Brahmin

This page deals with the Hindu varnas. For other uses of this word and similar words, see Brahmana, Brahman and Brahman (disambiguation). For the family of moths known as brahmin moths, see Brahmaeidae

A Brahmin (anglicized from vernacular pronunciation /brahmən/ of Sanskrit brāhmaṇa, properly an adjective "relating to a brahmán, Brahmanical") ; also known as Brahman (Sanskrit brahmán "belonging to bráhman"), Vipra, or Dvija "twice-born", is the priestly class in the Hindu varna system, and a caste in the caste system of Hindu society, considered to be the highest level in the caste system.

Brahmins are one of many minority groups in India. In 1931 (the last Indian census to record caste), Brahmins accounted for 4.32% of the total population. Brahmins even in Uttar Pradesh, where they were most numerous, constituted just 9%. In Tamil Nadu they formed less than 3% and in Andhra Pradesh, less than 2%..

History

Main article: History of Hinduism

The history of the Brahmin community in India begins with the Vedic religion in ancient India. The Vedas are the primary source of knowledge for brahmin practices. All the sampradayas of Brahmins take inspiration from the Vedas. According to Brahmin tradition, it is believed that Vedas are apaurusheya (not written by either humans or God) and anādi (beginning-less), but are revealed truths of eternal validity. Accordig to Rigveda, chapter 10, brahmins wre created from the mouth of Purusha. According to Manusmiriti chapter 1 verse 31 "He" [God] caused brahmins to proceed from "His" mouth.Manusmiriti verse 93 chapter 1 says "As brahmins sprang from mouth, as he wasthe first born and as he possesses the Veda he is by right, the Lord of this whole creation. Verse 99 chapter 1 of Manusmiriti says "A brahmin coming into existence, is born as the highest on earth lord of all created beings.... Verse 100 says "Whatever exists in the world is the property of the brahmana; on account of the excellence of his origin the brahmana is indeed entitled to all.

The Vedas are considered Śruti (that which is heard, signifying the oral tradition). The Vedas are the primary source of knowledge for all Brahmin traditions, both orthodox and heterodox. All religions of Brahmins and all traditions, in one way or other, take inspiration from the Vedas. Traditional Brahmin accepts Vedas as apaurusheyam (not man-made), but revealed truths and of eternal validity or relevance and hence the Vedas are considered Srutis that which have been heard and are the paramount source of Brahmin traditions and is believed to be divine. These Srutis include not only the four Vedas (the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda and the Atharvaveda), but also their respective Brahmanas.

Brahmin Communities

See also: Brahmin communities

As a matter of fact, the divisions among the Brahmins are so numerous that it is very difficult to provide an accurate list. Major Brahmin castes in the Indian Continent include , Chitpavana Brahmins,Dadhich brahmins/ dahmima/dayama brahmins, Daivajna Brahmins, Deshastha Brahmins,Dravida Brahmins,Gaud brahmins, Gouda Saraswat Brahmins, Havyaka Brahmins, Hoysala Karnataka Brahmins, Iyers, Kandavara Brahmins, Karade Brahmins, Karhada Brahmins, Kayastha Brahmins, Khandelwal Brahmins, Kota Brahmins, Konkanastha Brahmins, Koteshwara Brahmins,Mathil Brahmins, Nagar Brahmins, Namboothiri Brahmins, Niyogi Brahmins, Padia Brahmins, Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins, Saklapuri Brahmins, Sanketi Brahmins, Saraswat Brahmins,shree gaud brahmins,Shivalli Brahmins, Smarta Brahmins, Sthanika Brahmins, Thenkalai Iyengars, Tuluva Brahmins, Vadagalai Iyengars, Vaidiki Brahmins and Vaishnava Brahmins. .

According to an account, Brahmin castes in the Indian subcontinent are divided into two regional groups: Pancha-Gauda Brahmins and Pancha-Dravida Brahmins as per the shloka,

कर्णाटकाश्च तैलंगा द्राविडा महाराष्ट्रकाः,
गुर्जराश्चेति पञ्चैव द्राविडा विन्ध्यदक्षिणे ||
सारस्वताः कान्यकुब्जा गौडा उत्कलमैथिलाः,
पन्चगौडा इति ख्याता विन्ध्स्योत्तरवासिनः ||

This classification occurs in Rajatarangini of Kalhana and is mentioned by Jogendra Nath Bhattacharya in "Hindu Castes and Sects." As per this classification, the two groups of Brahmins are further divided into 5 sub-groups:

Panch Gaur (the five classes of Northern India): 1) Saraswata, 2) Kanyakubja, 3) Gaudra, 4) Utkala, and 5) Maithila. In addition, for the purpose of giving an account of Northern Brahmins each of the provinces must be considered separately, such as, North Western Provinces, Gandhar, Punjab, Kashmir, Sindh, Rajputana, Kurukshetra, Oudh, Cetral India, Trihoot, South Bihar, Orissa, Bengal, Assam etc.

Panch Dravida (the five classes of Southern India): 1) Andhra, 2) Dravida (Tamil and Kerala), 3) Karnataka, 4) Maharashtra, 5) Gujarat.

In Andhra Pradesh, Brahmins are broadly classified into 2 groups: Vaidika (educated in vedas, performing religious and secular vocations) and Niyogi (performing only secular vocation), which are further divided into several sub-castes.

In Bihar, majority of Brahmins are Bhumihar Brahmins and Maithili Brahmins.

In [Haryana][4] the brahmin classified in mainly Dahima/Dayama/Dahima brahmin,Gaud brahmin, Khandelwal brahmin.

In Karnataka, Brahmins belong to 3 major groups: Smarthas, the followers of Sri Shakanracharya, Madhvas (or Vaishnavas) who are the followers of Sri Madhvacharya, and Sri-Vaishnavas (Iyengars), who are the followers of Sri Ramanujacharya and Srimathe Vedantha Desikan.

