Gotra is a system in India where the lineage of a person is identified.
The Gotra is recited in religious functions, especially in marriage.
The lineage, normally is traced to a Rishi ,then the clan is described, Grandfather, father’s name are mentioned.
The practice of Gotras is traced to the Vedas.
The Saptha Rishis are the earliest in the line of Gotras.
These Saptha Rishis are entrusted with the allocation of the Vedas for each clan for each Manvantara.
Read my Posts on Manvantara,Saptha Rishis,Rishis a Timeline,Pravara of Lord Rama.
The Gotra system was practiced by the Brahmins initially and later by the other castes.
So normally the Saptha Rishis are mentioned in the Gotras .
Apart from the Saptha Rishis, other Rishi Gotras are also found.
Like Siva, Vishnu.
Of these Gotras, Bharawaja Gotra is found in abundance in the North when compared to South India.
Siva and Vishnu Gotras are referred to in communities other than the Brahmins.
It is also a practice to mention the name of Subrahamnya as the founder for the Gotra ,if the Rishis are not known,(This is among the Smarthas).
Sri Vaishnavas use Bharatwaja in similar insurances.
For communities other than the Kshatriyas, Jambu Maharishi is mentioned.
Jamadagni, father of Parashurama is also mentioned among the Kshatriyas.
I have noticed that though classified as Avatars of Vishnu, Rama or Krishna Gotras are never mentioned.
Some mention is made of Krishna among some Yadava communities.
But in general Rama or Vishnu Gotras are not mentioned in the Pravaras.
Why?
Rama and Krishna, though avatars of Vishnu were born to Human beings and as such they had ancestors to whose lineage they belonged to.
This is yet another instance of Hinduism treating Gods as Human Beings and not some one special when they lived; their ancestors were given the respect due to them.
Therefore there ae no Gotras of Rama or Krishna in practice; in cases where they are mentioned it does not have the sanction of the Smritis.
I have noticed a curious fact when checking up the Pravara of Rama and Krishna.
Acroll down for Video for The Pravara of Krishna.
Rama belonged to Vasishta Gotra while Krishna to Garga.
Garga is not among the Saptha Rishis!
By the Gotras mentioned for Lord Rama, He is a Brahmin as Vasishta, was a Brahmin.
Garga is referred to as a Brahmin.
So Rama and Krishna are Brahmins by Lineage, not by profession.
This is yet another proof that a Man’s caste, even if it is an Avatar, is not determined by birth but by profession!
“Gotra can be used as surname but it is different from surname and is strictly maintained because of its importance in marriages among Hindus and especially among high Hindu-castes. 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 Kashyapa-gotra,” he means that he traces his descent from the ancient sage Kashyapa by unbroken male descent. According to the Brihadaranyaka Upanisad 2.2.6, Gautama and Bharadvāja, Viśvāmitra and Jamadagni, Vashishtha and Kaśhyapa and shandilya are seven sages (also known as Saptarishi); the progeny of these eight sages is declared to be gotras. This enumeration of eight primary gotras seems to have been known to Pāṇini. The offspring (apatya) of these eight are gotras and others than these are called gotrâvayava. There exists another theory about gotra: sons of rishi and disciples of the gurukul would have same gotra. It is believed that they possess similar thought and philosophy. People of same gotra can be found in different castes….
As a Rigvedic term, gotra simply means “cow shelter” or “herd of cows”. The narrowed meaning “family, lineage kin” (as it were “herd within an enclosure”) is younger, first recorded around the mid 1st millennium BCE (e.g., Chandogya Upanishad).
These “lineages” as they developed among the Brahmins of that time meant patrilineal descent. The Brahmanic system was later adopted by other communities, such as theKshatriyas and Vaisyas
All members of a particular gotra 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, the Brahmins are the direct descendants of seven or eight sages who are believed to be the mind-born sons of Brahma. They are Gautama, Bharadwaja, Vishvamitra, Jamadagni, Vashista, Kashyapa and Atri. To this list, Agasthya is also sometimes added. These eight sages are called gotrakarins from whom all the 49 gotras (especially of the Brahmins) have evolved. For instance, from Atri sprang the Atreya and Gavisthiras gotras.[4]
A gotra must be distinguished from a kula. A kula is a set of people following similar cultural rituals, often worshiping the same divinity (the Kula-Devata, god of the clan). Kula does not relate to lineage or caste. In fact, it is possible to change one’s kula, based on one’s faith or Iṣṭa-devatā.’
