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In olden times, every gautra had a
definite task to perform. Thus every Veda had priests of
specific Gautras for their narration and teaching. Certain
sacrifices require priests of a specific Gautra only.
There are 49 established Hindu Gautras. All members of a particular Gautra are
believed to possess certain common characteristics by way of
nature or profession.
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Many theories have been propounded to
explain this system. According to the Brahminical theory, Brahmins are
direct descendants
of seven or eight sages who are believed to be the mind-born
sons of Brahma.
There are 49 established Hindu
Gautras. All members of a particular Gautra are
believed to possess certain common characteristics by way of
nature or profession. Many theories have been propounded to
explain this system. According to the Brahminical theory, Brahmins are
direct descendants of seven or eight sages who are believed to be the mind-born
sons of Brahma.
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They are Gautama, Bharadvaja, Vishvamitra,
Jamadagni, Vasishtha, Kashyapa
and Atri.
To this list, Agastya is
also sometimes added. These eight sages are called gautrakarins
from whom all the 49 gautras (especially of the Brahmins) have
evolved.
For instance, from Atri
sprang the Atreya
and
Gavisthiras
gautras. According to this theory, the Kshatriyas and
Vaishyas do not have a gautra and are to speak out the
gautras of their Purohita during the various ceremonies. However
according to some Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, they are also
descendants of these sages. Because of this, many a time a
Brahmin, Kshatriya and a Vaishya claim the same gautra. The
members of a gautra however need not necessarily be blood relations,
but could be spiritual inheritors or descendants of a guru's
pupils.
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Among the Kshatriyas, Rajputs claim to be the direct descendants
of the Sun (Suryavanshi),
the moon (Chandravanshi)
or the fire (Agnikula).
They are also divided into numerous clans, each bearing the name of some great
ancestor. Similarly every caste and class of the Hindus is
divided into many clans. In olden times the members of the Brahmin cal gautras had
certain characteristic features distinguishing them from
the others: the Bhargavas
had their heads shaven, the Angirasas
wore five braids and so on.
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Gautra
closely connected
with the concept of gautra is that of pravara,
which is the invocation of Agni by the name of the ancestral
sage of whichever Brahmin, consecrates the sacrificial fire. As
a rule, there are not more than four or five sages in one
pravara. Two gautras having a common pravara are not
allowed to marry. For instance those of the Kashyapa
and Shandilya gautras
cannot intermarry because they share the same sage Asita,
in their pravaras.
Abhivada, the formal
proclamation of one's ancestry, is only enjoined upon 'twice-born'
males. It includes not just the gautra and pravara but, for
a Brahmin, the Veda to which he 'belongs', the Sutra or Vedic interpretation
favoured by his gautra and finally his own name. It is said with the
thumb behind the ears, in the traditional gesture of invoking
ancestors.
Today's great classical musicians invoke their gurus similarly
before beginning a concert.
Vasishtha, Maitra - Varuna, Kaundinya Trayarishiya
gautra, Apastambha sutra, Yajushtagadhyayi, Sri Parashuraman Sharmana
aham asmiboho. In
the Rig-Veda the word gautra means a 'cow-pen'. In
the Vedic period, marriage within the family was a common
occurrence. The term gautra was used in its present sense
for the first time in the Brahmanas. It was systematized around the 4th century BC to accommodate changed social rules and laws
and by the time of the Sutras, it was a well-established
system.
Even today almost all families abide by its rules.
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Disclaimer /Copyright 2008
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