PITU GOTRA PART 9 K RAJARAM IRS 8524//9524
The Skanda Purana explains in detail; and some of the gotras like SRIVATSA
LIKE WHOSE ORIGIN IS NOT TRACEABLE is found in Skandam KR
Chapter 115 - Gotras of Sages
Section 1 - Tīrtha-māhātmya
The sages said:
1-2. O highly intelligent one, do proclaim to us the name of that Brāhmaṇa
Trijāta. Whose son was he? What is his Gotra? What is his appellation? How
is he, though a Trijāta, greater than those people of noble birth, having
good qualities and radiant due to their brilliance and learning? It was by
him that his land of nativity was lifted up (rehabilitated).
Sūta said:
3. That excellent Brāhmaṇa was born of the race of Sage Sāṅkṛtya. He was
well known as Prabhāva. His appellation was Datta and he was son of Nimi.
4. After redeeming the native place he built an auspicious shrine of the
Trident-bearing Lord of Devas by the name Trijāteśvara.
5. Then some time, thereafter, he propitiated that Lord day and night with
great faith and went to heaven along with his physical body.
6. If one visits that Lord with true devotion and bathes him always on the
Viṣuva (Equinox) day, never shall a Trijāta be born in his family.
The sages said:
7. O Sūtanandana, recount to us the names of those Gotras that became
extinct and those that were re-established in that city.
Sūta said:
8-9. Like the four Gotras of those beginning with Śuka who disappeared
(left permanently) due to the fear of serpents, the following excellent
Brāhmaṇas did not come back: those of Upamanyu Gotra, those born of Krauñca
Gotra, those hailing from Kaiśorya Gotra and also those of Traivaṇeya Gotra.
10. I shall mention to you the remaining Brāhmaṇas of different Gotras.
Twenty-six are remembered as born of Kauśika family.
11. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, eighty-seven were born of Kaśyapa family;
twenty-one families born of Lakṣmaṇa’s family came back to that city.
12. Those who had vanished earlier came back again in great misery. Three
of the Bhāradvāja family and fourteen of the Kauṇḍanīya family came back.
13. Raitikas were twenty and Pārāśaryas eight; Gargas twenty-two and
Hārītas twenty-three.
14. The families of Aurvas and of Bhārgavas were cited as twenty-five;
those of Gautamas twenty-six and those of Ālūbhāyanas (v.l. Ālūtāyana) were
twenty.
15. The families of Māṇḍavyas were twenty-three, those of Bahvṛcas
twenty-three, those of Sāṃkṛtyas and Viśiṣṭas (? splendid) (or those of
distinguished Sāṅkṛtyas) were severally ten in number.
16. Further, Āṅgirasas were proclaimed as five in number; Ātreyas numbered
ten and the same in the case of Śuklātreyas.
17. Vātsyas are reckoned as five and Kautsas sixteen (nine and seven).
Śāṇḍilya sub-division of Bhārgavas are five and Mudgalyas are remembered as
twenty.
18. Baudhāyanas and Kauśalas are proclaimed as thirty; Atharvas fifty-five
and Maunasas seventy-seven.
19. Yājuṣas were thirty and the well known Cyāvanas were twenty-seven;
Āgastyas thirty-three and Jaimineyas only ten.
20. Naivṛta Brāhmaṇas were fifty-five and Pāṭhīnas seventy. Gobhila
Brāhmaṇas and Kākva Brāhmaṇas are remembered as five each.
21. Auśanasas and Dāśārhas are cited as three each. Further, there were
sixty families of Lokākhyas and those of the Aiṇiśas seventy-two.
22. Kāpiṣṭhalas, those designated as Śārkaras and Dattas were
seventy-seven, Śārkavas are mentioned as one hundred and Dārjyas
seventy-seven.
24. Nārāyaṇas, Śaunakeyas and Jābālas were one hundred in number. So also
were Gopālas, Jāmadagnyas, Śālihotras and Karṇikas.
