Meaning of Saman: The word Saman, correctly understood, means active life, as has been taught; and it is only when we understand
its correct use that we shall be able to get a meaning bearing on the law of life. But if we interpret it in some other way, we shall find no reference to active life. If,
on the other hand, we take it in its correct sense, we shall find that there is a close connection with the idea of life.
The word Saman is said to refer to a particular kind of hymns, which are intended to be sung by the Udgatr priest; and we have explained that the latter
refers to ahankara or the I-as-an-actor, whose special function is action. The Mimansa tells us that we should understand the text of all Saman hymns in the light of the
idea of action; but if we do not do so, we shall not find any reference to the laws of life in the text.
The Mimansa tells us that we should understand the text of all Saman hymns in the light of the idea of action; but if we do not do so, we shall not find
any reference to the law of life in the text.
It may be of interest to observe that the Vedas are all characterized by a plan. The Mimansa tells us that the subject matter of the Rig Veda is action,
conceived in its widest significance, and embracing all forms of it without exception,- so that it would include Nature as well as animal life. The Sama Veda, on the other
hand, deals with the problem of animal life; and so we are told that whatever is in the Sama Veda is also in the Rig Veda; but obviously not vice versa, for the Rig Veda
deals with all that is in the world of Nature too.
The Yajur Veda, even as its name indicates, refers to action in terms of sacrifice; and so it would limit itself to the action of man, in so far as living
creatures are concerned. But it would also deal with the action of the great forces of Nature in terms of the idea of sacrifice.
The Atharva Veda would appear to be a later composition, as there is no mention of it in the Mimansa or even the Bhagavad Gita. Its author is said to be
Atharvan, who is believed to be the first to institute the worship of Agni and offer Soma. As Agni refers to the intellect and Soma to the mind, the Atharva Veda may be
said to deal with these, and so limit itself to the action of man.
Thus the Rig Veda includes everything,- the living and the non-living; the Sama Veda deals with the problem of the living; Yajur with the actions of man
and Nature as sacrifice; and Atharva with the action of man alone.
Action, how described: We can see our motive of action in our own aim. Action consists of parts, and should be understood by means
of them; (and this would explain why words need to be divided into parts,- for that is how they express the idea of the parts of an action). We cannot say that words are
mere sounds (and cannot do this), because we see that they produce certain results; and if words were mere sounds, the sacred books would be useless. We cannot say that
their value lies in the tone of their recitation; for if there were no proper meaning, they could not have any value. The tone of recitation does indeed produce certain
effects; and that is how the value of the outward form of the text is measured when the words are not divided into parts; and we can see the proof of this for ourselves.
The text must not be changed: Any deviation from the natural form of the text would mean that it does not belong to the Veda. This is
particularly enjoined in the second part of the Sama Samhita, where we should take the sruti as it is; (for if we make any change, we shall find) that the words do not yield
a proper meaning.
Words denoting action should not be changed: If there is a word denoting action, its meaning can be obtained in its usual form without
making any changes. In such a case a change would not be for the best; (and we should adhere to its original form even if) the object concerned should appear in an unfavorable
light.
Narach PHILOSOPHY
