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*^ fi^D ■5 3jjx ■^•'^ocation of AncMtt T^ ^ 1 ^^ Or _^'^^vana, Aurva, J 5^**gava, Chy^vaT r^P*iavana, Arshtisl ' ^^^"^^^ JT^*^ ^ Anfipeti. t:,ay.„a, and &''^^'ha ^^a,' '^^ ^"/'A^'^nt Sfltras. Pur Law-book and rVna •' .J^*^^ ',- **^ ^t^" •"> **'"?' "* f '' oomrnonturj b^ ,"" <=or,* *''G Aj ^'i'^ ;5*lpa-8<itra8 of Baudhajan; '''^•fiiin '' A.^^- ^'^"'•a^a.theBh&rata.Manu' GOTRAS. 38t Name of Gotra. No. of Ancestors. Invocation of Ancestors. 3. Bidah . . 5 Bh&igava, Chyllvana, Apnav&na, Aurva, Bai- deti. 4. Yaska BUdhaula Mauna Mauka Sdrshti Sdvarni l§&lank&yana Jaimini Devantyd.yan4h 5. SyaitlJ^ 3 Bh^rgava, Yaitabavya, S&vetaseti. 6. Mitrayuvah 7. j^unak&h 3 Bh&rgava, Vainya, P&r- theti. ■ 1 B&dhryaSveti. or 3 Bh&rgava, Daivodd^a, B^dhrya^veti. 1 Gdj*tsamadeti. or 3 Bhd.rgava, l^aunahotra, G&rtsamadeti. IL The Angirasas. II. a. The Gotamas. 8. Gotam&h 3 Angirasa, Ay&sya, Gau- tameti. 9. Uchathy&h 3 Angirasa, Auchathya, Gautameti. 10 Rah^an&h 3 Angirasa, R&hiiganya, Gautameti. 11. Somarajakayah 3 Angirasa, Somarfljya, Gautameti. 382 Name of Gotni. 12. V&madev&h 13. Brihadukth&h 14. Prishada^v&h 15. Rikshdh 16. Kakshivantah 17. Dirghatamasah aOTBAB. No. of Anoestora. Invocation of Ancestors. 3 Angirasa, V&tnadevya, Gautameti. 3 Angirasa, Bftrhaduk- thya, Gautameti. 3 Angirasa, Pd^r^ada^ya, or VairApeti. 3 Asht&danshtra, P&rsha- da6va, Vairftpeti. 5 Angirasa, B&rhaspatya, Bh&radv&ja, Yltndana, M&tavachaseti. 5 Angirasa, Aucfaathya, Gautama, Au^ija, E&k- shivateti. 3 Angirasa, Auchathya, Dairghatamaseti. II. b. The BharadvAjas. 18. Bharadv&jdgnive- 6yah 19. Mudgal&h 20. VishnuvriddMh 21. Garg&h }3 Angirasa, B&rhaspatya, BhUradv&jeti. ' 3 Angirasa, BblLrmya^va, or Maudgalyeti. 3 Tarkshya, Bh&rmyafiva, MaudgalyetL 3 Angirasa, Paurukutsya, Tr&sadasyaveti. ' 5 Angirasa, Bd^rhaspatya, Bh&radv&ja, G4rgya, Sainyeti. 3 Angirasa, l^ainya, G&r- gyeti. Name of Gotra. 22. Harita Eut^ Pinga Sankha Darbhj'a Bhaimagavdli 23. Sankriti Putimdsha Tandi Sambhu j^aivagav^ 24. Kanvah 25. Kapayah GOTBAS. 383 No. of Ancestors. Invocation of Ancestors. 3 Angirasa, Ambartsha, or Yauvan&fiveti. 3 M&ndhlLtra, Ambaiisbay Yauvanftfiveti. 3 Angirasa, Gaurivita, or S&nkrityeti. ^3 S&ktya, Gaurivita, San- krityeti. 3 Angirasa, Ajamilha, or Ed^nveti. 3 Angirasa, Ghaura, Kka- veti. 3 Angirasa, Mahiyava, Urukshayaseti. 5 Angirasa, B&rhaapatya| Bhd.rac 3 kileti. 26. Saunga-Saifeirayah \ or Bhd.radv&ja, E&tya, At- 27. Atrayah 28. Gavishthir&h III. The Atris. 3 Atreya, ATchanHnasa, Sy&vfiJ^veti. 3 Atreya, Gavishthira, PaurvHtitheti. IV. Thb VisvAmitras. 29. Chikita- Gdlava- Ed.labava- Manutantn- Eusik^h g Vai6v&initra, Devar&ta, Audaleti. 384 GOTBAS Name of Gk>tra. Ko. of Anceston. Invocation of Anoeflton. cSO. I§raumata-k&mak&- ) 3 Yailivllmitray Deva6rava- yan^h 31. Dhananjaydh J sa, Daivataraseti. 3 Vai6v&mitra, M&dhu- chhandasa, Dh&nanjay- yeti. 3 Vai6v&mitra, Mftdhu- chhandasa, Ajyeti. 3 Yai6y£Lmitra, M&dhu- chhandasa, Rauhineti. 3 Vai6v&mitra, Mfidhu- chhandasa, Ashtaketi. 35. Pftrana-Vllridh&pa- 1 3 Vaisvllmitra, Devar&ta, 32. Ajkh 33. Rohinfih 34. AshtaklLh yant&h 36. Kat^ 3^7. Aghamarshan&h 38. Renavah 39. Venavah 40. l§Mank&yana- jg&mksha- Lohit&ksha- Lohitajahnavah Pauraneti. 3 Vaifivftmitra, K&tya, At- kileti. 3 Vaisv&mitra, Aghamar- shana, Eau6iketi. 3 Vai6v&mitra, G&thina, Rainaveti. 3 VaiSvlLinitra, G&thina- Vainaveti. 3 Yai^v^mitra, l§dlankll- yana, Eausiketi. V. The Kasyapas. 41. Ea^yap^ 3 E^yapa, Avats&ra, Asi- teti. 42. Nidhruv&h 3 E&Syapa, Avats&ra, Naidhruveti. 43. Rebh&h 3 E&6yapa, Avats&ra, Rai- bhyeti. GOTRAS. 385 Name of Gotra. No. of Ancestors. Invocation of Ancestors. ' 3 l^^dila, Asita, Daivaleti. or 3 K&6yapa, Asita, Daiva- leti* 44. iSandiM VI. The Vasishthas, 45. Vasishth&h 1 Vasishtheti. • • • 46. Upamanyavah 3 y&dishtha^Abharadyasu, Indrapramadeti. 47. Parfl&ir&h 3 V&sishtha, g&ktya, PA- rd^ryeti. 