25. Further Bhāgurāyaṇakas, Mātṛkas and Traiṇavas were also similar.
O excellent Brāhmaṇas, all these were excellent Brāhmaṇas in due serial
order.
26. It was for the consecration of all these that *forty-eight excellent
Brāhmaṇas* were announced formerly by the Self-born Lord.
27. All of them were separately directed by the Lotus-born Lord. The
enjoined rites were Sandhyā prayers, libations (Tarpaṇa to Pitṛs) and other
things connected with Vaiśvadeva, Śrāddhas, the rites in the different
Pakṣas (fortnights), balls of rice to be offered to the Pitṛs etc.
28. All the Pravaras connected with the rite of investing with the sacred
threads, the particularly significant Mauñjis as well as the various styles
of keeping hair-tuft were announced.
29. It was done by Trijāta after propitiating Pitāmaha, the Lord of Devas,
for the sake of those leading Brāhmaṇas and for his own reputation.
The sages said:
30. How was Brahmā pleased by the noble-souled Trijāta? How was the
Karmakāṇḍa (procedure of performing different religious rites)
differentiated by that noble-souled one? Do mention everything. We are very
much eager to know.
Sūta said:
31-33. For his sake, Prapitāmaha was propitiated by all the Brāhmaṇas: “O
Lord, our native land was entirely redeemed (and rehabilitated) by this one
alone.
Hence, O Lord, grant him the excellent knowledge of the Vedas so that the
different special rites can function here, in this excellent city.
O Lotus-born One, do manage everything with due expedients so that he can
have the status of preceptor with your favour, O Lord of Devas.”
34. Then Brahmā granted to him the excellent collection of the Mantras
whereby the meanings of the Vedas and (the procedure of) the Yajña rites
were entirely understood.
35-39. Then with a highly delighted mind, he told them all: “This one will
become richly endowed with the knowledge of the meaning of the Vedas. He
will become famous.
He will become well-known as Bhartṛyajña and will be an expert in the rites
of Yajña. Whatever he tells you in the matter of Karmakāṇḍa should be
unhesitatingly carried out by you for the sake of heaven and salvation. As
enlightened by my statements, he will explain the meanings of the Vedic
passages to you.
It shall be due (applicable)to you all who had abandoned this land and gone
to other lands and holy spots. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, this is the truth.
Whatever act he performs shall be with his intellect keenly rooted in the
Vedas. His speech shall never be directed towards falsehood or sin.”
40. After saying thus, Pitāmaha, the Lord of Devas, stopped. Bhartṛyajña
performed all those auspicious Yajña rites.
41. For the sake of the welfare of the Brāhmaṇas alone he expounded the
meaning of Śruti. All those excellent Brāhmaṇas were mentioned as having
ten valid authorities (or extended to ten).
42. In this manner, excellent Brāhmaṇas belonging to all the sixty-four
Gotras were brought together by the noble-souled Trijāta.
43. Thus, one thousand five hundred families collected there together in
one place. Trijāta made them enjoy pleasures in common and attain salvation.
44. Formerly, the income and expenditure were reckoned in the Gotra in
sixty-eight divisions or groups on the basis of the numbers of the men
(i.e. members) thereof.
45-46. But ever since then, at the instance of Trijāta the matter became
established in common pool.
Thereby, leading Brāhmaṇas used to come there from far-off lands and the
city flourished. No one abandoned the city on account of sufferings or
penury to go elsewhere, O Brāhmaṇas.
47. Then it became filled up with thousands of their sons, grandsons,
great-grandsons, daughters' son, nephews etc. to a great deal.
48. That city is flourishing, O Brāhmaṇas, with innumerable citizens like
the growth of the sprouts of Dūrvā grass, that grow from stem to stem.
Sūta said:
49. Thus the auspicious reckoning of the Gotras of the sages has been
narrated to you all. The recital thereof is destructive of all sins.
50. If anyone reads this daily or listens to it devoutly, he shall never
have extinction of his family on the earth any time.
51. He is liberated from sins committed ever since his birth upto death. He
never suffers separation from people near and dear.
