Discussion Draft

Basics of Veda Swaras

and Vedic Recital-02

Dheerga Swaritam

Version 0.0 January 26, 2016

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Contents
1 Veda Swaras - Dheerga Swaritam ................................................ 3
1.1 Introduction: .............................................................................. 3
1.2 Basic Rules for Dheerga Swarita in Krishna Yajur Veda ....... 3
1.3 Dheerga Swaritam before Conjucts (joint letters) .................. 4
1.4 Dheerga Swarita with (Dheerga) Long Letters ....................... 9
1.5 Dheerga Swarita with Anuswaram ........................................ 12
1.6 Exceptions with observations................................................ 15

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1 Veda Swaras - Dheerga Swaritam

1.1 Introduction:
This document articulates the subject of basic conventions applicable to Dheerga Swaritam
in Krishna Yajur Veda only. This Swara is rendered in the upper note like Swarita for twice
the time (Maatra) scale applicable to the letter for which it is marked. The Dheergha Swarita is

marked as above the letter.

This is an extension of Swarita only through elongation of time of rendering.

1.2 Basic Rules for Dheerga Swarita in Krishna Yajur Veda

The Swaritam for an Akshara/letter becomes elongated to Dheerga Swaritam under the
following conditions:

1. The Akshara/letter is a Dheerga Letter (long) and it has acquired Swaritam (by Swara
Principles) and is followed by a Samyukta Akshara/letter (Conjuct Consonant like Sra,
hya, Sya, bhya,kra,tya), then Swaritam becomes Dheerga Swaritam.
2. The mantra / statement (Ruk) ends in a long akshara with Swaritam (as per Swara
Principles), that long akshara acquires Dheerga Swaritam.

3. The mantra /statement (Ruk) ends with (1) an Anuswaram or (2) has a dheerga (long)

akshara Anuswaram (Taam, Vaam, sham,yaam) in the middle of the Ruk , which has a
Swaritam (higher note), then that Anuswaram acquires a Dheerga Swaritam.

Note: There are few exceptions to this rule where the Mantra has been taken from other Vedas
like Ruk, Sama and Atharva Veda.

Note : Under each head we have tried to provide a number of examples. The reader is
requested to go through the normal Suktams to analyse each of these examples.
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All examples given here are taken from Shanti Japam book under respective Suktam or
Mantra.

1.3 Dheerga Swaritam before Conjucts (joint letters)

xjU-U-xiu ahlliu ahmi

lwh xill mir lq lq Aurklpr

lq uipr, lq Ujpr lq xlpr

MqUpr u lq , lq mgepr

lq xur c , lq err c, lq Srrr c

ru q, qw q, is q, Aalk c q, mUQz q,

WUr uw, bi-qWrw Su ||

ahlxqM , r qal pal, pri rxql

ixqlj xu mii | mUqiq uruxji |

iux MmSl rUr xWxU mUq urq

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Mux mlM | ah oWm mUh ,Aiu ql Muzxi,

mlUa mlu |

3 3 , 2-33-2
, 44
4, 24, 4
4 , : 4
, 2
3
, , ,

34 , 3

4-4, 4- 3: ||
3- , 3
2 2 | 2: |
3 3,

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: | 3 3 3: ,
: , 3: |

MYxdxx MYeZy , yk-kMsrpx ,

dyrOMyY sdxdxI , di Bpxcydzhx
dix pxZhx , dix kahx, diJ sdxh
Kixkh px dix , diJ eyrhx
dix tsxj P , dix Rrxj P
dix tbxj P ,
jpx i, ixrx i, Zymx i,
BzcI P i, ekxWxqx i,
txkxZjx prx,
MYxdxsxKI gxcpyZx

jx ix hxMyd , NZ-iytxjr bpJ ||

Zsya spI eZyryZI ||
ekixx ppyZJ |
Zps Kebyd jbzkxj
stsxkx eki pxi ||
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KypxsxJ eydxKz | bypx MYx gtkexJ ekxYx

BZx ixJ Kpyqsx , edkxMxJ edp |

Notes and Explanations:

1. All the Dheerga Swaritas are for Dheerga (long letters) which are
followed by a Samyukta Akshara Conjuct Consonants.

2. The symbol is called Avagraha. This represents that a short a

(,, ) sound is hanging due to the Sandhi rule applied to join

words or padams. This has a value of half maatra. This is not treated as an
Akshara for this rule. An avagraha cannot have swaram. So the rule
applies based on the joint letters after avagraha. This is marked in yellow.

3. Please note that the letter ksha ( , , ) is a joint letter (conjuct

consonant) formed by adding kh+sha, = Z + w; = 2+ ;

= K + r) therefore the Dheerga swarita rule applies.

4. The last four examples given (in bold and italics for reference) with a
Dheerga letter and Visargam, this follows the Dheerga Swarita rule;
because, the Visarga in these cases will acquire a halant ph, ik while
rendering so that becomes a joint letter (here phpa, ikka which are
Samyukta Akshara (conjunct consonants).

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5. Check the following mantra from Udaga Shanti

r Su mUxxSal l, ShxS rql, mjxS xxui

l, EUxS uhl , EmUwS oWxmi l ,
3: 33 , 33

, 2 3- ,

3 , 3 3

j bpxJ eksbxy dZx, byYsbx jidZx,

exasb spyZ dZx, Dksbx pkYdZx,
Dekyrbx gtsZy dZx,

Explanation: The letter ney is dheergam and it is followed by tra a

conjunct consonant. In the first three cases (marked green), ney has
swaram and has acquired Dheerga Swaritam.
In the next two cases (marked in yellow), it does not acquire any swaram as
per swarm principles. Then it will be an Udatta (medium or normal) note
only.