Evidence that the Sanatana Dharma had spread throughout th world raises two questions.
Silurian Period: Earth during the early Silurian Period Distribution of landmasses, mountainous regions, shallow seas, and deep ocean basins during the early Silurian Period. Included in the paleogeographic reconstruction are cold and warm ocean currents. The present-day coastlines and tectonic boundaries of the configured continents are shown in the inset at the lower right.
1.Why did it spread?
2.And how?
For the first the answer is that there are various factors.
a)Sanatana Dharma was individual specific.
It addresses Human problems and tried to answer them from the experience of the Realized souls.
b) It did not believe in numbers.
c) It did not attempt to proselytize.
d) It did not suggest ways that are contrary to Nature nor did it try to impose its rules.
e) It did not curs people who refuse to follow it.For Hinduism, Sanatana Dharma all Paths lead to God, just as water from different sources reach the Ocean, be it a sewage or a River.
f) It devised methods to suit individual temperament.
‘ In Whatever For You worship Me, I grant you your wish in that form” Sri Krishna in The Bagavad Gita.
g) Though the Karma Theory suggests Determinism, it grants and accepts free will.In the closing chapter of the Bhagavad Gita Krishna says to Arjuna,
” I have explained you the secret of secrets and you are free to choose what you think is suitable for you”
h)Santana Dharma treated everything in the Universe as its own, including the Inanimate,
The Shanthi Mantra states,
May The Two legged Be Happy,
May The four-legged Be Happy,
May there Be sufficient rains”
i ) Its motto is Let All Be happy’
Sarve Janas Sukino Bhavanthu.
j) It advocated social order with out laws, but by Social Mores.
k) It allowed people to practice what they believed in, including Atheism, denial of God.
No doubt it had takers every where.
Answering the second question ‘How di it spread throughout the world’ is difficult.
Despite evidence that the Sanatana Dharma was present in all the countries, there seems to be no evidence to suggest the people of these countries were won over by military might and subjugated.
The worst thing the early Hindus in India was to fight among themselves in India and in some cases against the Kings in Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, that too only when these Kings interfered in the local Indian affairs.
Tamils invasion of these areas speak of this.
With the evidence available now I am forced to admit that the people of these areas embraced the Sanatana Dharma voluntarily, being coming to know of it from the emissaries sent by the Indian Kings starting From Rama.
This also raises an important question.
How come these people have traveled such great distances, while record speak of only Bullock carts and horses as means of transportation.
Simply brushing aside the evidence that The Sanatana Dharma did not exist in the areas like,
Baikal, Russia, Krishna’ son Pradhyumna’s city,
Lahore ,Pakistan was founde by Lava, Son of Lord Rama,
A South Korean princess was from Ayodhya,
Archaim , Russia,
Russia as Sthree Varsha, Women Kingdom,
River Danube was names after Dhanu, the Mother of Devas,
The term Sanatana Dharma and Hinduism are often used interchangeably.
I have also been using he same way.
Adi Shankaracharya Quote on the essence of Sanatna Dhama.
I am using this to enable people to find the information as many are familiar with the term Hinduism.
But are they really the same?
There are the same but with a minute difference.
Sanatana Dharma denotes oldest dharma, Dharma being translated as Righteousness.
On what Dharma is I shall be writing in detail.
The essentials of the Sanatana Dharma are.
Reality-centered rather than prophet-centered.
Experience based rather than belief based.
Beyond any historical date of founding.
The process of growth, which comes from the seed.
Inherent in, and inclusive of all.
In the world, while above the world.
Both immanent and transcendent.
The whole and the parts.