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The Skanda Purana Chapter 9 - Different Spiritual Lineages and Their
Goddesses
Section 2 - Dharmāraṇya-khaṇḍa
Vyāsa said:
24-25. May this be heard, O tiger among kings. I am recounting the names of
ṃose noble-souled Brāhmaṇas who inhabited Dharmāraṇya, of the sages who had
sublimated their sexual energy and of their sons and grandsons.
26-32. O great son of Pāṇḍu, the Gotras of the Brāhmaṇas were twenty-four
in number.[1] Their branches and subsidiary branches, sons and grandsons
were numerous. Hundreds and thousands of sons were born. The names of the
(main) sages have been mentioned already. Listen to Pravaras (spiritual
lineages). I shall mention the names of twenty-four principal ones. They
are: (1) Bhāradvāja, (2) Vatsa, (3) Kauśika, (4) Kuśa, (5) Śāṇḍilya, (6)
Kāśyapa, (7) Gautama, (8) Chāndhana, (9) Jātūkarṇya, (10) Vatsa (?
repetition), (11) Vasiṣṭha, (12) Dhāraṇa, (13) Ātreya, (14) Bhāṇḍila, (15)
(from this onwards the persons are mundane i.e. not divine) Kṛṣṇāyana, (16)
Upamanyu, (17) Gārgya, (18) Mudgala, (19) Mauṣaka, (20) Puṇyāsana, (21)
Parāśara, (22) Kauṇḍinya, (23) Gāni, (24) Āsana. These are the twenty-four
Pravaras. The Pravaras of the Jāmadagnya Gotra are five only. They are: (1)
Bhārgava, (2) Cyavana, (3) Āpnuvāna, (4) Aurva and (5) Jamadagnika. O king,
these five Pravaras are famous and well-known in all the worlds.
33-34. Thus the Brāhmaṇas born of different Gotras (become) masters of the
Vedas. They regularly performed the worship and other rites befitting the
twice-born. They were devoted to different sacrificial rites. They were
endowed with all good qualities and were engaged in the six holy rites.
Thus were the extremely fortunate Brāhmaṇas (there) who hailed from many
different countries.
35-39. (Partially defective text) There is a third (?) Gotra called
Bhāmevasa (?). It has five Pravaras, viz. (1) Bhārgava, (2) Cyāvana, (3)
Āpnuvāna, (4) Aurva and (5) Jāmadagnya. The third one (? one that has three
Pravaras) consists of (1) Ātreya, (2) Arcanānasa and (3) Śyāvāsya. The
Brāhmaṇas born of this Gotra were defiled ones with crooked ways. They were
wealthy, righteous and masters of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas. All of them were
equally devoted to making liberal gifts as well as personal enjoyment. They
were greatly honoured (as experts) in the various rites both Vedic and
Smārta (i.e. laid down in the Smṛtis). The Brāhmaṇas in the Māṇḍavya Gotra
should be known as having five Pravaras, viz. (1) Bhārgava, (2) Cyavana,
(3) Atri, (4) Āpnuvāna and (5) Aurva. The Brāhmaṇas born of this Gotra do
regularly follow the Vedas and Smṛtis. They are sickly, avaricious and
defiled. They are engaged in worshipping for themselves or on behalf of
others. All the Māṇḍavyas are devoted to Brāhmaṇical holy rites, O foremost
among the descendants of Kuru.
40. Of those who are born in the Gotra of Gārgya, there are three Pravaras,
viz. (1) Aṅgiras, (2) Aṃbarīṣa and (3) Yauvanāśva the third.
41-43. Those who are born in this Gotra are speakers of truth and are of
good conduct. They are quiescent and are of different colours. They are
poor in wealth and habitually wear dirty clothes. They possess the
qualities of endearment and desire for close association. They are never
wayward in the adherence to the Vedas and Śāstras.
