Hindu culture Hinduism () is an Indian religion or ''dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global po ...

, a ''Pravara'' (Sanskrit for "most excellent") is a system of identity, particularly a family line. Pravaras is a particular Brahmin's descent from a ''

rishi ''Rishi'' () is a term for an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mentions in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "great yogis" o ...

'' (sage) who belonged to their ''

gotra In Hindu culture, the term gotra (Sanskrit: गोत्र) is considered to be equivalent to lineage. It broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor or patriline. Generally, the gotra ...

'' (clan).

Importance in Hindu Dharma

The Pravara has been extensively used in identifying one's ancestry and thus giving salutations to the listener. In vedic ritual, the importance of the pravara appears to be in its use by the ritualist for extolling his ancestry and proclaiming, "as a descendant of worthy ancestors, I am a fit and proper person to do the act I am performing." Generally, there are three, five or seven pravaras. The sacred thread

yajnopavita ''Upanayana'' ( sa, उपनयनम्, lit=initiation, translit=Upanāyanam) is a Hindu educational sacrament, one of the traditional saṃskāras or rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a preceptor, such as a ''guru'' ...

worn on

upanayana ''Upanayana'' ( sa, उपनयनम्, lit=initiation, translit=Upanāyanam) is a Hindu educational sacrament, one of the traditional saṃskāras or rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a preceptor, such as a ''guru'' ...

has close and essential connection with the concept of pravaras related to Brahmin gotra system. While tying the knots of sacred thread, an oath is taken in the name of each one of these three, five or seven of the most excellent rishis belonging to one's gotra. The full affiliation consists of (1)

Gotra In Hindu culture, the term gotra (Sanskrit: गोत्र) is considered to be equivalent to lineage. It broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor or patriline. Generally, the gotra ...

, (2) Sutra (of Kalpa), (3) Shakha, (4) Pravaras . (Example :) A brahmana named 'Rama' introduces himself as follows: I am 'Rama', of Sarvarna gotra, of Gobhil sutra, of Taittiriya shākha of Saamved, of five pravaras named Bhārgava, Chyāvana, Āpnavan, Aurva and Jāmdagnya (This example is based upon the example given by Pattābhirām Shastri in the introduction to Vedārtha-Pārijata, cf. ref.). While the ''gotras'' were classified initially according to seven rishis, the pravaras were classified under the names of the following seven rishis:

Agastya Agastya ( kn, ಅಗಸ್ತ್ಯ, ta, அகத்தியர், sa, अगस्त्य, te, అగస్త్యుడు, ml, അഗസ്ത്യൻ, hi, अगस्त्य) was a revered Indian sage of Hinduism. In the I ...

, Angirasa,

Atri Atri ( sa, अत्रि) or Attri is a Vedic sage, who is credited with composing numerous hymns to Agni, Indra, and other Vedic deities of Hinduism. Atri is one of the Saptarishi (seven great Vedic sages) in the Hindu tradition, and the on ...

Bhrigu Bhrigu ( sa, भृगु, ) was a rishi in Hinduism. He was one of the seven great sages, the Saptarshis, one of the many Prajapatis (the facilitators of Creation) created by Brahma. The first compiler of predictive astrology, and also the ...

(Bhargava), Kashyap,

Vashista Vasishtha ( sa, वसिष्ठ, IAST: ') is one of the oldest and most revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vashistha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the ''Rigveda''. Vashishtha an ...

, and

Vishvamitra Vishvamitra ( sa, विश्वामित्र, ) is one of the most venerated rishis or sages of ancient India. According to Hindu tradition, he is stated to have written most of the Mandala 3 of the Rigveda, including the Gayatri Man ...

