||    PavamAna KANda from Saama Veda    ||

A dear friend of mine belonging to Saama Veda Saakhai is celebrating his father's Shastiabdha Poorthy celebrations in the Vaidhic way.

The Bruhaspathis have arranged for PavamAna KANDa PaarayaNam the evening before and have scheduled Udaga Saanthi in the early morning next day for consecrating the Udagam ( Water ) in the Kumbham for abhishEkam at the MuhUrtham.

When I learnt about it , I thought I will share some thoughts about the PavamAna KhANDa PaarAyaNam at home on Special occaasions. PavamAna Sooktham from KrishNa Yajur Vedam used as part of PuNYAvachanams is different from the longer PavamAna KhaaNDam from Saama Vedam.

This Saama Vedin friend of mine has informed me that the recitation of PavamAna Saamans --which lasts for 3 hours approximately -- on EkAdasi days is as sacred as reciting Achidhram and AswamEdham from KrishNa Yajur Vedam on the EkAdasi days. Perhaps this PavamAna KaaNDa PaarAyaNam can be recorded for others to benefit from listening to it.

What are Soma PavamAna Hymns ?
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The Soma PavamAna hymns are from the entire 9th Canto of Rg Vedam housing 114 hymns and 1108 manthrams.

They are found as PoorvArchika and UttharArchika Saamans. They pay tribute to King Soma, the Vedic Elixir linked to Soma Yaagams. Sathapatha BraBrahmana sings the glories of the Soma Creeper giving Soma juice used as offering for Indhra. The glories of the Soma Juice is celebrated as " Sathyam vai Srir-- jyOthi: Soma: " (Soma is Truth,
Iswaryam and effulgence).

What is SomA ?
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Soma plant growing in the mythical Mujavath mountain is a creeper and the leaves are collected by Moonlight, pressed between stones by the priests, filtered, mixed with ghee and flour and fermented. This sacred libation is then offered in Soma Yaagams in a ceremonial manner to the accompaniment of Saama ghAnam. The Soma plant (version of hop plant) is not easy to find and therefore other plants have been substitued by Rishis for Soma Yaj~nams.

King SomA is the Moon (Somaa rAjA chandramA:). SomA juice is the essence of any oushadhi (medicinal herbs). The Vedic connation and tradition takes us to higher and higher levels of conceptualization of SomA. Ultimately, SomA is addressed as "BrahmaNaspathi".

Soma is conceptualized to flow out to the Aanandhamaya and Vij~nAnamaya kOsAs (Sheaths) and enjoyed by the Self having the abode in the innermost cavity of the Hrudhay a kamalam (Heart lotus).

When Soma PavamAna manthrams of Rg Vedam (9th canto) are set to music in Saama Vedam (with occasional variations) and are sung in a house, it pleases the Veda Purushan , Sriman NaarAyaNan to the utmost and therefore it is a great and unique Vaidhika Gaanam to hear and brings dheergAyus, auspicousness, and growth in Kaimakrya SrI of the YajamAnan.

Pavamaana means self-purifying. Pavamaana Soma Saamans purifies the listeners and reciters. In a Soma Yaagam, the Soma Juice prepared according to Vedic way is offered as a libation to gods.

Rishis, DEvathAs and Chandas for PavamAna Saamans
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The PavamAna Saamans have various Rishis but they have as DEvathA, PavamAna Soman and the chandas is mostly Gayathri. Occasionally, Thrishtup or Jagadhee or Pankthi chandas take over from Gaayathri Chandas as metre. In some of the PavamAna Soma hymns, Soma as DEvatha is invoked jointly with Agni, Indhra, Arka, Brahaspathi, VaruNa, Rudra et al.

As mentioned before, the PavamAna Soma Saamans originate from Rg Vedam, 9th KaaNDam with occasional variations.

Veda PurushAya Nama:

SrImath Azhagiya Singar Thiruvadi ,
Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri SaThakOpan

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