Aspects of Speech in Vedic Ritual/Sindhu S. Dange. New Delhi, 1996, xxi, 269 p., $30. ISBN 81-7305-078-3.
Contents: Preface. Introduction. 1. Speech and its aspects. 2. Metres and their magic. 3. Sampad-s of metres. 4. Mystic utterances in the Vedic rituals. 5. Saman-s and lauds. 6. Songs from secular tradition. 7. Upamsu, Anirukta and Tusnim offerings. 7. Vocal and instrumental music in the Vedic ritual. Bibliography. Index.
"The present book deals with the concept of speech and its various aspects as seen in the Vedic ritual. Many ideas occurring in the Vedic ritual, get correlated when once the various aspects of speech are taken into account. These aspects of speech include not only the rc-s, yajus-es, saman-s stotra-s and sastra-s but also metres, silpa-s, mystic utterances such as the word Svaha, Vasat, Hin, Om, the three Vyahrti-s (Bhuh, Bhuvah and Svah), Sloka-s and gatha-s, which are the articulate forms of speech, as well as singing and playing on instruments, which are the articulate forms of speech, as well as singing and playing on instruments, which are the inarticulate forms of speech.
"With her thousand-fold 'progeny' speech plays a major role in the Vedic ritual. The book takes note of this manifold 'progeny' of speech and the belief connected with it." (jacket)
[Sindhu S. Dange's books include The Bhagavata Purana--A Mytho-Social Study, Hindu Domestic Rituals--A Critical Glance and Puranic Etymologies and Flexible Forms.]