I have written articles on the Gotra, the Hindu System of tracing Lineage, with a List of Brahmin Gotras and Brahmin Surnames in India.
I have also published Vaisya and Kshatriya Surnames.
Shiva, Image credit.www. stephen Knapp.com
Often I receive mails and calls to verify whether a Gotra belongings to Brahmins and I have been replying.
I shall be writing a Post on How to identify Brahmin Gotra.
In the course of answering these questions I was struck by one fact.
That there is No Shiva Gotra is not found among Brahmins, despite Shiva being considered as a Brahmin because of Function and Vishnu as Kshatriya because of the same yard stick, that of protecting us.
And Subrahmanya is considered as the best among the best of Brahmins-Su+Brahmanya.
One does not find Rama and Krishna Gotras among Hindu community.
I have written on this, explaining the reason.
Then why Shiva is left out, even though He is described as a Brahmin?
1.Shiva is truly a Ayonija, never born of a womb.He appears from nowhere and disappears.
He does not have progeny ,like Rama or Krishna.
2.The term Brahmin denotes one who realizes Brahman by self efforts.
Shiva being Para Brahman Himself, He need not realize.
He is without attributes, Nirguna.
Hence to belong to a Brahmin Gora he should have realized Brahman which is not the case with Him.
Hence no Shiva Gotra among Brahmins.
In comparison between Rama and Krishna. while Rama was aware of Himself as Brahman occasionally, Krishna was all the time aware of it and He, like Shiva did not need to Realize Himself.
And Krishna’s Children were killed and He was left with no progeny, consequent to Gandhari’s Curse.
However Shiva Gotra is found among communities other than Brahmins for it had been a practice to denote Shiva as the Father when one is unable to trace the ancestry.
Anoter intersting point to note is that though Viswamitra was not a Brahmin by birth we find Viswamitra Gotra among Brahmins indicating that caste is by disposition and character and not by birth.
The Ramayana mentions about 196 places visited by Lord Rama.
These places are found even today in various parts of India.
Rama Fighting Tadaka.
Rama traveled by foot for about 2000 miles through the length and breadth of India.
This consists of his trek with Viswamitra towards Mithila, where he married Sita.
Enroute he, along with Lakshmana, his brother defended the Yagna of Sage Viswamitra.
Rama Kills Thadaka.
Earlier Viswamitra demanded of King Dasaratha to send Rama and Lakshmana with him to defend the Yagna that was being disturbed by Rakshaasas.
Sage Vasishta advised Dasaratha, who was nervous about sending young boys to fight against the Demons,that whatever Viswamitra is planning it would result only in the welfare of Lord Rama.
Viswamitra took th boys along and initiated them the Two Mantras,Phala and Athiphala, the former to ward of hunger, the latter to prevent sleep and grant vigour.)please read my Post on these Mantras)
Vishwamitra and the two princes came to Tataka’s forest and the sage ordered Rama to kill the demoness to free the area from her terror. Rama was hesitant to kill her as she was a woman and initially maimed her, chopping off her hands so that she could not attack him further. Using her demonic powers, she changed form, disappeared and continued to attack them whilst remaining unseen. Sage Vishwamitra advised Rama, that as a prince, he had to carry out his duty regardless of his own personal reservations about killing a woman. Rama swiftly pierced her heart with his arrows. This act gained the young princes the blessings of not just Vishwamitra but also the blessings of all of the assembled sages in the yagnashala.
Tadka Vadh – Buxar, Bihar: After crossing the holy Ganga, Shri Ram and Lakshman reached a dense forest where demoness Tadka lived. The dreadful forest was known as Tadkavan. Shri Ram ended Tadka’s reign over the forest by slaying her and freeing its inhabitants from terror. The forest stretched between Bharoli and Baksar in Bihar. Shri Ram performed the first task of his “avtaar” (incarnation) here by destroying the evil demoness.
The place where Rama killed Thadaka is in Buxar, Bihar and the spot where he killed Thadaka is called Charitra Vana.