*There are five Pravaras, O king, of Brāhmaṇas in **the Vatsa** Gotra. They
are: (1) Bhārgava, (2) Cyavana, (3) Āpnuvāna, (4) Aurva and (5)
Jamadagnika. With these the five (types of) Brāhmaṇas are well-known as
having the form of Brahmā.*
44-46a. They are calm with self-control. They are of good conduct. They
have righteous sons. They are bereft of a regular study of the Vedas. They
are adepts in all activities. They have handsome features. They are
well-behaved and well-established in all holy rites. All of them practise
the righteousness of liberal gifts. All those Brāhmaṇas make gifts of food
and water. They are compassionate and conduct themselves nicely. They are
devoted to the well-being of all living things.
46b-49. Brāhmaṇas of Kāśyapa Gotra, O king, have three Pravaras, viz. (1)
Kāśyapa, (2) Āpavatsāra and (3) Naidhruva, the third. They are conversant
with the Vedas and are fair-complexioned. They are steadfast in their
convictions and regularly perform Yajñas. They are fond of their homes.
They are highly skilled and are always devoted to their preceptors. They
are of good status and of great honour. They are devoted to the welfare of
all living beings. The Brāhmaṇas of Kāśyapa lineage perform great
sacrifices.
Those born of Dhārīṇasa (Dhāraṇa in verse 29) Gotra have three Pravaras.
50-52a. They are named: (1) Agastidarva, (2) Śvetāśva and (3) Dadhyavāhana.
Those who are born in this Gotra keep up holy rites. All of them are
ruthless in their activities and they are gluttons. Their ears hang down
and their jaws are big. These Brāhmaṇas are greedy of wealth. They are
bad-tempered and are prone to hatred. They are awesome and fearful for all
living beings.
52b-53. The Brāhmaṇas born of Laugākṣasa (Gotra) strictly adhere to truth.
They have three Pravaras who are by nature seekers of truth. They are:
Kāśyapa, Vatsa and Vasiṣṭha, the third.
54-57. They are well-known as well-behaved Vaiṣṇavas of various occupations
and avocations. The Brāhmaṇas are dark-complexioned having profuse hairs
(all over the body). They are quiescent, of good conduct and of perfect
self-control. They are always loyal and faithful to their wives.
Those who are born of Kuśika Gotra, have three Pravaras. Those three are:
(1) Viśvāmitra, (2) Devarāta and (3) Audala. Those who are born in this
Gotra are feeble and of poor mental accomplishments. The Brāhmaṇas have the
habit of speaking untruth but the excellent kings (of this Gotra?) are of
splendid features. The Brāhmaṇas who are well-versed in Vedic study are
experts in all branches of learning.
58-61. Those who are of the same Gotra as Upamanyu have three Pravaras: (1)
Vasiṣṭha, (2) Bharadvāja and (3) Indrapramada. The Brāhmaṇas in this Gotra
are cruel and capricious. They are slander-mongers. They hate all others.
They are vain and mean-minded and are eager to amass everything. They are
experts in instigating quarrels. They are wealthy and proud. They are
always defiled and fond of the company of evil-minded persons. They are
sickly and weak with no proper arrangement for their livelihood.
*The Brāhmaṇas born of Vātsya Gotra have five Pravaras.*
*62-64. They are: (1) Bhārgava, (2) Cyavana, (3) Āpnuvāna, (4) Aurva and
(5) Jamadagnika.*
The Brāhmaṇas born of this Gotra are stout and versatile. They are devoted
to all activities and are unswervingly faithful to all righteous actions.
They are clever at debates regarding interpretations of Vedas and other
scriptures. They are engaged in performing sacrifices and helping others to
perform them. They are of good conduct and handsome in features. They are
far-sighted with a keen intellect.
Those of Vātsyāyana Gotra have five Pravaras.
65-67. They are: (1) Bhārgava, (2) Cyavana, (3) Āpnuvāna, (4) Aurva, and
(5) Jamadagnika. O descendant of Bharata, the Pravaras of this (Gotra) have
already been mentioned. Those who are born of this Gotra are always engaged
in Pākayajña (sacrifice with cooked food). They are congenitally avaricious
and hot-tempered. They have many progenies. They are engaged in holy baths,
liberal monetary gifts etc. They have their sense-organs under control.