. According to the listing of authors included in the verses in Rigved, the rishi

Jamadagni Jamadagni ( sa, जमदग्नि, lit=great fire) is a character in Hindu literature. He is regarded in Hindu tradition to be one of the Saptarishi (Seven Vedic sages) in the seventh, and the current age of Manvantara.Avalon, Arthur ( Sir ...

was a descendant of rishi

while the rishis Gautam and

Bharadvaja Bharadvaja ( sa, भरद्वाज, IAST: ; also spelled Bharadwaja) was one of the revered Vedic sages (maharishi) in Ancient India. He was a renowned scholar, economist, grammarian and physician. He is one of the Saptarishis (seven great ...

were the descendants of rishi Angirasa. The pravara identifies the association of a person with two, three (or sometimes five) of the above-mentioned rishis. It also signifies the ''Sutras'' contributed to different

Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute th ...

by those rishis. For example, Gothram has 2 rishis associated with it viz., Nidruva and Avatsara. Another Gothram in Andhra Pradesh has 7 Rishis associated with it viz. Aavatsara, Naidruva, Rebha, Raibha, Sandila, Sandilya. Pravaras also help in identifying different gotras bearing the same name. For eg: Harita Gotra with Pravaras Angirasa, Ambarisha, Yuvanaswa is different from Harita Gotra which has a single Pravara Vashishta.

Gotra Pravara

* Vasistha: *# Vasistha, Saktya, Parāsara *# Kauṇḍinya, Maitravaruṇa, Vasiṣṭha *Kapisa: Angiras,

Bharadwaja Bharadvaja ( sa, भरद्वाज, IAST: ; also spelled Bharadwaja) was one of the revered Vedic sages (maharishi) in Ancient India. He was a renowned scholar, economist, grammarian and physician. He is one of the Saptarishis (seven great ...

, Bārhaspatya, Vandana, Matavacha *Kundina Gautama: Angiras, Āyāsya, Kuṇḍina Gautama * Bharadwāja: Aṅgiras, Bārhaspatya, Bharadwāja *

Shaunaka Shaunaka ( sa, शौनक, ) is the name applied to teachers, and to a Shakha of the Atharvaveda. It is especially the name of a celebrated Sanskrit grammarian, author of the , the , the and six Anukramaṇīs (indices) to the Rigveda. He is ...

: Bhārgava, Saunahotra, Gritsamada *Vadula: Bhārgava, Vaitahavya, Sāvedasa * Srivatsa and

Vatsa Vatsa or Vamsa (Pali and Ardhamagadhi: , literally "calf") was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas (great kingdoms) of Uttarapatha of ancient India mentioned in the Aṅguttara Nikāya. Location The territory of Vatsa was located to the south of ...

: Bhārgava, Chyavana, Apnavān/Apnuvat, Aurava, Jāmadagnya (Paraśhurāma) * Sāvarṇa: Aurava, Chyavana, Bhārgava,

, Apnuvat * ĀAtreya: Atreya, Archanās, Syavasva * Kauśika: Vaiśvāmitra, Agamarṣaṇa, Kausika *Kalabodhana/Kalabaudha: Visvamitra, Āgamarṣaṇa, Kālabodhana/Kālabaudha * Bhārgava: Bhārgava, Tvaṣṭā, Viśvarūpa * Visvāmitra: *# Vaisvāmitra, Devarāta, Autala *# Vaisvāmitra, Ashtaka * Kauṇḍinya: Vāsiṣṭha, Maitravāruṇa, Kauṇḍinya *Kapinjala:

Vasiṣṭha Vasishtha ( sa, वसिष्ठ, IAST: ') is one of the oldest and most revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vashistha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the ''Rigveda''. Vashishtha ...

, Aindrapramada, Abharadvāsavya *

Harita Harita () is a king in Hindu literature. He is described to be the son of Yauvanāśva, and the grandson of King Ambarisha of the Suryavamsha dynasty. Harita is believed to have left his kingdom as a symbolic expiation of his sins. After comple ...

/Haritasa: *#

, Ambarīisa, Yuvanasva *# Angiras, Ambariṣa, Yuvanasva * Gautamas: Angiras, triyarushiya, pravaranvita * Maudgalya: (3 Variations) *# Angiras, Bharmyasva, Maudgalya *#Tarkṣya, Bharmyasva, Maudgalya *#Angiras, Dhavya, Maudgalya * Sandilya: (2 Variations) *# Kasyapa, Avatsara, Daivala *# *#Kasyapa, Daivala,

Asita Asita or Kaladevala or Kanhasiri was a hermit ascetic depicted in Buddhist sources as having lived in ancient India. He was a teacher and advisor of Suddhodana, the father of the Buddha, and is best known for having predicted that prince Siddhar ...