Before reaching Charitra vana, Viswamitra along Rama and Lakshmana stayed in Hajipur,where a statute of Lord Rama is found along with his foooprints,
Haji Shamshuddin, king of Bengal erected a mosque in Hajipur .
He also established Hajipur as his capital.
Raja Thodarmal also lived here.
Siddhashram: Buxar, Bihar: Rishi Vishwamitra’s Siddhashram was located not too far from Baksar. Siddhashram, according to Adhytma Ramayan was a social ashram where religious instruction was imparted to people. Shri Ram and Lakshman sojourned in the ashram for three days after Shri Ram killed Mareech and Subahu, the demons who were tormenting Rishi Vishwamitra by dirtying his Yagna (fire sacrifice) with bones and blood. Lakshman destroyed an entire demon force brought by Subahu while Shri Ram took on the mightY Mareech, son of Tadka, the demoness he had done away with earlier. There are villages existing today on the banks of the River Ganga with the names Mareech and Subahu.
Ahilya Uddhar – Ahroli, Buxar, Bihar: Three kilometers from Buxar in the northern direction is the village Ahroli. Rishi Gautam had his ashram here.
According to Ram Charita Manas it was here that Shri Ram delivered Ahilya, the beautiful wife of Rishi Gautam, from a curse of her husband, which had turned her into stone. When Shri Ram and Lakshman left Siddhashram they crossed River Ganga and River Sonbhadra and set foot on the soil of Ahroli village, which still exists in Buxar district.
Every year, on the 18th day of Pausha month (Dec/Jan), a large number of people throng to Ram Rekha Ghat for Makar Sankranti fair. Popularly known as Khichari mela, the fair draws thousands of people who come to the ghat to take bath in the Ganges.
Mahabharats’ Nakula’s temple is in Charitra vana.
Buxar Thadaka Vana is 118 km from Buxar Railway Station and 1.5 km from Buxar Railway Station.
My article Difference ‘Between Viswamitra Kaushika Gotras Why No Bharata’ is being read widely and there have been comments on it, most of them thanking me for clarifying the issue.
There are some comments which differ from the others.
I am replying for some relevant ,in my opinion important comments.
One of them states that I should refrain from writing articles on this subject as the definition and explanation of Brahma Rishis is not clear.
I quote,
I belong to KAUSHIKA GOTHRA. I still doubt about the concept of BRAHMARISI. Even Sage Vashista as per Mahabharatha is different from BRAHMARISHI VASHISTA.. It is better not to write articles on this for the following reasons. It is a well known fact the PROGENITOR OF BOTH VISWAMITHRA AND KAUSHIKA GOTHRAS is SAGE KUSHIKA –A MANASA PUTHRA OF BRAHMA. hen how can be descendents of KUSHIKA NOT BE CALLED AS BRAHMARISHIS. Further sage Kaushika is one of the five rishis eligible to givE DEEKSHA IN SIVAGAMAS and ne of the FIVE GOTHRAS NOMINATED FOR ACHARYASTHANA. There are different versions about GADHI–THE BRAHMA RAJAN OF KUSHIKA GOTHRAS. As per DEVI MAHATMAYAM he is son of SAGE KATHA OF KUSHIKA LINEAGE and he is mentioned as KADI BROTHER OF KAUSHIKI WHO BECAME A RIVER. Further GODDESS PARVATHI WAS BORN AS A DAUGHTER TO SGE KATHA AS KATHYAYINI. And there is also anoter sage KATHYAYANA son of KATHA RISHI the famous author of KATHYAYANA SUTRA. It is only from RAMAYANA the story of VISWAMITHRA BEGINS. Here the son of KATHA SAGE is mentioned as GADHI AND NOT KATHI. Further the descendents of SAGE KUSHIKA did not want o become purohits and performed RAJAYA DUTIES. They are not born KSHATRIYAS since they did not belong to five clans of KSHATRIYAS–BRAHMA/NAGA/SURYA/SOMA/AGNI VAMSAS. Hence to consider all descendents of KAUSHIKA is incorrect bu they were only Brahmins performing Rjanya duties. Let us restrict ourselves about VIWAMITHRA’S CONTRIBUTION and need not go about whether he is a KSHATRIYA OR NOT’
1.I shall continue writing about what I find in the Sruthi and Smriti.