Loving of all and excluding of none.
The primary worship is for Agni.
Various Deities have been mentioned. each being worshiped for a specific purpose.
Two levels of Knowledge, one Apara which deals with the Higher Knowledge of Brahman, Apara, the other one being what we use now, for practical life,Para Vidya.
Two specific areas mentioned one by performance of Duties and another Path of Knowledge.(Gnana and karma Kandas)
It encompassed all Living beings.
It emphasizes self-realization .
Reality is Attributeless,Nirguna, though the Gods described in the Vedas attribute qualities to Gods, they are to be considered as stepping sones to Self Realization and they are not an end in themselves.
Yagas and Yagnyas were performed.
Sanatana Dharma is intensely personal.
No collective/community worship is recommended.
No mention of temples and temple worship.
They do not talk of Hell for not following The Vedas.
Santana Dharma encompassed the world.
Prayer or one’s self is not encouraged.
Hinduism.
A name given by the west to denote people who were living on the Banks of the River Sindhu, Punjab.
The practices followed by these people, which was a corrupt form of Sanatana Dharma was called Hinduism.
Many Gods are worshiped.
Fire worship is more or less extinct.
Community worship is in vogue.
Worship In temples.
Many rules as Sampardayas or More are being practised, which do not have the sanction of the Vedas.
Following of Self styled Gurus, rather than a qualified Guru is being followed.
Prayer for Self aggrandisement is in practice..
Vedic Karmas are not being followed as much as they should be.
Sanatana Dharma, over years of practice deteriorated into becoming a belief of worshiping many Gods and indiscriminate performance of yagas and yagnyas without referring to Gnana Kanda.
This resulted in the erosion of the Sanatan Dharma.
It took a Buddha to found Buddhism, which revolted against Sanatana Dharma, but that was absorbed by Sanatna Dharma later is a different issue.
To restore Sanatana Dharma Adi Shankaracharya established the Shanmathas and systematized all the Yogas, Bhakthi, Karma, Gnana Yogas.
If you want to subjugate a people, you have to destroy their language, make them lose their respect for their culture.
This is not mine,
Indian Influence in Souh East Asia. Greater India: The expansion of Indian culture and influence both in Central Asia and the South East towards the countries and islands of the Pacific is one of the momentous factors of world history. (image source: A Survey of Indian History – By Sardar Kavalam Madhava Panikkar).
A gist of what Macaulay spoke in the British Parliament about the introduction of English as a medium of instruction in India.
We have people like Max Mueller who were planted by the Church to destroy the Sanatana Dharma from within.
Read my posts on these subjects.
Indian History, as I was taught some 45 years ago was thus.
There was Vedas ,ancient texts, they were concerned with Religion, many gods were worshiped,
There were Mythologies of Ramayana and Mahabharata, Rama and Krishna who were worshiped as Gods.
The Vedas and Puranas were oppressive.
Then Buddha came along.
Aryans invaded through the Khyber Pass.
Alexander Invasion of India, he defeated Indian Kings and signed a treaty with Porus, forgiving him.
Appointed Seleucus.
Then there was Chandra Gupta Maurya and His dynasty.
It goes on up to Harshavardhana.
There is a gap of about 200 to 300 years.
Then Kanishka.
Later Mughals and the British.
What is wrong with this?
1.Vedas have been brushed as Religious texts, with no details about the high scientific and technical skills they possessed.
2.No mention of the Vedic empires.
3.There is a gap of about 300 years between Panini and Daruis.
4.No mention of the Tamil and Southern Kingdoms which existed around the early Vedic age.
5.Ramayana and Mahabharata were facts and not Fables, while Bible ,Christianity, Islam and the prophet were given the status of History.
6.No mention of Sanskrit and Tamil, the two earliest languages of civilization.
7.While there is mention of Alberoni, Fahien, Huansuang, there is no mention of courtiers sent from India abroad.
8.Again there is a gap of about 200 years from Fahien in 400 AD to 600 AD when Harshavardhana came to power.
