Brahmin - Gotras and Pravaras

Gotras and Pravaras

Brahmins classify themselves on the basis of their patrilineal descent from a notable ancestor. These ancestors are either ancient Indian sages or kshatriyas (warriors), who chose to become Brahmins. The major gotras that trace descent from sages are: Shri Vatsya, Kanva, Jamadagni, Bhrigu, Bharadvâja, Kaundinya, Gautama Maharishi, Sandilya, Bhrigu, Vashista, Parāshara, Atryasa, Harithasa, Kashyapa, and Agastya gotra. Other gotras are Mitra, Vishvamitra and Chaurasia gotra.

In general, gotra denotes any person who traces descent in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Pāṇini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as 'apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram' (IV. 1. 162), which means: "the word gotra denotes the progeny (of a sage) beginning with the son's son". When a person says, "I am Kashypasa-gotra", he means that he traces his descent from the ancient sage Kashyapa by unbroken male descent. This enumeration of eight primary gotras seems to have been known to Pāṇini. These gotras are not directly connected to Prajapathy or latter brama. The offspring (apatya) of these Eight are gotras; and others than these are called 'gotrâvayava'.Provide Vepachedu's Sources

The gotras are divided into three tiers of ganas, then into pakshas, and finally into individual gotras. According to the Âsvalâyana-srautasûtra, there are four subdivisions of the Vashista gana, viz. Upamanyu, Parāshara, Kundina and Vashista (other than the first three). The first has survived in the Bhrigu and Āngirasa gana. According to Baudh, the principal eight gotras were divided into pakshas. The pravara of Upamanyu is Vashista, Bharadvasu, Indrapramada; the pravara of the Parâshara gotra is Vashista, Shâktya, Pârâsharya; the pravara of the Kundina gotra is Vashista, Maitrâvaruna, Kaundinya and the pravara of Vashistas other than these three is simply Vashista. Therefore some define pravara as the group of sages that distinguishes the founder (lit. the starter) of one gotra from another.

There are two kinds of pravaras, 'sishya-prasishya-rishi-parampara' and 'putrparampara'. Gotrapravaras can be ekarsheya, dwarsheya, triarsheya, pancharsheya, saptarsheya, and up to 19 rishis. Kashyapasa gotra has at least two distinct pravaras in Andhra Pradesh: one with three sages (triarsheya pravara) and the other with seven sages (saptarsheya pravara). This pravara may be either sishya-prasishya-rishi-parampara or putraparampara. Similarly, Srivatsasa gotra has five sages or is called Pancharsheya and are the descendants of Jamadagni. For a sishya-prasishya-rishi-parampara marriage it is not acceptable if half, or more than half, of the rishis are the same in both bride and bridegroom gotras. If it is putraparampara, a marriage is totally unacceptable even if one rishi matches.Provide Vepachedu's Sources-