Saptha Rishis.
I present facts.
If some one has a different view they are welcome to post their comments with authentic source/Links.
If they are authentic, I shall write on the subject with my views, with corrections over my earlier view.
I am of the opinion that Knowledge , especially in Hinduism , is an open source.
So long as the information does not run contradictory to Sruthi, It has to be taken as final .
And this is my view.
I shall be writing on Brahma Rishis in detail.
There seems to be some apprehension in some quarters that the origin of the rishis might reflect on the descendants present social standing.
This is not warranted if one understands that lineage is determined by disposition and Character and not birth as a matter of right.
This is probably the reason for the proverb in Tamil that states that one should not look deeply into the origin of Rishis and rivers for in both the cases the origins may not be worth to begin with.
A Sage like Viswamitra was not recognised among the Rishis when he was a powerful King as Kaushika.
But once he became a Brahma Rishi he was venerated to the extent that his Gayatri Mantra has been the most elevated Status in Hinduism, notwithstanding his origin.
There was another comment which is connected to this comment, though it may not appear so, is
‘Which Gotra is superior?’
If we take the Puranas as the authority all the Puranas name Kashyapa.
We can not really say Kasyapa gotra is superior to all the other Gotras, because,
Sage Bharatwaja, Atri and Sikleetha were described as the father of Mahalakshmi at different times.
Then there are the Saptha Rishis.
They are eternal and their composition changes Manvantara to Manvantara.
So they have to be given the utmost respect.
The message is not to look for the origins of the Rishis and engage oneself in debates as to which Gotra is superior, but to follow the Path given by the Rishi assigned to each Family and adhere to the appropriate Sutras.
Great Grand Father, Grand Father, Father, Self and son!
In case where the Sages had more than one wife, then the Gotra of the son of each wife is added.
”
It may be noted in the Pravara,three or Five Rishis are mentioned.
For example, Kasyapa, Apasthara, Naithruva’
This is different from Kasyapa Gotra.
There is another Pravara for Kasyapa Gotra as well.
Kasyapa, Aavatsaara, Daivala.
The same with the other Rishis.
Sometimes three Rishis are mentioned and at times Five.
Why?
One view is that these references are to the excellent ancestors from the Gotra.
My view is that , if that be case the first Rishi should always be the founder.
But , as in Nythruva Kasyapa, Kasyapa does not appear as the First Rishi but it is Naithruva.
Reason is that many Rishis have more than one wife and many children through each of them.
Kasyapa had more than one wife.
The Prajapati Daksha gave his thirteen daughters (Aditi, Diti, Kadru, Danu, Arishta, Surasa, Surabhi, Vinata, Tamra, Krodhavasha,Idā, Vishva and Muni in marriage to Kashyapa.
Though the Father is one, mother is different.
To identify and emphasize the differentiate, the three or Five Rishis are mentioned.
Traditionally the first wife’s son carries the Father’s name as Gotra and the others the son of the Second or third wife and but to make the reference correct the founder is mentioned later in the Pravara’
Why No Bharata in Viswamitra Gotra?
In the case of Viswamitra, we have two Pravaras,
Koushika: Vaiswaamitra,Aghamarshana,Koushika.
Viswamitra: Vaiswaamitra,Devaraata, Owtala.
There seems to be no sons mentioned other than the fifty sons being banished by Viswamitra to Dravida Desa.
(Reference History of Tamils by PT Srinivasa Iyengar)
Their descendant Apasthamba established the Apasthamba Sutra , which is being followed by Brahmins of South India(South of Vindhyas).