9.From 800 AD to 1500 AD no mention of Indian History in detail regarding the South Indian Kings and their empires.
10.No mention of Indian empire having been extended to South Asia during the entire History of India excepting bland statements that Indians had commercial contacts with Rome, and Some Tamil Kings conquered some portions of Indonesia,.
11.No mention of the great Floods in Souh India which triggered off migration to Europe ans rest of the world from India.
And that was how the early settlements in these areas began
12.Ashoka is reported to be first King to have established contacts with Sri Lanka by sending his daughter/son, omitting the Tamil connection which was earlier by about 1000 years.
I am providing information which is slightly better than what we were taught from the link I have provided below.
The gaps in the improved version is also glaring.
Less said about the western scholarship(?) the better.
I shall be writing on the hidden History of India with evidence for these periods.
Two technics were adopted in burying our culture.
One is suppression of Facts and evidence, as in archeological finds and Tamil History.
Second is wilful misinterpretation of facts as Max Mueller did.
Readers may contribute with evidence.
”
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (9000 BC to 7000 BC)*
The earliest records of the Indian history exist in the form of the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka. These shelters are situated on the southern edge of the central Indian plateau, in the foothills of the Vindhyan Mountains. There are five groups of rock shelters, each of them adorned with paintings that are believed to date from the Mesolithic Period right through to the historical period.Mehrgarh Culture (7000 BC to 3300 BC)*
Mehrgarh is one of the most significant sites belonging to the Neolithic Age. At the same time, it is one of the oldest sites that indicate the introduction of the concept of farming and herding. Situated on theKachi plain of Baluchistan (Pakistan), it lies to the west of the Indus River valley. The site ofMehrgarh, spread over an area of 495-acre, was discovered in the year 1974.Indus Valley Civilization (3300 BC to 1700 BC)*
The Indus Valley Civilization was discovered in the 1920s. The major events in the timeline of the Indus Valley are given below:Early Harappan Phase (3300 BC to 2600 BC)*
The early Harappan Phase lasted for approximately 700 years, starting with the Ravi Phase. It is one of the three earliest urban civilizations and made use of an early form of the Indus script, known as Harappan script, for writing purposes. Around 2800 BC, the Kot Diji phase of the Indus Valley Civilization started.
Mature Harappan Phase (2600 BC to 1700 BC)*
The Mature Harappan Phase started around 2600 BC. Large cities and urban areas started emerging and the civilization expanded to over 2,500 cities and settlements. Urban planning, excellent sewage and drainage system, system of uniform weights and measures, knowledge of proto-dentistry, etc are some of the other elements that characterize the mature phase.
Late Harappan Phase (1700 BC to 1300 BC)*
The Late Harappan Phase began around 1700 BC and came to an end around 1300 BC. However, one can find many elements of the Indus Valley Civilization in later cultures.
Vedic Period/Age (1700 BC to 500 BC)*
The Vedic Period or the Vedic Age refers to the time of the compilation of the sacred Vedic Sanskrit texts in India. Situated on the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the Vedic Civilization formed the basis of Hinduism and the sIndian culture. The Vedic Period can be divided into the following two phases:
Early Vedic/Rig Vedic Period (1700 BC to 1000 BC)*
Early Vedic Period represents the time period when the Rig Veda was compiled. During this period, the king was believed to be the protector of the people, who took an active part in the government. The caste system started becoming rigid and the families started becoming patriarchal. The major events of this time are:
