. Vol. 17, p. 1061 on 13. 15. 16, says: aditinandanau = Mitra and Varuṇa ?) (4) Deity not named: in the south, in the bowers of Mandara mountain and in the houses of the Viprarṣis, the Gandharvas sing enchanting gāthās sung in different melodies (gandharvā gānti gāthā vai cittabuddhiharā dvija/ atra sāmāni gāthābhiḥ śrutvā gītāni//) 5. 107. 9-10.


F. Importance: While describing his vibhūtis, Bhagavān told Arjuna that he was the Bṛhatsāman chant among the melodies (bṛhatsām tathā sāmnām) 6. 32. 35; Bhīṣma praised Kṛṣṇa-Nārāyaṇa, who is sung in sāmans that are true, as one whose actions are true and who is truth (yaṁ… gṛṇanti satyakarmāṇaṁ satyaṁ satyeṣu sāmasu) 12. 47. 16 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 12. 47. 26: gṛṇanti dhyāyanti satyam abādhitaṁ satyeṣu abādhitārtheṣu sāmasu jyeṣṭhasāmādiṣu).


G. Personfication: The Sāmans along with the Yajuses and the Ṛgveda, in bodily form, attended the sacrifice of Mahādeva (Śiva) who had assumed the form of Varuṇa (mūrtimanti ca sāmāni yajūṁṣi ca sahasraśḥ/ṛgvedaś cāgamat tatra) 13. 85. 4, (devasya mahatas tāta vāruṇīṁ bibhratas tanum) 13. 85. 2, (ājagmuḥ…yajñaṁ paśupateḥ prītā varuṇasya mahātmanaḥ) 13. 85. 7-8.


H. Mystic interpretation: The Yakṣa asked Yudhiṣṭhira: “What is the one sāman suited for sacrifice ?” Yudhiṣṭhira replied: “Prāṇa is the one sāman suited for sacrifice” (kim ekam yajñiyaṁ sāma) 3. 297. 34, (prāṇo vai yajñiyaṁ sāma) 3. 297. 35; Bhīṣma declared to Yudhiṣṭhira: There was but one sāman (ekaṁ sāma) 12. 60. 45 (Nī. on 12. 60 47: akāro vai sarvā vāk saiṣā sparśoṣmabhir vyajyamānā bhavī nānārūpā bhavatīti śruter ekaṁ akārarūpam eva akṣaraṁ yathā sāmādirūpaṁ)


I. Relationship with Yugas: According to Hanūmant there were neither sāmans, yajuses nor ṛcs in the Kṛtayuga (nāsan kṛtayuge tāta…na sāmayajuṛgvarṇāḥ) 3. 148. 12-13 (See Nīlakaṇṭha on this passage cited under Yajus p. 207. 1; for such other information common to ṛcs and yajuses see Ṛc, especially 3. 27. 3; 5. 43. 1-3; 5. 44. 21; 6. 31. 17; 12. 52. 22; 12. 60. 42; 12. 194. 8; 12. 199. 1618; 12. 224. 63; 12. 227. 1; 12. 230. 8; 12. 243. 2; 12. 260. 26, 36; 12. 297. 15; 12. 322. 37). [See Sāmaveda ]


_______________________________
*2nd word in left half of page p215_mci (+offset) in original book.

previous page p214_mci .......... next page p217_mci

Mahabharata Cultural Index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Sāman : nt. (mostly plural): Stands for the Sāmaveda, or a hymn or stanzas of that Veda (in this sense it often occurs along with ṛc and yajus); a melody in which the stanzas of the Sāmaveda are sung.


A. Relationship with Bhagāvān: Bhagavān told Arjuna that those who knew the Veda called him the Sāmaveda of a thousand branches (māṁ pracakṣate/sahasraśākhaṁ yat sāma ye vai vedavido janāḥ) 12. 330. 32; in the stanzas of the Sāmaveda, as in the other three Vedas and many other texts, many names of Bhagavān have been enumerated by the great sages (ṛgvede sayajurvede tathaivātharvasāmasu/…bahūni mama nāmāni kīrtitāni maharṣibhiḥ) 12. 328. 8.


