Origins of Veena

Veena is an ancient vedic spiritual instrument along with venu and mridangam.

This vedic trio encompass all music instruments ie: veena for all stringed instruments, venu for all wind instruments and mridangam for all percussion instruments. Actually the word veena was used to denote a string instrument may it be one string one hundred.

 Veena is associated with the vedic rituals noted in Atharvana Veda that Rishi women played veena as the veda mantras are chanted by the Rishis. Sama Veda elaborates on music in great detail. The current science of music originated in the Sama Veda.

Veena is a meditation tool to achieve self-realization/enlightenment. Yagnyavalkya rushi says one who is adept at veena is sure to reach salvation.

Veena is the instrument of gods. Lord Shiva played veena, Saraswati is always depicted with veena in her hand, Narada played veena, Lord Hanuman played veena when he sang Ram bhajans, Raghavendra Swamy played veena, Lav and Kush Lord Rama's sons played veena... so many from puranas we can cite that played veena...

Maa Saraswati playing veena, Veena used to be played in this position in early days...