NAMPOOTHIRIES- GOTHRAM AND PRAVARAM Dearfriends,
Thefollowing are a few information I have collected and compiled fromNampoothiri.com long back. I am postinginteresting things as compilation. Long descriptions are avoided. Hope aninteresting reading. Sincerely, GopalaKrishnan 12-8-2021 4 GOTHRAM AND PRAVARAM It isbelieved that every Braahmanan family has descended from one ancestral Maharshi(great seer or sage) or the other, in whose name his Gothram is attached. There aredifferent versions in the Smrthis as to the number of Gothrams - 7, 8, 10, andso on, upto 48. "Manusmrthi" quotes 8, while "DharmaPradeepam" speakes of 48. The famous "Dasagothrams" (tenGothrams) are : | 1. Bhaaradwaajam, | 2. Kausikam, | 3. Vaatsam, | | 4. Kaundinyam, | 5. Kaasyapam, | 6. Vaasishttham, | | 7. Jaamadagnyam, | 8. Vaiswaamithram, | 9. Gauthamam, and | | 10. Aathreyam. | | | "VishnuBhaagavatham" has reference to the following set of seven sages(Saptharshis) : | 1. Mareechi, | 2. Athri, | 3. Angirass, | | 4. Pulasthyan, | 5. Pulahan, | 6. Krathu, and 7. Vasishtthan. | Severalamong the Saptharshis referred to in "Manusmrthi" as SwayambhuvaManu's progeny and ancestors are said to be creators of Rigveda Sookthams. TheSaptharshis of the present Vaivaswatha Manwantharam are : | 1. Vasishtthan, | 2. Kaasyapan, | 3. Athri, | | 4. Jamadagni, | 5. Gauthaman, | 6. Viswaamithran, and | | 7. Bharadwaajan. | | | TheChiranjeevis (those who live eternally) who are said to have become eligible tobe the next set of Saptharshisare : 1. Deepthimaan, | | 2. Gaalavan, | 3. Parasuraman, | | 4. Kripan, | 5. Dronan, | 6. Vyaaghan, and | | 7. Rishyasrngan. | | | 4 A PRAVARAM Pravaramsare sub-classes attached to each Gothram. The word literally means renowned,the best, the greatest, etc. Every Gothram has three or five Pravara-Purushans(great persons) whose names are attached to the Gothram thus defining thePravaram. Therefore, everyBraahmanan, just as he has a Gothram, has a specific Pravaram too. Theperformer of certain rituals like Ishti and Yaagam has to know which Pravaramhe belongs to, since he has to disclose it while doing them. Some Pakazhiyan(Aaswalaayanan) families have to say their Pravaram while performingUdakakriya. 4B GOTHRAM - PRAVARAM - CHARANAM : OCCASIONS FORCHANGE There are circumstances under which aNamboothiri family's Gothram, Pravaram and Charanam are to be changed. The occasions may be (1) "Dathu"(adoption), (2) "Penkoda"/ "Veli" (marriage) or (3) "Sarvaswa Daanam Vettirikkal" or"Vettirikkal". (1) "Dathu" : Adoption of a boy(Unni) or an adult (Namboothiri) by a family is done only when all the lines (Thaavazhi) (branches) of thefamily cease to have a fertile male and threat of extinction prevails. It is recognised only through a"Pathu Kayyu Dathu" (ten hands - the boy's and the two original and the two adopting parents). After adoption, the boy and all his descendantsmust follow a combination (ormixture) of the two Gothrams and Pravarams of the previous andnew families, if any of these aredifferent. Those alive in the family at the time of adoption, retain theirs. If later, yet another adoptiontakes place in this family, they take on a mixture of the two, if different, and so on. Adopting family loses their earlier duties, powersas well as Charanam and accepts those of the boy's original family. (2) "Penkoda" /"Veli" : The "Udakapoorvam" part of Namboothirimarriage ritual releases the bride from her father's Gothram, Pravaram andCharanam. The laterportion, "Paanigrahanam", of the ritual attaches her to the groom's Gothram, Pravaram and Charanam forthe rest of her life. (3) "Sarvaswa - DaanamVettirikkal" or just "Vettirikkal" : When all branches(Thaavazhi) of a family cease tohave a fertile male, instead of "Dathu", a girl of the family can begiven in marriage to a Namboothiri of another family, then receive both of themto the girl's house, and transfer theentire property and assets to him. The wife and their descendants then adopther husband's Gothram, Prvaram andCharanam (if different), and other prescribed duties. The other living members of the family continue to keeptheir own Gothram, Pravaram and Charanam. Some such families now do not know theiroriginal Gothram, Pravaram and Charanam, having been a long time after the event and the death ofthe then living members. Many mistakenlybelieve that Viswaamithra Gothram has no Pravaram. Even Namboothirs of thisGothram, have Pravarams such as Kaathyolkilam and Madhuchhandass. Inter-marriagebetween different Pravarams is not permitted within ViswaamithraGothram and therefore, many among this Gothram haveforgotten their Pravaram. AmongNamboothiris, in Kaasyapa Gothram, there is only one Pravaram, "NaidhruvamAavatsaaram". Inter-marriage is permitted within Aangirasa Gothram ifPravarams are different. Source : 1."Aarshajnaanam" - Nalappat Narayana Menon; Third Edition, October1981 (Mathrubhoomi Printing andPublishing Co. Ltd., Kozhikode) ."Namboothirimaarute Poorva Charithram" (Essays) - AadiriyedathNeelakandhan Bhattathiripad I will continue in next posting -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/264547758.1354862.1628753703076%40mail.yahoo.com.