Since the Dravidians and Bengalis were considered by the people viswamitra do not find a mention in the Gotra,
Though King Bharata after whom India is named as Bharatavarsha,is the grand son of Viswamitra(through his daughter Shakuntala), Bharata’s name does not appear in the Gotra because Gotras are through the Male Child.
Why Two Pravaras for Viswamitra?
Viswamitra was called Kaushika in his early days , before he became a Raja Rishi and was christened as Viswamitra(Friend of the Universe)
Because he became a Brahma Rishi he was considered as a Brahmin by behaviour and Penanance.
( This is yet another example of disposition and character determing The Varna, loosely translated as Caste)
So the Kaushika Gotra probably indicates the lineage of Viswamitra in his early days and Viswamitra Gotra , after he became a Raja Rishi.
I received a comment for my Post Brahmin Migration 8000 years ago, DNA Proof.
Scroll down for Video.
This is it.(in Facebook)
“Hey, I visit this page often. The one posted here is quite confusing. There is a sentence,”Tamil quotes the Vedas and they quote Tamil.”… what does this mean exactly? Does it mean Vedas are classified in Tamil language? Does these Samhitas, Upanishads etc are in Tamil not in Sanskrit. If this is true then, Vedavyasa would be knowing Tamil, then he is a Dravidian. But he is born on the banks of river Yamuna a fisher woman and Parashara, son of Vasishta. The article talks about Rama’s ancestors, who are Dravidians migrated to North; this again implies many of north Indians are Dravidians. Then this disapproves the theory of migration of Aryans to Northern Indus region….quite confusing article. If meticulously read, it confuses still more.”
Well, the mistake is mine,
Vedas
It was remiss of me not to have written a Post on the subject of Tamil and Vedas quote each other.
The same is the case with Ramayana and Mahabharata.
To clear the readers question ,
Tamil langauge does not have Vedas.
Vyasa was not born in the South.
The Aran Invasion is a Myth.Please read my Post on this
Now coming to Vedas and Tamil quoting each other.
The Vedas do not refer to Tamil language directly, but it mentions the produce of Tamil Region, Sandalwood,Elephant Tusks,Pearls,special wood being used to kindle Homa Fire.
Vedic Rishi, Viswamitra banished his son to Dravida Desa and their descendant Apasthamba ,compiled the Apasthamba Sutra, combining the best of Vedic practices and Tamil Practices.
‘Equating Dasyu with Manu is extremely significant. If Manu in this context were to represent the figurehead from whom all Arya descended, than this one statement, clearly seeks to differentiate origins of the Dasyu from the Arya. Since we know that Nahusa is a descendant of Manu and therefore the oft mentioned five tribes of Nahusa would also have descended from Manu, does this one statement then establish that the Dasyu, whoever else they may have been, were not people that belonged to the five tribes?
We have already seen above that the Dasa were a tribe and that they were “subdued” by the Arya. The question that remains to be answered is, were they one amongst the five tribes of Nahusa or distinct from the five tribes?
Verse RV 6.022.10 suggests that they were not one amongst the five tribes
RV 6.022.10 Give us confirmed prosperity, O Indra, vast and exhaustless for the foe’s subduing. Strengthen therewith the Arya’s hate and Dasa’s, and let the arms of Nahusas be mighty.
Why would the “arms” of Nahusa become “mighty” if one of its own constituents were subdued? The only plausible explanation therefore is that the Dasa tribe was not one of the five tribes.
Reaffirmation that the Dasa were a tribe (viz) may be found in Mandala II – RV 2.011.04. Indeed, the suggestion is that the Dasa were a collection of tribes.
RV 6.011.04 We who add strength to thine own splendid vigour, laying within thine arms the splendid thunder- With us mayst thou, O Indra, waxen splendid, with Surya overcome the Dasa races (viz).
Based on the evidence we have considered so far, it seems clear that the Dasa were a collection of tribes, distinct from the five tribes of Nahusa. While we can say for sure that the Dasyu were a people not part of the five tribes, whether they too were a distinct tribe or somehow related to the Dasa is not yet clear.’