B. Singing of sāman as daily routine: The āśrama of Dadhīca on the other bank of Sarasvatī hummed with the sound of bees as with the chantings of sāman- singers (ṣaṭpadodgītaninadair vighuṣṭṁ sāmagair iva) 3. 98. 13; on the Gandhamādana mountain the Pāṇḍavas could hear the sound of the songs and of the clapping of hands (by the Gandharvas and the Kiṁpuruṣas) which sounded like the melody of the sāman chants (gītānāṁ talatālānāṁ yathā sāmnāṁ ca nisvanaḥ) 3. 155. 84; the precincts of the āśrama of Upamanyu resounded with the auspicious melodies of sāman-singers (śubhaiḥ sāmagānāṁ ca vīra) 13. 14. 35.


C. Employment in sacrifices: In the Rājasūya of Yudhiṣṭhira the six fires were piled up with the chanting of sāman by those who had observed the vows (sāmnā ṣaḍagnayo yasmiṁś cīyante saṁśitavrataiḥ) 2. 12. 13; in this sacrifice Susāman, the chief of the Dhanaṁjayas, acted as the chanter of the sāmans 2. 30. 34 (dhanaṁjayānāṁ ṛṣabhaḥ susāmā sāmago 'bhavat/) Nī. on Bom. Ed. 2. 33. 34: dhanaṁjayānāṁ dhanaṁjayagotrāṇāṁ madhye śreṣṭhaḥ susāmā nāma āṅgirasaḥ); in the sacrifice of Janaka the excellent Ukthya sāman was sung 3. 134. 36; Bhīṣma told Yudhiṣṭhira that in a sacrifice the sāman- singers praise employing the Rathantara melody (rathantare sāmagāś ca stuvanti) 13. 143. 15; Ṛṣi Gṛtsamada told Yudhiṣṭhira that once, when Indra's long sacrificial session lasting for a thousand years was in progress, Vasiṣṭha, the son of Manu Cākṣuṣa, found fault the way Gṛtsamada was singing the Rathantara chant; Vasiṣṭha asked Gṛtsamada to set his jubilation aside and again think over what he had done (rathantaraṁ dvijaśreṣṭha na samyag iti vartate/samīkṣasva punar buddhyā harṣaṁ tyaktvā dvijottama); (he charged Gṛtsamada that by his incorrect singing he had committed a sin which would not carry the sacrifice to the gods; for this fault Gṛtsamada was cursed to be a deer) 13. 18. 15-17; Vālmīki told Yudhiṣṭhira that in a certain dispute regarding sāman (-chanting) the sages pronounced the judgement that Vasiṣṭha had incurred the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa and he was instantly seized by that sin (vīvāde sāmni munibhir brahmaghno vai bhavān iti/uktaḥ kṣaṇena cāviṣṭas tenādharmeṇa bhārata) 13. 18. 7. Trita, when he wanted to offer a sacrifice in the well, thought of ṛcs, yajuses and sāmans for using them in the rites 9. 35. 33; in the metaphorical sacrifice (saṁgrāmayajña 12. 99. 12) performed by a warrior (i. e. in a war) the words ‘cut, break’ uttered by the fighters in a war serve the purpose of the sāmans chanted by the sāman- singers in the abode of Yama (cf. the next section


D. ) (chindhi bhindhīti yasyaitac chrūyate vāhinīmukhe/sāmāni sāmagās tasya gāyanti yamasādane) 12. 99. 22; sāmans were sung when formerly animals were bound for god Nārāyaṇa--this is mentioned in the ṛcs recited by those who know Nārāyaṇa and these are cited as an instance (ṛcaś cāpy atra śaṁsanti nārāyaṇavido janāḥ nārāyanāya devāya yad abdahnan paśūn purā// tatra sāmāni gāyanti tāni cāhur nidarśanam//) 14. 25. 16-17 (see however Nī. cited under ṛc p. 175. 2 above).


