The Sāmaveda is directly connected with Rigveda because the major portions of Saman are taken from the Rigveda, mainly from the eight Maṇḍala. Among 1550 stanzas, 75 are new, all others are taken from Rigveda. The ways of marking the accent only vary. The Sāmaveda is mainly divided into two books called as Ārcikam viz., Pūrvārcikam and Uttarārcikam. The stanzas suppose their exact nature of musical Sāmans only in the various books known as Gānams. These books explain the laws for duplications, continuation and many interpolations necessary in signing the Sāmagānas.

    The Sāmaveda is believed to be having one thousand recensions. But now only three among them are available namely 1) Rāṇāyāniya śākhā 2) Jaiminiya śākhā and 3) Kauthuma śākhā. The Jaiminiya śākhā is also known as Talavakara śākhā. The Brāhmaṇa texts of Sāmaveda are Jaiminiya Brāhmaṇas, Chāndogya Brāhmaṇa, Pancavimśa Brāhmaṇa and Tāṇḍya Brāhmaṇa or Prauda Brāhmaṇa. These Brāhmaṇas are concerned mainly with Soma sacrifices. The Āraṇyakas known in the same name itself. Chāndogya and Kena are the two major Upaniṣads of Sāmaveda.