Music means both vocal and instrumental sounds combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony and expression of emotion. During the Vedic era this music – both vocal and instrumental were held in high esteem in the society. Music had both ritual and secular aspects.
The word svara is derived from the root Svr which means to sound. The word is found in the Vedic literature, particularly in the SÄmaveda, where it means accent and tone, or a musical note. The SÄmaveda (SÄman means song and Veda means knowledge) is the Veda of melodies and chants. This SÄmaveda is considered as the root of Vedic music as well as the root of classical Indian music also. SÄmagÄna was considered as the sound of inspiration of the people of that age. Performing the SÄmagÄna the people of that age tried to get strength and inspiration. People of Vedic era offered prayer to different deities in the form of SÄmagá¿‘ti. In the Ṛgveda, the mantras were without song or melodies but in the SÄmaveda the mantras were connected with the melody and thus appeared as SÄmagÄna. So in the Jaimini SÅ«tra, it was said, “Gá¿‘tiá¹£u SÄmÄkhyÄâ€.
Deities were invited with the á¹›gmantras and deities were glorified with the SÄmagÄna was known as stutigÄna or stotra. Melodious recitation and song – both were entitled as SÄma in devakula. ChÄndogyopniá¹£ad says, earth is Ṛk and SÄma is Agni. SÄma resides in Ṛk. This SÄ tune is considered as the adisvara of saá¹…gá¿‘ta.
During the Vedic era, at the time of sacrifices and upÄsanÄÄhuti had been offered and with that Ähuti rhythmic SÄmagÄnaI was performed. With this SÄmagá¿‘ti different types of musical instruments were associated. During the Vedic era, SÄmagÄna was developed depending upon the YÄga. In ĀśvalÄyana ÅšrautasÅ«tra and KÄtyÄyana ÅšrautasÅ«trai – seven types of soma-saṃsthÄ yajňa were mentioned. In each and every yajňaSÄmagÄna was sung. Stuti-gÄna and gÄthÄ-gÄna were also famous.
Music was not only considered as the ritual performance, sometimes it was also considered as a social activity. In the Vedic time other than SÄmaagÄna some kind of SÄmetara saá¹…gá¿‘ta also existed.
Hence, it is not worthy to say that during the Vedic era, the music not only remained as the medium of entertainment, rather it appeared as the medium of SÄdhanÄ which would lead the ultimate and supreme realization.