The Vedas are the oldest record available to mankind. It has been orally preserved in India over many millennia. According to the Vedas wisdom is as ancient as the mountains, the Earth and the Sun. This may sound strange but makes sense in every case, whether we admit, postulate or realise omniscient Lord (God). Vedic vision is revolutionary. It is way different from what we commonly believe. We believe that life (or consciousness) evolved on this planet in a certain geological age in distant past, but Vedic sages see it as eternal (nitya) and self-existent (svayambhu) with recurrent manifestations. Similarly, we might believe things are product of chance or accident or are chaotic, but the sages see them as perfect and part and parcel of Cosmic Order (Rta). We may accept that perhaps, at best, Karma principle rules our life (i.e. we are bound by past and current actions to experience their pleasant and painful fruits), but according to sages, Yajña (Vedic duty) can deliver us from Karma bondage. We may regard self-interest or self-service as essential to life or survival. On the contrary, for sages it is the awareness (and observance) of Universal Self (Atman or Brahman) in all and treating world as family. We constantly find fault with physical life and dub it as misery, but sages explain mind as the root source of our misery. We may believe misery is our inevitable lot. But seers see bliss as our true nature; and misery, an illusion. The Vedas transform our entire belief system and open doors to eternal bliss. Perfection of the Vedas is such that each mantra and each mantra-collection are complete in itself. Vedic sages sang particular collections only, and not necessarily the whole Veda- readers must remember that the Vedas are compilations (or Samhitas). So this should be comforting news for the readers who feel challenged to see the whole book full of about two thousand mantras. The Sama Veda is the smallest among the Vedas. Interestingly it can be called mini Rig Veda, because 95% of its mantras (exactly, 1800 out of total 1875) are shared with the Rig Veda. So the book can become a look-through window to Vedic vison. Current book provides unaccented text and translation which have applications at every step of life, and not just at rituals and learned assemblies.
About the Author: Author was born in India but now made New Zealand his home. He studied Classical Sanskrit language at graduate and post-graduate levels in India. He over time developed interest in Indian philosophy, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. Impressed by the comprehensive and intuitive definition of Avidya (ignorance) of the Yoga Sutras of Sage Patanjali, he earlier published the book Yoga: An Analytical Release. Yoga being a Vedic philosophy, he got passionate about the Vedas. He has attempted to provide a translation that is holistic and makes sense to the lay person. The Sama Veda being the smallest among the Vedas naturally happened to his first aim. Yoga and the Vedas remain his constant passion, but not profession. He helps spread the message in the community through talks, personal guidance and example. He finds NZ scenic setting conducive and agreeable to his peace-loving mind.