48. Eundin&h 3 Y&sishtha, Maitr&varu- na, Kaundinyeti. VII. Thb Agastis. {3 Agastya, Dllrdbachyutai or Idhmav&heti. 3 Agastya, D&rdhachyuta, Somav^eti. There are other lists of much greater extent, which may become useful in time for chronological calcula- tions. In them the first branch of the Bhrigus, the Vatsas, count 73 names ; among them such names as Saunak&yan&h (8), Pailfih (13), Paingal&yan&h (14), P&ninih (29), V&lmikayah (30). The Vidas com- . prise 13, the Arshtishenas 8, the Yaskas 20, the Mi- tray us 11, the Vainyas 3, and the Sunakas 9 names. It would occupy too much space to print these lists here. In order to prove that these lists were not merely arbitrary compositions, their practical bearing on two very important acts of the ancient Brahmanic society, c c OC^'^ ■tlio consecrating of the sacrificial, fires, and marriage, gjj^o-uld be borne in mind. "When the fire is to be consecrated, Agni Havya- v^l^ai^a, the god who carries the libations to heaven xTfttast be invoked. This invocation or invitation qj j^^ni, is called pravara.^ Agni himself or the fir^ ig ceLlJ^^ Arsheya, the oflfepring of the Rishis, because tj^ Il,ishis first lighted him at their sacrifices. He is tj^^ ylotri fts well as the Adhvaryu among the gods. X^ike the Hotri and Adhvaryu priests, he is supposed ^^o invi*® the gods to the sacrifice, and to carry hltn- ^elf tbe oblation to the seat of the immortals. When tiberefore a Brahman has his own fii'e consecrated be .^^sheB to declare that he is as worthy as his ancestors to offer sacrifices, and he invites Agni to carry h,g (ylDlatioTiB to the gods as he did for his ancestors. Tie raames of these ancestors naust then be added to his invitation, and thus the invitation or invocation of tlie ancestc^ came to be called pravara. For in- stance, if Brahnaan belongs to the family of the Mftn- dAkeyas, he must know that the M&nddkeyas belong to the Vatsas, and that the Vatsas are' descended from I^hrigu, and invoke five ancestors. He must, therefore, like all n*®°l^fl ^^ *he Vatsa-gotra, invoke Agni by tbe names of i^hftrgava, Chy&vana, Apnavftna, Aurva, and JAmadgna. if ^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^.^^ ^^ Y&jnavalkya, a branch of the Kufiikas, descendants ^f Vi&v&mitra, he must invoke Agni by the nameof Vi&v&mitra, A'evarAta and Udak. This, at least, U Q0TRA8. 387 • the rule laid down in the Baudh&yana-si^tra, with which the AivallLyana-siitra coincides, except that it does not mention the Y&jnayalkyas as a subdivision of the Eu^ikas. This custom was known at the time of the composition of the Br&hmanas, and we have no reason to doubt that ever since the first establish- ment of Vedic sacrifices, the forty-nine families pre- served the tradition of their sacred pedigree, and that their genealogies possess a certain historical value.^ This is confirmed still further if we consider the ancient Brahmanic marriage laws. To marry a woman belonging to the same Gotra, or having the same Pravara, was considered incest, and visited with severe penance. A6val&yana (xii. 16.) says : " Asa- m^napravarair viv&hah." '^Marriage takes place with persons who have not the same Pravara, i. e. who do not invoke the same Rishis as their ancestors." Apastamba says: '^Sagotr&ya duhitaram na prayach- chhet," " Thou shalt not give thy daughter to a man belonging to the same Gotra or family." YHjnavalkya says : ^^ Aroginim bhrlttrimatim asamdrnlLrshagotrajim udvahet." " Let a man marry a woman who is free from disease, who has brothers, and who is not the daughter of a man having the same ancestors and belonging to the same Gotra as himself." In each case severe punishments are threatened if a man 1 Thas we read in the Srauta-s^tras of the Manavas, that tlie Dikshita mnst say his name, the name of his Gotra, of his father, grandfather, and great grandfather ; a custom which, if obserred as a sacred law, must have preserved a genealogical knowledge for many generations. ^f^r?^S^H4llPffll IHT ^WTf^l ^(X' cc 2 388 GOTRAS. • transgress these rules knowingly, or even unknow- ingly. There are some special rules with regard to marriage, which differ again according to different SAtras; of which the following, taken from A6va- Idryana, may serve as a specimen : 1. Persons who have the same Pravara must not intermarry.