D. Employment in funeral rites: When the Pāṇḍavas set out for the forest Dhaumya, their Purohita, accompanied them chanting on the way the terrible sāmans addressed to Yama and holding in his hand kuśa grass directed towards the Nairṛtya direction (dhaumyo yāmyāni sāmāni raudrāṇi ca viśāṁ pate/ gāyan gacchati mārgeṣu kuśān ādāya pāṇinā//) 2. 71. 7 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 2. 80. 7: yāmyāni yamadaivatyāni); (kṛtvā tu nairṛtān darbhān dhīro dhaumyaḥ purohitaḥ/sāmāni gāyan yāmyāni purato yāti bhārata) 2. 71. 21 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 2. 80. 22: nairṛtān nirṛtikoṇagān); he thereby wanted to indicate that when the Bhāratas will be killed in the war the priests of the Kurus will similarly chant the sāmans (addressed to Yama) 2. 71. 22; at the cremation of Droṇa the sāman-singers sang three sāmans when his body was placed on the funeral pyre (droṇam ādhāya gāyanti trīṇi sāmāni sāmagāḥ) 11. 23. 38; when the pyre was lit, others followed them reciting the three sāmans in subdued voices (see Cr. Ed. Vol. 12. p. 119 note on 11. 23. 41) (sāmabhis tribhir antaḥsthair anuśaṁsanti cāpare/agnāv agnim ivādhāya droṇaṁ hutvā hutāśane) 11. 23. 41; sāmans were sung at the Pitṛmedha rites of some of those fallen in the war; due to the sound of the sāmans and the ṛcs, as also due to the lamentations of women, all beings were stupefied during the night (pitṛmedhāś ca keṣāṁcid avartanta mahātmanām/ sāmabhiś cāpy agāyanta…// sāmnāṁ ṛcāṁ ca nādena strīṇāṁ ca ruditasvanaiḥ/kaśmalaṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ niśāyām samapadyata) 11. 26. 39-40; at the Pitṛmedha rites of Bhīṣma the sāman-singers sang the chants 13. 154. 12; during the Pitṛmedha rites, at the cremation of Vasudeva, when the funeral pyre was lit there was a loud sound produced by the sāman-singers (sāmagānāṁ ca nirghoṣaḥ) 16. 8. 23, 25-26.


E. Use in the praise of deities:

(1) Indra: Arjuna saw Indra praised by excellent dvijas with praises consisting of ṛcs, yajuses and sāmans 3. 44. 18; when Arjuna and Indra sat on the same throne, Gandharvas led by Tumburu, skilled in songs and chants, sang gāthās in very agreeable melody (tatra sma gāthā gāyanti sāmnā paramavalgunā/gandharvās tumburuśreṣṭhāḥ kuśalā gītasāmasu) 3. 44. 28;

(2) Kubera: On the Gandhamādana mountain the sound of sāman- singing by Tumburu, who waits on Dhanada (Kubera) was heard on the junctions of the four changes of the moon (parvasadhiṣu) 3. 156. 28;

(3) Śiva: Upamanyu in his praise of Śiva said that the god was sung with chants by the sāman-singers (sāmabhir yaṁ ca gāyanti sāmagāḥ śuddhabuddhayaḥ) 13. 16. 49; Śatakratu (Indra) and Viṣṇu (who are the two sons of Aditi), and god Brahman sing the Rathantara melody near Bhava (Śiva) (śatakratus ca bhagavān viṣṇuś cāditinandanau/ brahmā rathantaraṁ sāma īrayanti bhāvāntike) 13. 15. 16; (however, the Editor's note, Cr. Ed. Vol. 17, p. 1061 on 13. 15. 16, says: aditinandanau = Mitra and Varuṇa ?) (4) Deity not named: in the south, in the bowers of Mandara mountain and in the houses of the Viprarṣis, the Gandharvas sing enchanting gāthās sung in different melodies (gandharvā gānti gāthā vai cittabuddhiharā dvija/ atra sāmāni gāthābhiḥ śrutvā gītāni//) 5. 107. 9-10.


F. Importance: While describing his vibhūtis, Bhagavān told Arjuna that he was the Bṛhatsāman chant among the melodies (bṛhatsām tathā sāmnām) 6. 32. 35; Bhīṣma praised Kṛṣṇa-Nārāyaṇa, who is sung in sāmans that are true, as one whose actions are true and who is truth (yaṁ… gṛṇanti satyakarmāṇaṁ satyaṁ satyeṣu sāmasu) 12. 47. 16 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 12. 47. 26: gṛṇanti dhyāyanti satyam abādhitaṁ satyeṣu abādhitārtheṣu sāmasu jyeṣṭhasāmādiṣu).


