samaveda

The Samaveda is one of the four Vedas in the ancient Indian tradition and is specialized as the Veda of chants. It is primarily a collection of hymns intended to be sung during Vedic sacrifices, rather than spoken or recited as prose. Its name derives from samā, meaning “together” or “chant,” reflecting its musical purpose.

The core of the Samaveda is the Samhita, a compilation that largely rearranges verses drawn from the Rigveda for liturgical singing. What distinguishes the Samhita is the addition of melodic formulas and instruction for intonation, so the same verses can be performed in specific musical modes (gandharas). The text is preserved in two main recensions, called the Kauthuma and the Ranayaniya, which belong to the Shakala shakha (school). In each recension, verses from the Rigveda are organized to suit ritual chanting, sometimes with different melodic settings.

In addition to the Samhita, the Samaveda tradition includes prose portions known as the Brahmanas, which explain ritual usage and procedures. Some branches also preserve Aranyakas and Upanishads associated with the Sama Veda, notably the Chandogya Upanishad, which is traditionally linked to this Veda. The Samaveda thus sits at the intersection of liturgical chant and ritual theory.

Historically, the Samaveda is regarded as among the oldest Vedas, with its core material dating to the early part of the first millennium BCE and rooted in Rigvedic verses. Its influence extends into the development of Indian liturgical practice and, more broadly, the conceptualization of musical chant in Indian tradition.