1700 BC – Late Harappan and Early Vedic period coincide
1300 BC – The end of Cemetery H culture
1000 BC – Iron Age of India
Later Vedic Age (1000 BC to 500 BC)*
The emergence of the later Vedic period was marked with agriculture becoming the dominant economic activity and a decline in the significance of cattle rearing. The political organization changed completely, with the reduction in the involvement of people in the administration. The major events are:600 BC – The formation of Sixteen Maha Janapadas (Great Kingdoms)
599 BC – The birth of Mahavira, founder of Jainism
563 BC – The birth of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), founder of Buddhism
538 BC – Cyrus the Great conquered parts of Pakistan
500 BC – Earliest written records in Brahmi
500 BC – Panini standardized grammar and morphology of Sanskrit, converting it
into Classical Sanskrit. With this, the Vedic Civilization came to an end.Ancient India (500 BCE – 550 AD)Rise of Jainism and Buddhism
Jainism or Jain Dharma is the religious philosophy that originated in the Ancient India. The religion is based on the teachings of the Tirthankaras. The 24th Tirthankara, Lord Mahavira, is credited with propagating the religion in the various parts of the world. Buddhism is based on the teachings of Lord Buddha, who was born as Prince Siddhartha Gautama. After attaining Enlightenment, Lord Buddha set on a task of teaching others how to achieve nirvana. His teachings were later propagated throughout the world by Emperor Asoka. The other major events of the Ancient Indian period are:
333 BC – Darius III was defeated by Alexander the Great. The Macedonian Empire was established
326 BC – Ambhi, King of Taxila surrendered to Alexander, Battle of the Hydaspes River
321 BC – Chandra Gupta Maurya established the Maurya Empire
273 BC – Emperor Ashoka took over the Maurya Empire
266 BC – Ashoka conquered most of South Asia, Afghanistan and Iran
265 BC – The battle of Kalinga, after which Emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism
232 BC: Ashoka died and was succeeded by Dasaratha
230 BC – Satavahana Empire was established
200 to 100 BC – Tholkappiyam standardized grammar and morphology of Tamil
184 BC – Collapse of Maurya Empire with the assassination of Emperor Brihadrata, Establishment of the Sunga dynasty
180 BC – Establishment of the Indo-Greek kingdom
80 BC – Establishment of the Indo-Scythian kingdom
10 BC – Establishment of the Indo-Parthian kingdom
68 AD – Establishment of the Kushan Empire by Kujula Kadphises
78 AD – Gautamiputra Satkarni took over Satavahana Empire and defeated Scythian king Vikramaditya
240 AD – Establishment of the Gupta Empire by Sri-Gupta
320 AD – Chandragupta I took over the Gupta Empire
335 AD – Samudragupta took over the Gupta Empire and started expanding it
350 AD – Establishment of the Pallava Empire
380 AD – Chandragupta II took over the Gupta Empire
399 to 414 AD – Chinese scholar Fa-Hien traveled to India
Medieval Period (550 AD to 1526 AD)
The medieval period can be divided into the following two phases:
Early Medieval Period (Upto 1300 AD)
606 AD – Harshavardhana became the King
630 AD – Hiuen Tsiang traveled to India
761 AD – First Muslim invasion by Mohammed Bin Qasim
800 AD – The birth of Shankaracharya
814 AD – Nripatunga Amoghavarsha I became Rashtrakuta king
1000 AD – Invasion by Mahmud of Ghazni
1017AD – Alberuni traveled to India
1100s AD – Rule of the Chandelas, Cholas, Kadambas, and Rashrakutas
1120 AD – Kalyani Chalukya Empire attained peak, Vikramaditya VI introduced Vikrama Chalukya Era
1191 AD – First battle of Tarain between Mohammed Ghori & Prithivi Raj Chauhan III
1192 AD – Second battle of Tarain between Ghauri and Prithivi Raj Chauhan III
1194 AD – Battle of Chandawar between Ghauri and Jayachandra
1288 AD – Marco Polo came to India
Late Medieval Period (1300 AD to 1500 AD)
1300 AD – Establishment of the Khilji Dynasty
1336 to 1565 AD – Vijayanagar Empire
1498 AD – First voyage of Vasco-da-Gama to Goa
Post-Medieval Era (1526 AD to 1818 AD)
The major events in the post medieval era are:
1526 AD – Babur, the Mughal ruler of Kabul, invaded Delhi and Agra and killed Sultan Ibrahim Lodi
1527 AD – Battle of Khanwa, in which Babur annexed Mewar
1530 AD – Babur died and was succeeded Humayun
1556 AD – Humayun died and was succeeded by his son Akbar
1600 AD – East India company was formed in England
1605 AD – Akbar died and was succeeded by Jehangir
1628 AD – Jehangir died and was succeeded by Shah Jahan
1630 AD – Shivaji was born
1658 AD – Shah Jahan built Taj Mahal, Jamia Masjid and Red Fort.
1659 AD – Shivaji defeated Adilshahi troops at the Battle of Pratapgarh
1674 AD – Maratha Empire was established
1680 AD – Shivaji died
1707 AD – Aurangzeb died and was succeeded by Bahadur Shah I
1707 AD – Maratha Empire broke into two divisions
1734 AD – Pamheiba invaded Tripura
1737 AD – Bajirao I conquered Delhi
1740 AD – Bajirao I died and was succeeded by Balaji Bajirao
1757 AD – Battle of Plassey was fought
1761 AD – Third battle of Panipat ended the expansion of Maratha Empire
1766 AD – First Anglo-Mysore War
1777 AD – First Anglo-Maratha War
1779 AD – Battle of Wadgaon
1780 AD – Second Anglo-Mysore War
1789 AD – Third Anglo-Mysore War
1798 AD – Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
1799 AD – Tipu Sultan died, Wodeyar dynasty was restored
1803 AD – Second Anglo-Maratha War
1817 AD – Third Anglo-Maratha War begins
1818 AD – End of the Maratha Empire and British control over most of India
Colonial Era (1818 AD to 1947 AD)
The Colonial Era started with the British taking control over almost all the parts of India and ended with the freedom of India in 1947. The major events that took place during the Colonial Era are:..”
The remains of Sanatana Dharma, Hinduism,Culture,Architecture,Languages,practices are found through out the world.
The references found in the Pali,Sanskrit texts have been found to be true,Vedas, Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharata,Raghuvamsa,Silappadikaram,Manimekalai,Puranaanuru,Pathiruppathu,and many Tamil Sangam Works.
Bharata varsha,The Hindu Empire.
Be it.
The Narada Mountain of Nardonya,Archaim of Russia,
Maya, Aztec remains in Mexico,Central America,
Natural Vishnu Temple in Grand Canyon,
Nazca Lines of Peru,
Agastya in New Zealand,
Shiva’s Third Eye dance in Australia,
The places mentioned in the Ramayana, Ravana Palace, Sita’s prison,Pushpaka Vimana runway,in Sri Lanka.
Reference to Dhanu in Danube delta,
The legend of Hindus among the Celts,
Nataraja as the Protector of Buddhism in China,…..
List is endless.
Please read my posts with authentic Links filed under Hinduism.
The sources are from reputed archeologists,astronomers, linguists, anthropologists.
And the artifacts have been validated by , in many cases , by Carbon dating.
Now if Hinduism, Sanatana Dharma is a Myth and foreign history is correct,and that those civilizations, including the Sumerian, Minoan, Aztecs, Mayas, Incas,were advanced civilizations, then their cultural, historical, and religious remains should have been found in India, just as Hinduism remains are found throughout the world.
But none whatsoever!
Whatever has been found,relates to events that happened later tha what our Texts say.
And the reference back to this information comes back to India !
When Megastanes writes about India, the reference found in his works are found to refer to Greek connection with India before Megasthanes.
Read my posts on Megasthanes.
But we have the gift of ridiculing our Texts and trust the western sources.
We will question Ramayana/Mahabharata though its date is proven,but will believe The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer !( though Homer, Iliad and Odyssey are proven, the facts contained are not)
But Rama is found in Sumerian Kings List and Krishna is found in Greece!
We will belive the Bible where it is not proven , Jesus whose existence is not proved as scientifically as Rama and Krishna.
We do not even know Jesus’s name!
Such is the hold of colonial mindset we accept our own culture having been invaded by our own people(Aryan Invasion)
The answer to the Post title is,
Bharat History is ancient, proven, others follwed suit and they had no lasting influence on Sanatana Dharma as it had on them save the latest British type institutions,, Education and worse the slave mindset.
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