G. Personfication: The Sāmans along with the Yajuses and the Ṛgveda, in bodily form, attended the sacrifice of Mahādeva (Śiva) who had assumed the form of Varuṇa (mūrtimanti ca sāmāni yajūṁṣi ca sahasraśḥ/ṛgvedaś cāgamat tatra) 13. 85. 4, (devasya mahatas tāta vāruṇīṁ bibhratas tanum) 13. 85. 2, (ājagmuḥ…yajñaṁ paśupateḥ prītā varuṇasya mahātmanaḥ) 13. 85. 7-8.


H. Mystic interpretation: The Yakṣa asked Yudhiṣṭhira: “What is the one sāman suited for sacrifice ?” Yudhiṣṭhira replied: “Prāṇa is the one sāman suited for sacrifice” (kim ekam yajñiyaṁ sāma) 3. 297. 34, (prāṇo vai yajñiyaṁ sāma) 3. 297. 35; Bhīṣma declared to Yudhiṣṭhira: There was but one sāman (ekaṁ sāma) 12. 60. 45 (Nī. on 12. 60 47: akāro vai sarvā vāk saiṣā sparśoṣmabhir vyajyamānā bhavī nānārūpā bhavatīti śruter ekaṁ akārarūpam eva akṣaraṁ yathā sāmādirūpaṁ)


I. Relationship with Yugas: According to Hanūmant there were neither sāmans, yajuses nor ṛcs in the Kṛtayuga (nāsan kṛtayuge tāta…na sāmayajuṛgvarṇāḥ) 3. 148. 12-13 (See Nīlakaṇṭha on this passage cited under Yajus p. 207. 1; for such other information common to ṛcs and yajuses see Ṛc, especially 3. 27. 3; 5. 43. 1-3; 5. 44. 21; 6. 31. 17; 12. 52. 22; 12. 60. 42; 12. 194. 8; 12. 199. 1618; 12. 224. 63; 12. 227. 1; 12. 230. 8; 12. 243. 2; 12. 260. 26, 36; 12. 297. 15; 12. 322. 37). [See Sāmaveda ]


_______________________________
*2nd word in left half of page p215_mci (+offset) in original book.

previous page p214_mci .......... next page p217_mci

Vedic Rituals Hindi

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

सामन् न.
ऋचा पर निबद्ध एक राग, और इसे मन्त्र के रूप में मान्यता दी गई है, का.श्रौ.सू. 1.3.1, ऋ.वे. 1०.9०.9; इसको ‘गीति’ शब्द से अभिहित किया गया है ‘गीतिषु सामाख्या’, मी.सू. 2.1.36. साम निश्चित मन्त्रों से सम्पृक्त होते हैं, जो (ऋचायें) इसीलिए ‘स्वकीय’ कही जाती हैं। किन्तु साम अपनी ऋचाओं से भिन्न ऋचाओं पर भी हो सकता है। ऋ.वे. 7.32.22,23 रथन्तर साम से सम्बन्ध रखती हैं। किन्तु यह (साम) ‘कवती’ ऋचाओं (ऋ.वे. 4.31.1-3) पर भी हो सकता है, पञ्च.ब्रा. 15.1०.1; साम का गायन ऋचा में कुछ परिवर्तन करके किया जाता है, जैसे-स्वरों का तोड़ना-मरोड़ना (दीर्घकाल तक उच्चारण, अक्षरों की पुनरावृत्ति, गान के अनुकूल पदों को जोड़ना आदि प्रमुख हैं (सामविकार-विकार, विश्लेषण, विकर्षण, अभ्यास, विराम, स्तोभ)। इसका उच्चारण उद्गाताओं (उद्गातृवर्ग) द्वारा खण्डों में किया जाता है - प्रस्ताव, उद्गीथ, प्रतीहार, उपद्रव एवं निधन (विभक्तियों के नाम से प्रसिद्ध)। आधेय में इसका गायन ऐच्छिक रूप से ब्रह्मा द्वारा किया जाता है, भा.श्रौ.सू. 5.1०.6-7; द्रष्टव्य - गोंड जे, The Ritual sutra, शब्दसूची पृ. 663