The Gothra and the Pravara

[Guest guest]

My dear friends and likeminded persons

 

In the recent past, when I came across people asking me – some Vedic scholars

too – what is “Pravara†and most of them knew their Gothra and not their

Pravara.  It is not a complaint against lack of knowledge of them, but

circumstances would not have given opportunity to know what a Gothra is and what

a Pravara. It is not that I know much about it, but there are great

personalities in the mailing group who can surely enlighten on this subject, but

to the extent of my source, I am presenting the topic for the benefit of all. 

This letter is also being posted to the blog by name

http://ritualsandprocedures.blogspot.com for further references.

What is a Gothra?  More or less, it is nothing but a blood group, when the

modern groups are a few in number, the ancient sages of India arrived at a

minutest point and bifurcated the blood group into a number of groups beyond the

reach of the so called  modern and so called Scientific world.  The word

" gotra " means " lineage "  and this word is of Sanskrit language. Among those of

the Brahmins, gotras are reckoned lineally. Each gotra takes the name of a

famous Rishi or sage who was the lineal fore bearer of that clan. And each Gotra

is addressed by the suffix 'sa' or 'asa' as relevant. The concept of Gothra was

the first attempt among Brahmins to classify themselves among different groups.

At the beginning, these genetics identified themselves by the names of various

Rishis Angirasa, Atri, Gowthama, Kasyapa, Bhrigu, Vasista, and Bhraradwaja - the

first seven of these are often enumerated as Saptarishis. It is to be noted that

Vishwamitra was

initially a Kshatriya king, later chose and rose to become an ascetic Rishi.

 There is a small confusion about the great sage Agastya also in this regard.

Therefore there are nine group origins in the system as seen above.  The

branches thereafter started percolated down.

 

Hence the gotra was applied to the grouping stemming from one of these Rishis as

descendants. Over the years, the number of gotras increased due to Descendants

of original Rishi which also started new family lineage or new gotras.

 

Pravara is the number of the most excellent Rishis who belonged to that

particular gotra to which a person belongs. Gotra is the name of the founding

father. In Vedic ritual, the importance of the pravara appears to be in its use

by the ritualistic for extolling his ancestry and proclaiming, in a manner as a

descendant of worthy ancestors, one is fit and proper person to do the act that

he is performing. The sacred thread called as Upavita or Yagnopavita has close

connection with the concept of pravaras related to Brahmin gotra system. While

tying the knots of sacred thread, an oath is taken in the name of each one of

these three or five or seven or nine of the most excellent rishis belonging to

one's gotra.

The full affiliation of a BrÄhmin consists of Gothra, Pravara, Sutra, and

Sakha.

 

For Example - A Brahmin named: Sastry: introduces himself as follows: I am:

Sastry: of Shrivatsa gotra, of Ä€pastamba sutra, of Taittiriya shÄkha of

Yajurveda, of five pravaras named BhÄrgava, ChyÄvana, Ä€pnava, Aurva and

JÄmdagnya

While the gotras were classified initially according to nine (?) Rishis,  the

Pravara was  classified under the names of the following seven Rishis  namely,

Agastya, Angirasa,  Atri, Bhrigu, Kashyapa, Vasista, Viswaamitra, According to

the listing of authors included in the verses in Vedas,  the rishi Jamadagni

was a descendant of rishi  Bhrigu  while the rishis Gautam and Bharadwaja

 were the descendants of rishi Angirasa.

 

The pravara identifies the association of a person with three or sometimes

five and some times seven and interestingly sometimes nine (as is seen in some

places) also of the above-mentioned Rishis.

For example, Kashyapa Gothram has 3 rishis associated with it viz. Kashyapa,

Daivala and Aavatsaara

Some of the known Gothras and Pravaras are appended hereunder for the benefit of

the readers and this is subject to further modification by the learned scholars

in the relevant field.  There are, however, innumerable combinations which are

not codified at one place due to different reasons, and now I appeal to all the

readers to place their comments on this and add the known information in a blog

created by me as http:ritualsandprocedures.blogspot.com  so that over a period

of time, a separate book on this subject may get published for the benefit of

future generations, as WE HAVE ALREADY STEPPED INTO AN AREA OF IGNORING ALL

THESE RICH TEXTS OF ANCIENT TRADITIONAL SCIENCES OF INDIA.  I am also trying to

procure information relating to the Gothra in respect of different castes in

India and IT IS TO BE NOTICED THAT EACH FAMILY IN INDIA HAS A GOTHRA

IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR CASTE.    