They build tanks, wells and lakes in thousands. They habitually carry out
vows and observances. They appreciate merits. Those who are devoid of Vedic
study are fools.
68-70. Those who are born in Kauśika family have three Pravaras. They are:
(1) Viśvāmitra, (2) Aghamarṣī, and (3) Kauśika. The Brāhmaṇas of this Gotra
are knowers of Brahman (the Absolute). They are quiescent, with perfect
control over their sense-organs and are of good conduct. They are devoted
to all righteous activities. They are harsh and they do not have sons. They
are devoid of splendour (though they are) excellent Brāhmaṇas.
Those who are of the Bhāradvāja Gotra have five Pravaras.
71. Those five Pravaras are: (1) Āṅgirasa, (2) Bārhaspatya, (3) Bhāradvāja,
(4) Sainyasa, and (5) Gārgya. These should be known as their five Pravaras.
72-73. The Vāḍavas (Brāhmaṇas) who are born in this Gotra, are splendid
ones with ample wealth. They possess good garments, ornaments and
jewellery. They are devoted to Brāhmaṇas. All of them are eager to feed
Brāhmaṇas. They are engaged in every righteous activity.
Those who are born of Kāśyapa Gotra have three Pravaras.
74-76a. They are the three famous ones: (1) Kāśyapa, (2) Apavatsāra and (3)
Raibhya.
The Brāhmaṇas born of this Gotra are of ruthless red eyes. They are slaves
of their tongues (i.e. they are gluttons). All of them are seekers of
truth. They are poor and sickly. They are thieves and they speak lies. All
of them know the meanings of the scriptures. They are devoid of the Vedas
and Smṛtis.
76b-78. The Brāhmaṇas who are born of the family of Śunaka are devoted to
meditation. They are Yogins of good penance. They are masters of the Vedas
and Vedāṅgas. They are saintly people of good conduct and mode of life.
They are devotees of Viṣṇu.
Their body is short in stature. They are of different complexions. They
have many wives. They are excellent Brāhmaṇas. They are compassionate,
straightforward and quiescent. They are eager to feed Brāhmaṇas.
79. Those who are born of Śaunakasa have three Pravaras: (1) Bhārgava, (2)
Śaunahotra and (3) Gārtsyapramada.
80-82a. O king, the Vāḍavas born of this family are unbearable. They are
excessively gigantic, of huge bodies, tall and very haughty. Their
appearance shows afflictions (due to difficulties?). They are
dark-complexioned. They are clever masters of all scriptures. They eat a
lot. They are proud and clever. They are devoid of passion and hatred. They
are Brāhmaṇas who are devoted to Brahman. They are handsome and they wear
good garments and ornaments.
82b-85. Those who are born of Vasiṣṭha Gotra have three Pravaras. They are:
(1) Vasiṣṭha, (2) Bhāradvāja and (3) Indrapramada.
The Brāhmaṇas born of this Gotra are masters of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas.
They perform Yajñas regularly and make others too perform them. Their voice
is good. They are fond of happiness and ease. The wealthy are prone to hate
others. They are endowed with good qualities and have sons. They are
large-hearted, O king, heroic and capable of eliminating their enemies.
Those who are born of the same Gotra as Gautama have five Pravaras.
86-88. They are: (1) Kautsa, (2) Gārgya, (3) Umavāha, (4) Asita, and (5)
Devala. The Brāhmaṇas who are born of this Gotra are extremely holy. All of
them render help unto others. They are well-versed in the Vedas and Smṛtis.
They are crooked. They are hypocrites. They are prone to deceitful
activities. They are clever in polemical discussions about different
scriptural topics. They are fond of different types of jewellery. They are
adepts in the work connected with trees etc. They nurse anger for a long
time and are sickly.
