saam sangeet | साम संगीत

This Samaveda Veda defines the samsangeet (Devanagari: साम संगीत ISO15919: sāma saṁgīta). Each Veda mantra it set to precise tonal accents called svara (Devanagari: स्वर ISO15919: svara). These are used to preserve the correct pronunciation and intonation. These are crucial in Vedic chanting to maintain the original meaning.

• Udatta (Devanagari: उदात्त ISO15919: udātta) – The raised or high-pitched accent.
• Anudatta (Devanagari: अनुदात्त ISO15919: anudātta) – The lower or subdued accent.
• Swarita (Devanagari: स्वरित ISO15919: svarita) – The middle accent, often a combination of the first two.

These accents help in the proper chanting of the Vedas, ensuring that the sound vibrations and meanings remain intact as they were traditionally passed down through oral tradition.

The slightest deviation from the pronunciation and the tonality can even reverse the meaning of the Vedic mantras.

Further Reading and Reference

• Alternate Spelling: sama sangita
• Related Concepts: Samveda
• Reference: Who am I? Who is Mine? Vol. 1, Ch. 2