Atharva....or....Sama
  • --- Kanthalursalai

    I happened to read this article of respected Jayamohan sir in our Aravindan Pillai's blog

    http://padmanabhapuramaravindhan.blogspot.com/2010/12/blog-post_2072.html

    In this there are two assumptions.

    1. RRC ended the practice of learning Atharva Veda.

    2. Agamas are different from Tantras.

    Both these assumptions are wrong.

    We have inscriptions of a. Ennayiram - RRC, Bahur - rajadhiraja and pazhayaseevaram of Vira rajendra

    Kanchi Mahaswami says"

    Between Vizhuppuram
    and Dindivanam, there is a place ‘ENNayiram’ also known as Rajaraja
    village and its lands have been donated by the King Rajarajan for the
    Brahmins of that village who knew all the four Vedas. There is a
    Saasanam of Rajendra Sozha in that village as per which, there was a
    school with 340 students and 14 Teachers. Amongst them, 270 were in the
    Lower classes and 70 in the Higher classes. Amongst them, there were
    75 studying Rik Veda; 75 learning the Krishna Yajur Veda; 20 learning
    the Sandogya Saakai of Saama Veda and another 20 were learning the
    Talavakara Saakai of Saama Veda; 20 were studying the Vajasaneyam or
    Sukhla Yajur Veda; 10 were studying the Atharva Veda with 10 doing the
    Bodayana Gruhya Kalpam and 40 doing the Roopa Avataram as
    specialization!

    I quoted about
    Atharva Veda teaching as mentioned in ‘Kalpa Taru’. So also in the
    school in Bahur, as it had a department, for each one of the14 Veda
    Vidya-s, there must have been one for Atharva Veda also.


    There is a place
    by the name of Seevaram, 12 miles from Kanchipuram. Near that place,
    on the banks of Paalaar River, there is a village by the name of Thiru
    Mukkoodal, with a PerumaaL Koil. There is a Saasanam there of the year
    1067 of King Veera Rajendra Devan. As per that decree, from the
    temple’s earnings, there were a Vaidya Saalai (Hospital) and a Vidya
    Saalai (School) being run. In that school the student’s distribution
    was as follows: - 10 in Rik Veda, 10 in Yajur Veda, 20 in VyakaraNam and
    10 in Paancharaatram, 05 in Vaikanasam and another 03 doing studies in
    Saiva Aagama

    Veda Aagamaa-s. A point to note here is
    interesting. In these Stone inscriptions and copper plate carvings,
    having talked of Brahmins there is a distinction being made of followers
    of Vaidic procedures and Aagama procedures. People being called the
    Paancha Raatri-s, Vaikaanasa-s and those who observe the Siva Aagama
    Tantra-s, have been thus differentiated, while not treated as totally
    different either! Veda-s and Aagamaa-s have thus been treated as part
    and parcel of the same Sanaatana Dharma, it seems!

    Near
    ENNaayiram there is a place PaNaiyavaram, where in the inscriptions we
    find that, there was arrangement for the daily feeding of 50 Brahmins
    and 10 Siva Yogis, thus differentiating between followers of the Veda-s
    and Saiva Aagama-s.

    Equality.
    Unity in diversity is the most important classic principle of this
    religion as can be made out of many of these stone and copper plate
    carvings of edicts by the kings of yore. As pointed out already, under
    the same roof, these Veda-s and Aagamaa-s have been studied, taught and
    practiced. Not only that, at the level of education, we have not
    treated these differences as reasons for alienation. Saivam and
    Vaishnavam have thrived together and so have Veda-s and Aagamaa-s as
    well as Paancha Raatram and Vaikaanasam within Vaishnavam! More
    interestingly, the school might have been based on a Siva temple, in
    which Vaishnava students have studied may be Paancha Raatram or
    Vaikanasam system. Similarly, in a school based on a Vaishnava temple,
    Saiva Veda and Aagama subjects could have been taught. They were all
    treated as equally acceptable approaches to God!

    The second argument that the Agamas are different from Tantras.

    Please read the following article.

    http://ssubbanna.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/03/agama-shastra-and-temple-worship.htm

    When it comes to certain aspects of Hinduism - many people misundertsand certain facts.

    regards
  • Mr.sankar you said,


    "Once it was feared that out of the 50 recensions of the Atharvaveda none was extant. But it was discovered that there was a Brahmin in Sinor, Gujarat, who was conversant with the Saunaka Sakha of this Veda. Kanchi mutt sent students to learn the same from him.
    This is not some story cooked up. In Thevaram Sambandar refers Siva singing the 1000 sakhs of Samaveda.

    சாகை யாயிர முடையார் சாமமு மோதுவ துடையார் (2-94-1) " Quote :sankar.
       ----------------000---------

    Mr.Sankar,
    You referred to Atharva veda but your quote of Sambanthar speaks of Sama veda
    Clarify please !
    Kothand

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