 

1.  Bharadwaja : Angirasa, Baaryhaspatya,, Bharadwaja

2.  Rathitara : Angirasa, Baaryhaspatya, Rathitara

3.  Vathula or Vathulasa : Bhargava,Vaitahavya, Saavedasa

4.  Srivasta or Srivastasa : Bhargava, Chyaavana, Aapnavaana, Aurva,

Jaamadaghneya

5.  Salankayana :  Viswaamitra, Aghamarshana, Devarata

6.  Shatamarshana: Angirasa, Powrukutsa, Traasatasya

7.  Atreya: Atreya, Aarchanaasa, Syaavaasva

8.  Kowsika: Vishwamitra, Aghamarshana, Kowsika

9.  Kalabodhana/Kalabhavasa (3 variations)

1.  Kalabodhana: Viswaamitra, Agamarshana, Kalabodhana

2.  Kalabodhana: Viswaamitra, Agamarshana, Kalabodhana

3.  Kalabhavasa: Viswaamitra, Agamarshana, Kalabhavasa

10.  Viswaamitra: Viswaamitra, Devarata, Owtala

11.  Kaundinya: Vaasishta, Maitraavaruna, Kaundinya

12.  Haritasa: Angirasa, Ambarisha, Yuvanasva, Haritasa  

13.  Gautamasa : Angirasa, Aayasya, Ausidyasa, Kaakshivata, Vamadeva,

Grihadugda, Gautamasa – seven rishis

14.  Mowdgalya (3 Variations)

1.  Angirasa, Bharmyasva,  Mowdgalya

2.  Tarkshya, Bharmyasva, Mowdgalya

3.  Angirasa, Dhavya, Mowdgalya

15.  Sandilya (3 Variations)

1.  Kasyapa, Aavatsaara, Daivala

2.  Kasyapa, Aavatsaara, Sandilya

3.  Kasyapa, Daivala, Asitha

16.  Naitruvakaasyapa: Kasyapa, Aavatsara, Naitruva

17.  Kutsa: Angirasa, Maandhatra, Kowtsa

18.  Kanva (2 Variations)

1.  Angirasa, Ajameeda, Kanva

2.  Angirasa, Kowra, Kanva

19.  Paraasara: Vaasishta, Saaktya, Paraasara

20.  Aagastya: Aagastya, Tardhachyuta, Sowmavaha

21.  Gargi (2 Variations)

1.  Angirasa, Barhaspatya, Bharadwaja, upadhyay

2.  Angirasa, Sainya, Gaargya

22.  Badarayana: Angirasa, Paarshadaswa, Raatitara

23.  Kasyapa (3 Variations)

1.  Kasyapa, Aavatsaara, Daivala

2.  Kasyapa, Aavatsaara, Naidruva (Naitruva)

3.  Kasyapa, Aavatsaara, Naidruva (Naitruva), Rebha, Raibha , Sandila,

Saandilya

24.  Sunkriti (2 Variations)  or Saankritya Gothra

1.  Angirasa, Kowravidha, Saankritya

2.  Sadhya ,Kowravidha, Saankritya

25.  Angirasa, Pourukutsya, Thraasadasya

26.  Goutam/Gowtamasa  Aangeerasa, Ayasya, Gowtamasa

27.  AgniVaiwaswatha: Angirasa, Barhaspthya, Bharadwaja, Srukva,

Agnivaiwaswatha

28.  Sankhyayana: Vishwamitra, Aghamarshana, Devaratha

29.  Vishwamitra, Shraumita, Kaamakayana, Devatarasa, Devaraata,

30.  Kapi: Angirsa, Amahaiya, Orukshaya,

 

This may not be just taken only Brahmin sect, the Vysya or the Agarwal community

is still more perfection as they take a bride out of their gothra as well out of

the maternal side gothra too. 

 

Perhaps this may be the reason; the Agarwal community is still maintaining their

tradition almost nearer to perfection. 

 

The Kshatriya too, more particular of observing Gothra while one among  the

four caste system in the name of Sudra  also  rely upon the same system of

observing Gothra or identifying themselves to a particular Gothra. 

Unfortunately the “Sudra†is mistaken as an inferior set of human beings in

the society, but they are not so, surely they are the backbone of the entire

society.  A king should have soldiers, a Brahmin should have students, a Vysya

should have demand for their trade and therefore all sects like the so called

Brahmin, Kshtriya, Vysya and Sudra are all inter dependant and can never be

isolated. 

 

The caste system was solely on their individual professions and there is no

superiority or inferiority amongst each of them and this is the basic fact.. 

Unfortunately this concept is misconceived and misinterpreted for the mean

individual reasons of a few select individuals which have caused damage to the

entire system and to speak further to HINDUISM itself.

 

Well, the topic is not a point of discussion for this paper, but the learned

scholars, who are receiving this mail, may contribute still better on the Gothra

system and they can upload their individual comments to the aforementioned blog

so that the viewers of future years will have all types of information on this

subject.

 

Thanking you all for your patient reading. 

I shall be back again soon. 

Yours affly

HARA HARA MAHADEVA

DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

 

Adhyatmika Ratna, Sri Yaaga Vidya Praveena, Vedanta Visarada, Sahasradhika

Yaagakarta

Dr P V Sesha Sai Aswamedhayaaji

Camp LOS ANGELES CAÂ USAÂ

web  " http://aswamedhayaaji.com "

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shodasisai    http://ritualsandprocedures..blogspot.com

13th August 2009

Phone 518 368 7956