Based on the present available evidence it may be stated that the Dasyu were not a part of the basic five tribes of the Rig Veda,
This could denote those who did not worship Agni, Fire, who were treated as Heretics.
This description fits the people of Dravida Desa, who did not worship Agni but Shiva.
This also confirms that the Shiva worship was in the South , they did not worship Fire,and were treated as outsiders by the Rig Veda.
But other practices of the Vedas were followed by the Dravidas, Tharpana, Yagas and Yagnyas.
Sage Agasthya who composed Rig Vedic Hymns is credited, along with Lord Shiva, as the Founder of the Tamil Language.
“When we look at the Vedic Rishis, and their mantras, associations with later Siddha and Natha traditions, and their powers in the Epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata, we begin to see how they are much like the Nathas and Siddhas of later times also.
Agastya for example, teaches Rama the Solar-King in the Ramayana text in the science of Brahmastra (the weapon chant). These astras are found everywhere in Vedic texts, especially in the texts such as Mahabharata, where the mentors of the Aryan cousins, Kauravas and Yadavas are taught these by Drona, Bhishma and Karna.
These arte part of the Vedic martial arts systems, which are traced back to Parshurama, historically, Rama Jamadagni, the son of Vedic Rishi Jamadagni of the Bhargava (Brighu) Seer family. Interestingly, in southern regions such as Kerala, he and his Vedic martial arts traditions are still honoured.
The Rig Vedic Maruts appear to have had this science, as per their description as Seer-warriors, as also the Dhanurvidya (martial science) is described as a Vedic science in the early Upanishads, such as Brihadaranyaka.
The Vedic Gods, such as the Ashwins, the founders of Ayurveda or Vedic Medical Science, are also portrayed like Siddha or Nathas of later times, with their mystical, almost yogic powers.
One verse of the Rig Veda (VII.67.5) asks the Ashwins to assist us in battle with their powers (shaktis) and actually refers to them as Shachipatis or Lords of the Shakti or Power.
The Shakti is the yogi’s power in later Hinduism, and here seeing it appearing as a feminine term also shows it’s importance in relation to the Vedic Gods, and the siddhis (mystical yogic powers), since the Ashwins perform many feats through it.
They make cripples walk (I.117.19) and the blind to see (VIII.68.2), and put together the body of the Seer Shyava that was sliced in three (II.118.24) and restore the head of Seer Dadhyak’s with that of a horse (I.117.24), in the Rig Veda.
The Queen, Vispala is given a golden left by the Ashwins, after hers is cut off in battle (RV.I.118.8). She is then able to fight again.’
Tamil On Vedas.
அறு வகைப் பட்ட பார்ப்பனப் பக்கமும் ஐ வகை மரபின் அரசர் பக்கமும் இரு மூன்று மரபின் ஏனோர் பக்கமும் மறு இல் செய்தி மூ வகைக் காலமும் நெறியின் ஆற்றிய அறிவன் தேயமும் நால் இரு வழக்கின் தாபதப் பக்கமும் பால் அறி மரபின் பொருநர்கண்ணும் அனை நிலை வகையொடு ஆங்கு எழு வகையான் தொகை நிலைபெற்றது என்மனார் புலவர். — Tolkkappiyam 2.16
The Dweeling Place of the Brahmins in the south, Agrahara is described in the Perumpaanatupadai, a Sangam work, which is dated around 3000 years ago.
This is from Tholkaapiyam ,the earliest Tamil work, dated around 3000-5000 Years back.
This could be older.
This poem describes the Brahmin presence in Tamil Nadu, then Dravida Desa.
Tamil Grammar assigns Gods for each of the five landmass, Kurinji, Marutham,Mullai, Neydhal and Palai.
Vedic Gods in Tholkaapiyam.
I shall be writing on how Ramayana , Mahabharata quote Tamil and how Tamils quote them.
Shiva, Image credit.www. stephen Knapp.com
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