The 20 Gothrams

August 7, 1995

>06 Aug 95 09:14:42 EDT

>"V. Sadagopan" <75041.3037

>Prapatti <prapatti

>There are 20 Gothras. Each has its own three Rishis, which are referrred to in

>the Pravaram.I will list the 20 Gothras/Pravaras and illustrate one of the

>famous Gothras with details .

>

>.GOTHRAM

>PRAVARAM

>**************

>*********************************************

>1. Bharadwaja ------------------------------ Aankirasa, Bhaarhaspatya,

Bharadwaja

>2. Shatamarshana ------------------------ AAnkirasa, Powrukutsa,Traasatasya

>3 .AAtreya-------Atreya,Aarchanaasa,Syaavaasva

>4 .Vatula--------Bhargava,Vaitahavya,Saavedasa

>5 .Srivatsa------Bhargava,

Syaavana,AApnavaana,Owrva,Jaamadaghnya

>6. Kowsika---Vaiswaamitra,

AAgamarshana,Kowsika

>7. Viswamitra-------------------------------- Vaiswaamitra,Devaraata, Owtala

>8. Kowndinya-------------------------------- Vaasishta,Maitraavaruna, Kowndinya

>9. Harita-------AAnkirasa, Ambarisha,Yuvanasva

>10. Mowdkalya(3 Variations)------------(1) AAnkiras,Bharmyasva,Mowdgalya

(2)Tarkshya,Bharmyasva,Mowdgalya

(3) AAnkirsa, Dhavya, Mowdgalya

>11.Sandilya (2 Variations)-----------------(1) Kasyapa,Aavatsaara,Daivala

(2) Kasyapa,Aavatsaara,Sandilya

>12.Naitruvakaasyapa--------------------Kasyapa,Aavatsara,Naitruva

>13.Kutsa--Aankirasa, Maandhatra,Kowtsa

>14.Kanva--------------------------------(1) Aankirasa, Ajameeda,Kaanva

> (2) Aankirasa,

Kowra, Kaanva

>15.Paraasara---------------------------(1) Vaasishta, Saaktya, Paarasarya

>16.Aagastya-----------------------------Aagastya,Tardhachyuta,Sowmavaha

>17. Gargi-------------------------(1)

Aankirasa,Bharhaspatya,Bharadwaja,Sainya,Gargya

(2) Aangirasa, Sainya, Gaargya

>18.Bhadarayana----------------Aankirasa,Paarshadaswa, Raatitara

>19.Kasyapa---------------------Kasyapa, Aavatsaara, Daivala

>20.Sunkriti ----------------------(1) Aankirasa,Kowravidha,Saankritya

(2)

Sadhya,Kowravidha,Saankritya

>

>Among the 20, based on an analysis of Pravaras, one can see the Aankirasa Rishi

>appears 12 times including multiple versions. Aankirasa is the Rishi with

>whom more than half of the Atharva Veda samhitas a re associated. An analysis

of

>the Rishis associated with the Veda Mantras will give info on the other Rishis

>associated with the twenty Gothras and their lineage.

>

>Sage Kanva is the father of Sakutala celebrated by Kaalidasa. Bhargava referes

>to the lineage of Bhrigu Maharishi, the foster father of Maha Lakshmi

worshipped

>as Bhargavi. . I will now say afew words about Shatamarshana Gothram. Natha

>Muni, Aalavandar(Yaamuna Muni) belong to this Gothram.Bharadwaja appears in

>Raamayanam .

>About Shatamarshana Gothram lineage, Before Shatamarshana: Ankiras,Purugutsar

>and Trasadasyuwere all born in this Gothram. Shatamarshana gothris are called

>Sreshtars or Sottai Kulam people in Tamil. Aalawandar refers to his reputed

>Lineage referring to his grandfather Nata Muni & Shatamarshana thi s way:: "

>

>Sadagopan

>

>P.S; I wonder How many Gothras are represented in our Study Group . Mine is

>Vatula Gothram.

"sottai nambi" son of Alavandhar (great grand son of Nathamuni) , one of the 74

mudhalis,

could be the reason for the name "sottai kulam". { Perhaps he was bald in some

usual part of

the head and was addressed that way!).

Question 1: I know that these 20 Gothrams covers Smarthas as well as Sri

Vaishnavas. Does

it cover all other castes as well?

Among Sri Vaishnavas, I think the most common is "Sri Vatsa Gothram". (including

mine).

All Chakravarthys are Srivatsa gotram.

Normally gothram is used to exclude marriage between people who trace to same

father's side lineage, however distant it may be. I think this concept is of

North Indian origin,

introduced mainly to have high birth rate.

{Incidentally, an Iyer lady and Iyengar man friends of mine who got married,

decided to

ignore the identical gothram, that they had! They had no common relatives for

atleast a

1000 years!.}.

K. Srinivasan

February 2, 2007

can anyone tell me more about Sathamarshana gotra? all along I have been thinking that my husband's gothram is Shadamarshana gotram. that is how it is mentioned in hisfamily. only now i know it is sathamarshana gotram. i read that this gotram is common is vaishvities. but we are smarthas. can someone thorw more light on this please?