What is Vedic Chanting?

Interested in this course but want to learn more? Watch the free introductory talk where Sangeetha gives an overview of the following:

• Basic introduction to the Krishnamacharya Tradition - philosophy of Yoga, and the location of chanting (shlokas and mantras) in one's sadhana.

• What is vedic chanting and how is it similar to and different from other forms of chanting?

• What are the benefits of chanting veda mantras?

• What are the requirements to register for the course?

• What one can expect from the course, and what will be expectations of the students registering for the course?

About Vedic Chanting and the tradition 

Veda mantras are classified as śruti and can be imagined as cosmic vibrational patterns that were revealed to rishis (seers) in their deeply meditative states, in the form of sound. These mantras need to be learnt and chanted following specific rules of chanting, exactly the way they were originally received and passed on. And for this reason, it is important to learn Vedic chanting from teachers who come from a trusted lineage. Until about a century ago, the science, technique and art of Yoga and Vedic chanting largely remained accessible only to select male members of the Hindu society. Sri Krishnamacharya, considered to be among the primary revivers of Yoga in the modern times, made the knowledge widely accessible by breaking the barriers of race, religion, caste and gender. Sri Desikachar, his student, and son carried the tradition forward through the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. 

According to this tradition, the core purpose of Yoga is to enable tapasya, the stoking and tending of the inner fire, so that we may burn the seeds of duḥkha and progressively experience the Divine Self within. This tradition which considers āsanā a form of dhāraṇā (focused attention) on the body, and prāṇāyāma a form of dhāraṇā on the breath, sees Vedic chanting as a form of dhāraṇā that connects to the very source of creation, nāda braḥmam, through sound. 

Since the Sanskrit language engages all part of the vocal system, chanting Sanskrit mantras are known to help develop clarity of speech, respiratory capacity, the ability to access our meditative mind, and so on. According to Atharva Veda, ‘yantram parimitam, mantram aparimitam’ (the form of yantra has limited benefits, and the sound of mantra has unlimited benefits). 

Approach to Teaching 

The classes will be structured into modules, taking the students through different levels progressively, and will cover both practice and its related theory. The chanting of Veda mantras in this tradition focuses on the sound, its aesthetics and precision of utterance (guided by the six rules of chanting) held together with the intention. Though the overall meaning of the mantra will be shared, this approach does not focus on a word-by-word meaning of the Sanskrit words. Veda mantras are seen as an aid to Yoga Sadhana, comprising both antaraṅga (inner work) and bahiraṅga (body-breath work), and not as a devotional form of music or prayer. More on this will be shared during our sessions. 

Though traditionally, Veda mantras are learnt by listening to and repeating after the teacher, we will use text (in Roman / Devanagari script) to aid our learning initially, and gradually learn to memorize the mantras through practice. After each class, a recording of the exercises and the mantras taught in the class will be shared with the students to aid their practice through the week. 

Student Requirements 

In our tradition, just as being able to breathe is the only requirement for anyone to be able to practice āsanā – prāṇāyāma, anyone who can speak can learn and chant Veda Mantras. Technically, even those who cannot speak can learn and chant them in the mind. However, the teaching approach and pace will vary depending on the students’ ability to listen to & repeat basic musical notes, and pronounce Sanskrit sounds, and hence they will be grouped accordingly.