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6 . Exception for the first letter of a statement/Ruk.

The Start of a Ruk, the first akshara of the word/padam cannot be a Dheerga Swarita.

Now lets us see how it impacts the rule, let us take an example from Laghu Nyasam:

oUlSxii |
3-32 |
gxtxkysyrZ |
baa is a Dheerga aksharam. It is followed by hvo a conjuct (joint letter).
The Swaritam acquired by baa remains a Swaritam and it does not become a
Dheerga Swaritam.

1.4 Dheerga Swarita with (Dheerga) Long Letters

xWxr qRw | liir kwhu | Ux ul |

euj xu || x l qQi-z || Am puli mir |

cNpql qWri | u qelqa ||

Au mi | Au mUxii | AuUi |

mcSri || qr qqii ||

Aiql mli xS | mUq uUe | u pull xu

Axqumli xl |

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ilq Li mjp Surl | eriw-Mhi xlU | xuW |

4 | 4 |
| 2 ||

3-33 || 4 |

24 |

3 ||

| | |

3 | |

3 | : 2 |

4 | :

24 3: |

- | |

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stsxxj izXr | dxZZxj crp |

ks pydy | Rzpxa sp ||
iWx Zzbq || Bex hp ezZj |

PxhixdI itzjZ | pyq ixRxdiM |

Ap exxZ | Ap eksxZ | ApxkxxZ |

ePxZjxZ || izj ixiZxZ |

BxdI edZ sbx | eRxeZyJ ekirz pykxRx |
hpdxdy spx | Asype sdxJ |

ZyZ GZy eayhy bpjxdJ |

Zix RxZyr-KYxZy sdkz | sxtx |

Notes and Explanations:

1. Please note all this ending aksharas are long letters or long joint
letters with a maatra of 2 or more. (with or without visargam)
2. As per the rule explained above, all this letters/aksharas will acquire
only a Dheerga Swaritam. They will not acquire a Swaritam.
3. Readers are requested to check if any statement ends with a Dheerga
akshara and swaritam in the vakyam/samhita of Krishna Yajur Veda
which they have learnt. Then this rule becomes clear.

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4. All the above have a value of more than three maatra in terms of time
scale and would be called Plutam (acquired status due to the Dheerga
Swaritam). Those without visargam have a maatra of 4 and with
visargam or a halant has 5. Vishva maja namgre.. has 4.5 ;
the halant has 0.5 (g) plus rey with dheerga swaritam has 4.
5. Check the following statement from Ganapathy-Atharvasheersham the
ending taat is a 2.5 maatra akshara. The previous statements in the
Atharvasheersam have Dheerga Swaritam. This statement does not
acquire any swaram and shall be Udatta only (medium or normal note)

xuiq mW mW xqlii ||
|
spZxixI extyexty sixZ ||

1.5 Dheerga Swarita with Anuswaram

AuuU | Au iU | AuSiU |

lcikri x zwM | xUw mil ||

Gwp-xxpi Ux | ziq WUhqr |

uSWqi mw qWli |

ur l-qpri lw | mw Uuirlui mlj |

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Examples of Dheerga Akshara Anuswaram (with long letters) in the middle of

the mantra:

r Sul mUWi | x q qk, Aq qk xUp-um

| | 3 |

4 | : ||

- |

3 | |

-4 |

2 |

Examples of Dheerga Akshara Anuswaram (with long letters) in the middle of

the mantra:

3 : | 4 ,
4 ,

Ap pxkI | Ap qxZxkI | Ap bxZxkI |

dzPx ZIcZ s qrI |
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s kyrJ exZ dI ||

Eryhy-sIhZ ksI | qZxbxi tykjI |

pbxtiZI ekrI itxI |
pxj dZ-ihZy dyrxI |
erx kpZdZy exI |
Examples of Dheerga Akshara Anuswaram (with long letters)
in the middle of the mantra/ruk:

jx bpxdxI ekxtyZJ |
sx ixI icx , BixI icx skhy

Notes and Explanations:

1. When a short Anuswaram acquires swaram at the end of a
statement/Ruk, the Dheerga Swaritam adds to the musical note.
The normal maatra of 1.5 gets converted to 3. (hence a Plutam due to
acquiring swaram)
2. In case of nishtyaamsh and it are not extendable.. they have a
value of half maatra each; the yaam with a maatra of 2.5 extends to 5
with Dheerga Swaritam. The total maatra value of this akshara for
rendering is 6.
3. In case of nthaam, n is half, thaam is five, the total maatra value for
rendering is 5.5.

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1.6 Exceptions with observations

AalqV mUWi-rxr

3 -

Ayizn ekxtyZI-js

WiU U kiq |

4 |

txZxkI k cxZiI ||

rq-Si Ue-rqi |

-3 - |
jix-bZ kxR-jixZ |

iqzl eai-xixj-wxmi |
3-2- |

ZizqxdI RMZ-s-rsZyI |

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ruqW xqlxr S

jxit sidsxj kbI

Ar q u-pwer
-4

AjI i pyq-hrRxj

All the above mantras have been taken from Rig Veda where the principles of Swaram
application are different. The Veda learner must take note of the same.

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