[Advaita-l] Mantrapushpam > Vedic Education

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

> 
> I have verified the breaks he gives for this passage and indeed the break
> occurs after around 50 words (according to my counts 44 words). If we
> counted the syllables as Ramaji suggests, then the break would not occur
> where Subhanu Saxena has pointed out, but much earlier.

If you consult the padapATha of the rudram, I think you will find that the
breaks are after exactly 50 pada-s, except when you get towards the end
of the anuvAka and there are less than 50 words remaining in the passage.
 
> This would imply that the student has learned fist the padapāṭha before the
> Saṁhitā recitation. Which is usually not the case (at least in Maharashtra).
> One must also bear in mind that (as far as I know) there is no padapāṭha for
> Brāhmaṇa or Āraṇyaka, but only for the Saṁhitā text.

Yes, the vikRti pAThas are only applicable to the saMhitA text. 
 
> > When a praSna (a chapter, with the mantra-s grouped as anuvaaka-s; for
> > example, KY vEda taittirIya samhita first kaanDa has 8 praSna-s) is
> > initiated, groups of pada-s are recited by the guru with proper breaks
> > (following correct grammar rules for sandhi break and swara break.)
> 
> 
> Can you please explain what you mean by rules of swara break? I am well
> aware of sandhi rules, but here I would appreciate a more detailed
> explanation.

This is perhaps easier explained with audio help, rather than writing out a full
verbal description! We could take this offline, via a phone conversation, if you
are interested. Briefly put, the teaching session does not go by 50 words recited
by the teacher and then repeated by the student. Rather, the teacher selects
much smaller, appropriate breaks, often only three words or so, for repetition
twice by the student (typical for yajurveda - in Rgveda classes, the student
typically repeats everything that is taught thrice). The recitation then moves
on to a next set of three words or so, followed by a joining of the artificially
introduced break within the context of teaching. In the process, sandhi and
svara rules are applied at the point of juncture. The goal is typically to achive
recitation of at least one set of 50 words in one session, although depending
on the aptitude of the student(s), ithis can also vary.
 
Regards,
Vidyasankar