*Naidhruvakasyapa: Kasyapa, Avatsara, Naidhruva *

Kutsa Kutsa is a heroic figure of the Rigveda. Rigveda Kutsa appears in the Rigveda The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of ...

: Angirasa, Mandhātā, Kautsa *

Kapila Kapila ( sa, कपिल), also referred to as Cakradhanus, is a sage in Hindu tradition. According to Bhagavata Purana, he is the son of the sage Kardama and Devahuti, the daughter of the Svayambhuva Manu. Kardama had nine daughters, who wer ...

: Angirasa, Amahaiya, Orukṣaya *Kanva: (2 Variations) *# Angirasa, Ajamila,

Kanva Kanva (Sanskrit: कण्व '), also called Karnesh, was an ancient Hindu rishi of the ''Treta Yuga'', to whom some of the hymns of the ''Rig Veda'' are ascribed. He was one of the Angirasas. He has been called a son of Ghora, but this lineag ...

*#Angirasa, Kaura, Kanva *Parasara: Vasiṣtha, Saktya, Parasarya *

Upamanyu Upamanyu () is a rishi (sage) in Hinduism, best known for being a devotee of the deity Shiva, and being the leader of the ganas (Gāṇamtya). He is said to be the father or ancestor of the sage Kamboja Aupamanyava referred to in the Vamsa B ...

: Aindrapramada, Bhadravasavya * Āgastya:

, Tardhachyuta, Saumavaha * Gārgi: (2 Variations) *# Angirasa, Bharhaspatya,

, Sainya, Gargya *#Angirasa, Sainya, Gargya * Bādarāyaṇa: Angirasa, Parsadaśva, Ratitara * Kasyapa: (3 Variations) *# Kasyapa, Avatsara, Daivala *#Kasyapa, Avatsara,

*#Kasyapa, Avatsara, Naidhruva, Rebha, Raibha, Sandila and Sandilya * Sankṛti: (2 Variations) *# Āngirasa, Kauravidha, Sankṛtya *#Sadhya, Kauravidha, Sankṛtya * Suryadhwaja: Lakhi Maharṣi, Sorala, Binju * Daivaratasa: Visvamitra, Daivaratasa, Avudhala *Pauragutsa: Vidahavya, Travedasa, Tradadasyuhu *Ratitaras: Angirasa, Vairupya, Parshadas'va *Mauna Bhargavasa: Bhargava, Vitahavya, Savedasa

Example

Example transliteration of a pravara

चतुस्सगारा पर्यन्तं गो ब्रह्मणेभ्यः शुभम भवतु अन्गिरस भारद्वाज गार्ग्य शैन्य त्रयारिशयोः प्रवरांविता गार्ग्य भारद्वाज गोत्रः आपस्तम्ब सूत्रः यजुह शाखाधायी श्रीराम शर्मः अहम् भो अभिवादये ।। Example (Bharadvajasya Gotram): Chathusagara paryantham go-brahmane-bhyaha shubham bhavathu Aangirasa, Bharaspatya, Bharadwajasya Triyarusheya pravaranvita Bharadvajasya grotraha apastamba sutrah yajush(Yajurveda) Saakhadhayi (Your Name) Sharma aham bho abhivadhaye:

Explanation of the example

Line 1: Prologue: May the world be blessed from all the cows and Brahmanas across the four seas Line 2: The names and number of the main

s to whose lineage the person belongs Line 3:

of the person Line 4: The

sutra ''Sutra'' ( sa, सूत्र, translit=sūtra, translit-std=IAST, translation=string, thread)Monier Williams, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, Entry fo''sutra'' page 1241 in Indian literary traditions refers to an ap ...

that the person follows Line 5: The

veda upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...

shakha that the person belongs to Line 6: Name of the person followed by 'SHARMA' Line 7: Aham bho abhivadhaye meaning greetings/salutations

References