Overview
The full affiliation of a Brahmin consists of (1) Gotra, (2) Pravara, (3) Sūtra, and (4) Śākhā.
The gotra of a Brahmin denotes all those who trace descent from a common ṛṣi ancestor. Pāṇini defines gotra as the progeny of a ṛṣi. The Baudhāyana Śrautasūtra enumerates that the initial chief gotras (or root gotras) are founded on the name of the following eight ṛṣis –
Agastya,
Atri,
Bharadwāja,
Bhrigu,
Gautam,
Kaśyapa,
Vaśiśṭha, and
Viśvāmitra.
Over the time all other Brahmin gotras evolved from one of the above gotras. The Āśvalāyana Śrautasūtra mentions that the initial chief gotras are again divided into divisional gotras (i.e., ganas), then into sub-divisional gotras (i.e., pakshas) and finally into individual gotras.
Pravara is defined as the group of sages that distinguishes the founder (starter) of one individual gotra from another. Pravara is the number of the most illustrious ṛṣis, who belonged to that particular individual gotra. The pravara starts with the name of the chief gotra and ends with the name of the founder of the individual gotra. Generally, the pravara identifies the connection of a person with two, three or sometimes five most illustrious ṛṣis making up a group in an individual gotra. According to the Āśvalāyana Śrautasūtra, the pravaras were instituted on the name of the following ṛṣis –
Agastya,
Āngira (Embracing Gautam and Bharadwāja),
Atri,
Kaśyapa,
Vaśiśṭha, and
Viśvāmitra.
There are two kinds of pravaras, (1) Ṡiṣya-Praṡiṣya-ṛṣi Parampara (i.e., Sage-disciple succession), and (2) Putra Parampara (i.e., Father-son succession).
According to Govind Sadashiv Ghurye, the pravara scheme was formulated around 600 BCE and during the same period Baudhāyana appended to his Śrautasūtra a list of 800-odd gotras and pravaras that go with them.
While the Vedas were considered as the ultimate source of dharma, oral texts were formulated between the eighth and fourth centuries BCE, within the Vedic traditions (śākhās), concerned with ritual and law. These texts are known as Kalpa Sūtras. They form part of a body of knowledge, the auxiliary sciences, known as the Vedāṇgas (i.e., the limbs of the Vedas). While Vedas are considered as revelation, the Kalpa Sūtras are considered as tradition or secondary revelation, smṛti (i.e., remembered text) composed by ṛṣis within the various Vedic schools.
The Kalpa Sūtras are categorized into three groups:
(1) The Śrautasūtras texts deal with the correct performance of the solemn or public rites. These texts are called Śrauta because they follow from śruti, lay down the rules, in a highly technical form, for the performance of public, Vedic rituals.
Āpastamba Śrautasūtra, Āśvalāyana Śrautasūtra, Baudhāyana Śrautasūtra, Hiraṇyakeśin Śrautasūtra, Jaiminiya Śrautasūtra, Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra, Lātyāyana Śrautasūtra, Mānava Śrautasūtra, Sāṅkhāyana Śrautasūtra, and Vaitāna Śrautasūtra are some of the Śrautasūtras.
(2) The Grhyasūtras are the treatises of the domestic rites. They describe different kinds of rituals (yajṅa) to be performed in the home.
Āpastamba Grhyasūtra, Āśvalāyana Grhyasūtra, Baudhāyana Grhyasūtra, Gobhil Grhyasūtra, Hiraṇyakeśin Grhyasūtra, Jaiminiya Grhyasūtra, Katyāyana Grhyasūtra, Kauthuma Grhyasūtra, and Śāṅkhāyana Gr̥hyasūtra are few Grhyasūtras.
(3) The Dharmasūtras deal with law and social ethics. These texts develop material found in the Grhyasūtras and are concerned with the rules for performing domestic rites, jurisprudence, and rules pertaining to the four stages of life (āśramas).
Āpastamba Dharmasūtra, Baudhāyana Dharmasūtra, Gautam Dharmasūtra, Hiraṇyakeśin Dharmasūtra, Vaśiśṭha Dharmasūtra, and Vishnu Dharmasūtra are some prominent Dharmasūtras.
The śākhas (or branches) enunciates the Brahminical ideology of dharma by the Vedic traditions or schools in texts concerned with the performance of ritualistic order of Vedic sacrifice, which refers especially to the performance of the solemn rites enjoined on all Brahmins, to the domestic rituals, and obligations appropriate to one’s family and social group.
According to the Vyākaṛaṇa Mahābhāshya of Patañjali, there were 21 śākhās of Rigveda, 9 of Atharvaveda, 101 of Yajurveda (86 of Ḳrsna Yajurveda and 15 of Śukla Yajurveda) and a 1000 recensions of chanting of Sāmaveda.
- The recensions of the Rigveda probably extant today are - Āśvalāyana, Bāṣhkala, Kauṡitaki, Mandūkya, Paiṇgi, Śākala, and Ṡankhāyana.
- The recensions of Sāmaveda probably extant today are – Bhallavi, Jaiminiya/Talāvakara, Kauthuma, Ranāyaṇiya, and Ṡatyāyana.
- The śākhās of the Śukla Yajurveda (i.e., White Yajurveda) possibly exist today are – Kaṇva, Katyāyana, and Vājasaneyi Mādhyandina.
- The śākhās of the Ḳrsna Yajurveda (i.e., Black Yajurveda) possibly alive today are – Ċaraka Kathā, Jabāla, Kapisthala Kathā, Maitrāyaṇi, and Taittiriya.
- The Atharvaveda śākhās perhaps exist today are - Paippalāda, and Ṡaunaka.
The information on the śākhas of the Vedas is organized in Caranavyūha (i.e., the displays of the branch or school of the Vedas). There are three notable books of Caranavyūha, attributed respectively to Ṡaunaka, Katyāyana, and Vyāsa. A group of Brahmins, who studied a particular śākhā in its entirety (i.e., Samhita, Brāhmaṇa, Arāṇyaka, Kalpa Sūtras, and any additional texts) and performed its ritual, was said to follow a Carana (i.e., school or branch of the Veda)”. For instance, Brahmins who studied the Taittiriya Samhita/ Brāhmaṇa/Arāṇyaka together with the Kalpa Sūtras of Āpastamba were said to follow the “Āpastamba Carana”.
The Pancha-Gaur Brahmins in north India have also been extensively following a further classification within the gotras besides abiding by the above-mentioned affiliations. Vipra-śāsana system or alla (Hindi: अल्ल) refers to further classification within the gotra and gives information about the place where a respective Brahmin family earlier lived. Generally, a vipra-śāsana was a village where Brahmins of various gotras used to live in. A pradhan (purohit), i.e., a chief priest heads the śāsana and guides the other Brahmins of the village during religious or ceremonial sacrifices. Often one śāsana is found in more than one gotra, and more than one śāsana is found in a gotra. Each śāsana has a distinct name, signifying the name of some ancient village. Some gotras have a large number of śāsanas associated with them. The full vipra-śāsana (or alla) of a Brahmin can be described as –-
Śāsana title from the village-name (i.e., Village-name ke alla title) -
For example: -
- Bhatt from the village Manikpur (i.e., Manikpur ke Bhatt),
- Upadhyay from the village Khyamal (i.e., Khyamal ke Upadhyay).
Read more about this topic: Gautam Brahmins