[Advaita-l] Question/Clarification on Chanting Vaidika mantras

[Gopal]

Namaste,

> the artha here refers to the accents, udAtta, anudAtta, etc., since these
are crucial to the  meaning. Understanding the actual meaning is
secondary............  In fact, understanding the meanings in Vedic
mantra-s is secondary to the  point of almost irrelevance

Mostly it should be a result of my misunderstanding, kindly clarify.  It
was meant that the ucchadanam etc. should be focused on towards
understanding the meaning.  Simultaneously, another statement in the mail
also implied that meaning was not important. To my simple mind, this
appears a bit self-contradictory. If meaning is not important, then why to
focus on something like proper ucchadanam, svara shuddatvam etc. that would
ultimately render the meaning?

>One can refer to Deivathin Kural a  compendium of Sri Mahaswamigal's
pravachanas from time to time.

I believe when the teachers of saastraas  teach nyaya sastra (logic, so as
to say), they highlight the importance of context in which it is applied.
In fact, in modern computer science too when logical programming is taught,
context is given much importance.
Maybe, we are over-reading Mahaperiyavaa's words without a context? For
example, the following blog post reproducing the original words translated
into English has a different take on this or at least appears so if read in
context of the **whole** passage:

http://advaitham.blogspot.fr/2008/09/deivathin-kural-54-of-vol-2-of-30-nov.html

I vaguely remember a reference from Sayana  bhashya of YV that shata
rudreeya can be used as karma khanda mantras and  **also as jnana uddheshya
yukti** if so inclined.  In fact, the mantras of shata rudreeya are so
profound that commentators from multiple sampradayas of ancient and modern
times have written bhashyas on them rendering their spiritual (=jnana)
meaning  in older vedic scholarship, advaitins and even as recent as now as
madhwa scholars.

Also, kindly refer to Siddhanjana of TV Kapali Sastri (that mahaperiyava
does refers to in the above passage). The first four sections of this book
is called Rig bhashya bhumika that discussed why mantras of  veda samhitaas
have multiple uses with one of them being the prayoga during shroutha and
smartha karmas. The book is available on archives.

any correction to my understanding would be appreciated.

thanks
..gopal

On Mon, Oct 30, 2017 at 6:06 AM, R Krishnamoorthy via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Dears
> Meaning of the manthras is not a must but their pronounciations [ucharanam]
> and swaram are very important .One can refer to Deivathin Kural a
> compendium of Sri Mahaswamigal's pravachanas from time to time.
> R.Krishnamoorthy.
>
> On Mon, Oct 30, 2017 at 12:54 PM, Venkatesh Murthy via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > Namaste
> >
> > Knowing the meaning is required at least to explain to youngsters or
> > curious persons why we doing a ritual and what the Mantras are saying.
> > Otherwise it will be like a blind following the blind doing blindly all
> the
> > traditional rituals. If meaning of Veda Mantras is not important why we
> > should read Bhashya of Sayana?
> >
> > On Sun, Oct 29, 2017 at 4:01 PM, Balasubramanian Ramakrishnan via
> Advaita-l
> > <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> >
> > > This is from the pANinIya shikShA and repeated in many other
> shikShA-s. A
> > > commentary I have read on one of the other shikShA-s (forget which one
> > now,
> > > might be the vyAsa) is perceptive. He says that the artha here refers
> to
> > > the accents, udAtta, anudAtta, etc., since these are crucial to the
> > > meaning. Understanding the actual meaning is secondary.
> > >
> > > In fact, understanding the meanings in Vedic mantra-s is secondary to
> the
> > > point of almost irrelevance. Correct chanting is paramount.
> > >
> > > Rama
> > >
> > > On Fri, Oct 27, 2017 at 12:26 PM, Venkatesh Murthy via Advaita-l <
> > > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Namaste
> > > >
> > > > Giti Sighri Sirahkampi Tatha Likhitapathakah
> > > > Anarthajno lpakanthasca Sadete Pathakadhamah   - From Sage of Kanchi
> > > >
> > > > "Giti" means one who chants a mantra as he likes setting it to tune,
> as
> > > it
> > > > were, like a raga. The Vedas must be recited only in accordance with
> > the
> > > > tones appropriate to them. “Sighri" is one who hurries through a
> hymn.
> > To
> > > > derive the full benefit from the mantra the right matras must be
> > > maintained
> > > > in the chanting. "Sirahkampi" denotes one who keeps shaking his head
> as
> > > he
> > > > chants. Likhitapathaka is one reading from a book. Anarthajna is one
> > not
> > > > knowing meaning of Mantras. Alpakantha is one with inaudible or weak
> > > voice.
> > > > These six are defective persons in chanting.
> > > >
> > > > If you see many Purohits today they are saying Mantras without
> knowing
> > > the
> > > > meaning. There may be other defects also. But we call them for
> > functions
> > > > and pay Dakshina also. All this happening because of Kali Yuga
> > influence.
> > > > In this age all religious activities are for filling stomach and
> making
> > > > money.
> > > >
> > > > On Fri, Oct 27, 2017 at 9:34 PM, Vēdānta Study Group via Advaita-l <
> > > > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > hariH om
> > > > >
> > > > > Namaste All,
> > > > >
> > > > > During ucchAraN of vaidika mantras, is nodding the head or moving
> > eyes
> > > > > up/down as a bodily support advisable to help modulate svaras? Or
> is
> > > one
> > > > > supposed to enunciate the svaras without the assistance of bodily
> > > > > movements? Could someone please clarify, and also, if possible,
> > provide
> > > > the
> > > > > pramANa where these instructions are given?
> > > > >
> > > > > Namaste,
> > > > > Prashant
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> ​ <listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org>
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Regards
> > > >
> > > > -Venkatesh
> ​
>
​