The Sanatana Way Of Saying Who We Are

GOTHRA, PRAVARA and ABHIVADANA

It has been a traditional practice among Hindus that when we meet saintly people, teachers, elders and the like, we prostrate before them with respectful salutation and make a self-introduction tracing the lineage of our family in brief. This pattern of prostration is called “Abhivadana” in Sanskrit and the lineage is referred to by the two terms ’Gothra’ and ‘Pravara’. While the term ‘Gothra’ refers to the original founder, a Rishi of the clan, the term ’Pravara’ refers to a group of three or five subsequent Rishis who contributed to the spiritual growth of the lineage.

It is a common practice in all religions to be guided by a spiritual text for proper guidance for a virtuous living. In Hinduism it is called The Veda which has been considered as a revealed text, revealed by the God to some of our ancient sages. The code of practice which we follow conforms to the Sanathana Dharma which has the Veda for its basis. The custom of prostrating before the elders etc is as per our Dharma.

The term’ Veda’ means knowledge in Sanskrit which includes both spiritual and secular knowledge which are called Para Dharma or Apara Dharma in Sanskrit. To start with, there was only one Veda. As it was impossible for a for a single individual to preserve, protect and propagate the Veda and carry forward the tradition on account of its vastness and enormity of the topics it covered, the great Rishi Vedavyasa classified the single Veda into four divisions or Shakhas. These divisions were named Rig-Veda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvana Veda depending on the topics they covered. Vedavyasa entrusted his four chosen disciples the responsibility of carrying on the tradition of each Shakha. He gave the Rig-Veda to the charge of Rishi Paila, the Yajurveda to the charge of Rishi Vaishampayana, Samaveda to the charge of Rishi Jaimini and Atharvana Veda to Rishi Samanthu .Each Rishi, even though he was generally aware of all the four Shakhas, made a special study of the Shakha assigned to him in all its details. With the passage of time the descendents of these Rishis were became the followers of that particular branch or Shakha

Each Shakha of the original one Veda was by itself enormous and in course of time each Shakha gave rise to what are called ‘Sutras’ or aphorisms based on the Vedic hymns contained in the Veda. For example, Rishi Ashvalayana evolved the Ashvalayana Sutras and Rishi Apastambha evolved the Apastambha Sutras. These Sutras were followed by the descendents of these Rishis. In those days, the Gurukula system of education was prevalent and it was a practice for the disciples to bow down before his guru at the end of each day’s learning. This was done with a deep sense of reverence and respect as the Guru has always been considered a living God. Besides it is Guru who dispels all ignorance and lights the lamp of knowledge. While bowing down before the Guru, the disciple would remember the names of a few important Rishis of his clan and pay obeisance to them. This is the origin of Abhivadana Incidentally this would remind the disciple about the glorious lineage of his clan and how he should conduct himself in society to keep up the fair name of the lineage. These Rishis who were at the fountainhead of the lineage are called ‘Gotrapravartakas’ in Sanskrit.
All Rishis are not Gotrapavartakas but only those who were at the fountainhead of the original founding of the line. It is customary to remember either three or five Rishis of the clan. If three Rishis are remembered it is a practice to say ‘Trayarsheya’ and if five are remembered we say ‘Pancharsheya’ [The word Arsheya is the adjective of the root word Rishi]. The group of Rishis put together constitutes what is known as ‘Pravara. ’ According to Kalpa Sutras the following eight Rishis are considered the original founders of the Gotras: Jamadagni, Bharadwaja, Vishwamitra, Gautama, Vasishtha, Kashyapa and Agastya. It is said that the recitation of the names of these Rishis everyday and remembering them with gratitude bestows all prosperity in life and eventually leads one to salvation.

Hinduism has laid the greatest emphasis on Universal Peace and all our Upanishads invariably conclude with a Shanti Mantra. This is practically achieved by the regular performance of Homas, Havanas, Agnihotras and such other rituals by offering oblations to God Agni and the recitation of the Shanti Mantras. For conducting these Vedic rituals with proper recitation of the Vedic Mantras, two ingredients are essential –
Vedic Brahmins who can conduct the rituals with the proper recitation of the Mantras and secondly, an abundance of cattle wealth like milk, butter, ghee, curds, cow dung etc.which alone yield the oblation materials to be offered to Agni. The term ‘Vedic Brahmin’ does not mean a Brahmin by birth. He could be a man born in any other caste but devoted to the acquisition of Brahmajnanam.In fact Sage Vishwamitra was a Kshatriya by birth and Sage Agastya was born of a fisherwoman and Maharshi Valmiki came from a hunter’s family.

In modern days, recitation of the Gothrabhivadana is not that regular and common. However, it could definitely be heard at the ‘Upanayanam’ function where the Brahmacharin recites it in front of the Brahmins and some other elders while prostrating before them seeking their blessings. During prostration the Brahmachari also gives an indication about the caste from which he comes. The term ‘Sharma’ is added to the name if he is a Brahmin, the term ‘Varma’ if he is a Kshatriya and the term “Gupta’ if he is a Vysya. The following illustration explains:

My name is Narayana [Murthy]. I belong to Rigveda, my Gotra is Moudgalya and I am a Brahmin. During Abhivadana I remember three Rishis of our clan namely Angirasa, Bhrowmyashva and Moudgalya. I recite the following Gotrabhivadana:
“Chatussagara Paryantam Go Brahmanebhyah Shubham Bhavatu
[Let there be auspiciousness bestowed on the cattle wealth and on the Brahmins spread across the globe]
Angirasa-Bhrowmyashwa–Moudgalya Trayarsheya Pravaranvitha, Moudgalya Gotrodbhavasya, Ashwalayana Sutrah, Rikshakha Adhyayi [Myself, hailing from Moudgalya Gotra of which the triumvirate are Angirasa, Bhrowmyashwa and Moudgalya and belonging to Rigveda and Ashwalayana Sutra]
Narayana Sharma, Aham, Bho! Abhivadaye
[Oh Revered one! I, Narayana Sharma, prostrate before you].

B.M.N.Murthy

ARTICLE No.519--Gothra, Pravara and Abhivadana and
Created: Friday, September 4, 2009 9:17 PM