32. Collective Chanting Described in the Vedas

Shri Venkat Madhav is regarded to be one among the most erudite scholars of the Vedic Swaras. His consistency and in-depth analysis of the symbolic arrangements clearly indicates his excellence in his Brhada Bhasya of the rig-Veda….. Still if the compilation or extension of his Laghu Bhasya contains misinterpretations (like the one cited above) of the Vedic Swaras then one might wonder whether the available versions of his Laghy Bhasya is defiled from its original form……..?

The book also points out the controversies in the works of some modern scholars. For instance, it mentions - "The patterns for decoding of the Vedic Swaras as introduced by Shri Pt. Padmanarayana Acharya, Shri Pt. Ghareshwar Shastri, Shri Pt. Satawalekarji and Shri Pt. Vishwa Bandhuji Shastri are not consistent with tehe original (ancient) Indian scriptures because, the meaning of several hymns implied according to their definitions and rules go against the basic and true philosophy of the Vedas. Pt. Padmanarayana Acharya and Pt. Vishwa Bandhu Shastri are influenced by the style used in the related (Veda-translation) work of the European scholars. This deviation from the original (Shastirc) style makes their wroks incomplete with respect to the interpretations of the latent meanings. This further deforms the available knowledge of the Vedic Swara Prakriya……."

Most of the interpretations and translations of the Vedas available to us today are based on Acharya Sayana's approach. Eminent foreign scholars like Mr. Maxmular, also despite dedicating over twenty years of diligent search for maximum literature (commentaries) on Vedas, had to largely rely upon Acharya Sayana's work because of the non-availability of the earlier treatises in the original or complete form. The scholars of modern age have used Maxmular as the principal reference for their translations and commentaries of the Vaidika mantras. However, in view of the serious criticism of Acharya Sayana's understanding of the Vaidika Swaras as cited in the above mentioned book, one might be confused about the authenticity of any of the literature on the Vedas that is available (in published or written form) today..

Apart from the arbitrary variations in the styles of various schools of thoughts, the printing mistakes add to the erroneous interpretations. Some earlier (namely), 1st to 5th editions of the Veda-compilations - published by a printer in Ajmer, under the auspices of the Arya Samaj - are cited in the above mentioned book as examples in this regard.

It would therefore not be an exaggeration to infer that - "access to the most original Bhasya of the Vedas and a Vaidika script will not be possible in the present era, unless the spiritual yogis of today invoke deeper acumen like the risis and endeavor realizing the perfect meanings and swaras through the inner intellect",.