Vedic chanting
comes from the Vedas, which are very sacred to the Hindus
of India, like the Bible is for Christians. However,
the Vedas also carry a universal message which goes
beyond any religious barrier. T. Krishnamacharya opened
up Vedic chanting to all people of all castes and religions.
“Veda” means to know things not normally
perceived through ordinary perceptions. This ancient
sacred knowledge deals with all possible subjects from
Ayurveda to Yoga. In fact, the essence of Patanjali’s
Yoga Sutras, the authoritative text on Yoga, was
derived from the Vedas.
In the Vedic tradition, it is believed that the first
sound heard in the universe was OM, from which the world
was created. From that sacred sound emanated the rest
of the Vedas, and from them came Vedic chanting.
Unlike slokas, bhajans, or kirtan chants which are man-made
or “smriti”, Vedic chants were mystically
heard “shruti” by the ancient rishis of
India and have been passed down orally for at least
the past 5000 years. Therefore, unlike with other chanting,
one must follow the strict Vedic rules of chanting,
such as correct pronunciation and pitch in order to
preserve these sacred Sanskrit chants in their original
form. |
Vedic
Chanting
Kanchipuram Mutt, South India
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