89. Those who are born of Āṅgirasa Gotra have three Pravaras: (1) Āṅgirasa,
(2) Aṃbarīṣa, and (3) Yauvanāśva the third.
90-92. Those who are born of this Gotra are speakers of truth. They have
perfect control over their sense-organs. They are handsome in appearance.
Their countenance is splendid. They are moderate in eating. They carry on
great vows and observances. They are conversant with the Purāṇas. They are
always devoted to make liberal gifts. They are devoid of hatred (though)
greedy. They are devoted to the study of the Vedas. They are far-sighted
and have great splendour (but) they are deluded by great Māyā.
Those who are of the same Gotra as Śāṇḍila have three Pravaras.
93-95a. They are: (1) Asita, (2) Devala, and (3) Śāṇḍila. The excellent
Brāhmaṇas in this Gotra are very fortunate but humpbacked. They have
diseases of the eye. They are extremely defiled but are great renouncers. They
are not long-lived. They are experts in instigating quarrels. They are
eager to amass everything. They are dirty and proud. They are masters of
the Science of Planets and Luminaries (Astrology).
95b-99. Those who are born of the same Gotra as Ātreya have five Pravaras.
They are: (1) Ātreya, (2) Arcanānasa, (3) Śyāvāśva, (4) Aṅgiras, and (5)
Atri. The Brāhmaṇas who are born of this family, have splendour of the sun.
All of them are cool like the moon. They are well established in
Dharmāraṇya. They are of excellent conduct. They are very intelligent. They
are devoted to the Vedas and sacred scriptures. They regularly perform
Yajñas. Their behaviour is splendid. They are adherents of truth and
cleanliness. They are conversant with
105-107. Thereafter Siddhas, excellent Yoginīs including Śrīmātṛ and others
were installed on the grounds there for the protection of the Brāhmaṇas and
with a desire for the benefit of all the worlds. One Yoginī was installed
then for each Gotra.[2]
It was readily accepted there that the Śakti (power manifestation of
Goddess) who is capable of protecting and sustaining a Gotra, is the family
Goddess of that Gotra.
108-111. The Gotra-mothers are the following: Śrīmātṛ, Tāraṇīdevī, Āśāpurī,
Gotrapā, Icchārtināśinī, Pippalī, Vikāravaśā, Jaganmātā, Mahāmātā, Siddhā,
Bhaṭṭārikā, Kadaṃbā, Vikatā, Mīṭhā, Suparṇā, Vasujā, Mataṅgī, Mahādevī,
Vāṇī, Mukuṭeśvarī, Bhadrī, Mahāśakti, Saṃhārī, Mahābalā, Cāmuṇḍā the great
goddess. They have been installed there for the protection by Brahmā,
Viṣṇu, Maheśa and others.
112-117a. The prominent Brāhmaṇas worshipped them always. They were ever
engaged in their own duties. Since then the Yoginīs were safe in their own
time. The Brāhmaṇas regained their normal state surrounded by sons and
grandsons. Then Devas and Gandharvas were fully delighted in their minds.
They seated themselves in an excellent aerial chariot and went to heaven.
They fed themselves on nectar.
FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES:
[1]:VV 26-99 give the Gotras and Pravaras of the Brāhmaṇas settled in
Dharmāraṇya.
The connection of Gotra and Pravara is given by P.V. Kane (in HD II, i,
497) as follows:
“Gotra is the latest ancestor or one of the latest ancestors of a person by
whose name his family has been known for generations; while Pravara is
constituted by the sage or sages who lived in the remotest past, who were
most illustrious and who are generally the ancestors of the Gotra sages or
in some cases the remotest ancestor alone.”
It will be interesting to investigate the Gotra-Pravaras of the Brāhmaṇas
in Moharpur area of Mirzapur District and compare them with the lists given
here.
[2]:VV 108-111 explain the function of Gotra-devīs or Gotra-mātās of the
different Gotras of the Brāhmaṇas in Dharmāraṇya.
K Rajaram IRS Part 9 Pitu Gotra 8524//9524 TO BE CONTD
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