As we all perhaps know, the speciality of the Vedas is in the musical notes that accompany them. Recitation of the Vedas without the Swarams is as bad as chewing the sugarcane bagasse after the juice has been extracted!
The Taiitirya Upanishad devotes the first valli on Seeksha, ie, "Instruction , or education". Phonetics is mentioned in it, in such vivid detail, that I am stunned to realize that our Rishis has so much knowledge of the power of language and sound. To quote the Seekshavalli.
The innings opens, with these verses
ॐ शीक्षां व्याख्यास्या॒मः । वर्णः॒ स्वरः । मात्रा॒ बलम् । साम॑ सन्ता॒नः । इत्युक्तः
शीक्षाध्या॒यः ॥ १
Why should one be careful in reciting Vedas? There are mantras to be recited in a high pitched tone, short, long etc., and also there are differences in the intensity of effort, pronunciation of sound in the middle tone and conjunction of several sounds etc., on various mantras. These are variously called in sanskrit as: varnam, swaram, matra(i),bhalam, chandas etc.
As can be seen above, the power of the Vedas also comes from the Swaram. In order to get the best benefit of the Veda sounds, the rishis have deciphered them for us, and have provided them in a way that the vibrations of the entire cosmos is touched upon, including our own bodies.
After a racy Ekadasha Rudra parayanam, my body gets totally charged with energy. I can literally feel it in every sinew. This is not bhakthi (devotion) per se, but the science behind the swarams. I have realized something in this - with the tones constructed the way they are, I can go on auto-pilot mode. I do not have to think about the next word. the swarams bring them up for me, without the brain really having to think. So much so, that I can even browse through mails in my phone while I chant. Not necessarily the best thing to do, but it is an ode' to the beauty of the construct of the vedas, through the swarams.
The swarams, interesting , are treated differently by the Shaivites and the Vaishnavites.
In the Shaivaite way, the main notes that are used, belong to the Ragam Revathi ( or Bhairagi in Hindusthani). I have written about this separately. The Vairagyam ( determination to realize the Brahman) is duly facilitated by the use of appropriate swarams that calm the mind towards equanimity, that would pave the way for deeper introspection. In other words, The Shaivaite way of the Karma kaandam tries to veer the practitoner towards Gyana Kaandam, through the use of appropriate swarams. Psychologically, these swarams provide calmness and bring the stoic inside us. Read my earlier article on this, below
http://andhakudi.blogspot.com/2018/11/ragam-revathi-and-raag-bairagi.html
In the Vaishanvite way, though, emphasis, especially on the various mantrams, tends to veer more towards either Shankarabharam or Kalyani. Why? Because, Vishnu, or Perumal, Or Krishna, embodies happiness and celebration According to Krishna, life is a celebration. These two ragams represent the ultimate mood of joy within the musical notes. No point in bringing in a stoic Revathy for that. The Vaishnavite way of recitation takes the practitioner towards celebration of the divinity and this divine forms and splendor, more towards the Bhakthi kaandam ( which, in reality, is a branch of the Karma Kaandam), one of total surrender to the sheer all-pervading Vadudeva ( "Vishnu" , in Sanskrit, literally means Sarva Vyaapi, ie, one who is omnipotent and omnisicent).
Sample the Srinivasa Gadhyam, for a taste of the Vaishnavite tradition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMBtjPlCRvE
Interesting difference, isn't it?