In Kerala, Brahmins are classified into two groups: Namboothiris and Pushpakas (Ampalavasis). The major priestly activities are performed by Namboothiris while the other temple related activities known as Kazhakam are performed by Pushpaka Brahmins (Ampalavasis). Sri Adi Shankara was born in Kalady, a village in Kerala, to a Namboothiri Brahmin couple, Shivaguru and Aryamba and lived for thirty-two years. Both the Namboothiri Brahmins and Pushpaka Brahmins in Kerala now follow the Philosophies of Sri Adi Sankaracharya.

In Maharashtra, Brahmins are classified into three groups: Chitpavan Konkanastha Brahmins, Deshastha Brahmin and Karhade Brahmin . As the name indicates, Kokanastha Brahmin are from Konkan area. Deshastha Brahmin are from other plains region of Maharashtra. Karhade Brahmins are perhaps from Karhatak, an ancient region in India that included present day south Maharashtra and northern Karnataka.

In Punjab they are classified as Saraswat Brahmins.

In [rajasthan][5]the brahmin classified in mainly Dahima/Dayama/Dahima brahmin,Gaud brahmin,Sri gaud brahmin ,Khandelwal brahmin ,Gujar-Gaud brahmins.

In Tamil Nadu, Brahmins belong to 2 major groups: Iyer including dikshitar, shastri,sharma and gurukkal of Smarthas, the followers of Sri Adi Shankaracharya , Sri-Vaishnavas (Iyengars), who are the followers of Sri Ramanujacharya's vision.

Gotras and Pravaras

See also: Classification of Brahmins

In general, gotra denotes all persons who trace descent in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as ' apatyam pautraprabh*rti gotram' (IV. 1. 162), which means 'the word gotra denotes the progeny (of a sage) beginning with the son's son. When a person says ' I am Kashypasa-gotra' he means that he traces his descent from the ancient sage Kashyapa by unbroken male descent. According to the Baudhâyanas'rauta-sûtra Viśvāmitra, Jamadagni, Bharadvâja, Gautama, Atri, Vasishtha, Kashyapa and Agastya are 8 sages; the progeny of these eight sages is declared to be gotras. This enumeration of eight primary gotras seems to have been known to PâNini. The offspring (apatya) of these eight are gotras and others than these are called ' gotrâvayava '.

The gotras are arranged in groups, e. g. there are according to the Âsvalâyana-srautasûtra four subdivisions of the Vasishtha gana, viz. Upamanyu, Parâshara, Kundina and Vasishtha (other than the first three). Each of these four again has numerous sub-sections, each being called gotra. So the arrangement is first into ganas, then into pakshas, then into individual gotras. The first has survived in the Bhrigu and Ângirasa gana. According to Baud, the principal eight gotras were divided into pakshas. The pravara of Upamanyu is Vasishtha, Bharadvasu, Indrapramada; the pravara of the Parâshara gotra is Vasishtha, Shâktya, Pârâsharya; the pravara of the Kundina gotra is Vasishtha, Maitrâvaruna, Kaundinya and the pravara of Vasishthas other than these three is simply Vasishtha. It is therefore that some define pravara as the group of sages that distinguishes the founder (lit. the starter) of one gotra from another.

There are two kinds of pravaras, 1) sishya-prasishya-rishi-parampara, and 2) putrparampara. Gotrapravaras can be ekarsheya, dwarsheya, triarsheya, pancharsheya, saptarsheya, and up to 19 rishis. Kashyapasa gotra has at least two distinct pravaras in Andhra Pradesh: one with three sages (triarsheya pravara) and the other with seven sages (saptarsheya pravara). This pravara may be either sishya-prasishya-rishi-parampara or putraparampara. When it is sishya-prasishya-rishi-parampara marriage is not acceptable if half or more than half of the rishis are same in both bride and bridegroom gotras. If it is putraparampara, marriage is totally unacceptable even if one rishi matches.

Sects and Rishis

Due to the diversity in religious and cultural traditions and practices, and the Vedic schools which they belong to, Brahmins are further divided into various subcastes. During the sutra period, roughly between 1000 BCE to 200 BCE, Brahmins became divided into various Shakhas (branches), based on the adoption of different Vedas and different rescension Vedas. Sects for different denominations of the same branch of the Vedas were formed, under the leadership of distinguished teachers among Brahmins. The teachings of these distinguished rishis are called sūtras. Every Veda has its own sūtra. The sūtras that deal with social, moral and legal precepts are called Dharma Sutras, whereas those sūtras that deal with ceremonials are called Shrauta Sutras and domestic rituals are called Grhya Sutras. Sūtras are generally written in prose or in mixed prose and verse.

There are several Brahmin law givers such as Angirasa, Apasthambha, Atri, Brihaspati, Boudhayana, Daksha, Gautam, Harita, Katyayana, Likhita, Manu, Parasara, Samvarta, Shankha, Shatatapa, Ushanasa, Vashishta, Vishnu, Vyasa, Yajnavalkya and Yama. These twenty-one rishis were the propounders of Smritis. The oldest among these smritis are Apastamba, Baudhayana, Gautama, and Vasishta Sutras.

Practices

Brahmins adhere to the principles of Hinduism, such as acceptance of the Vedas with reverence, adherence to the position that the means or ways to salvation and realization of the ultimate truth are diverse, that God is one, but has innumerable names and forms to chant and worship due to our varied perceptions, cultures and languages. Brahmins believe in Sarvejanāssukhinobhavaṃtu — Let the entire society be happy and prosperous and Vasudhaiva kuṭuṃbakaṃ — the whole world is one family. Most Brahmins practice pescetarianism or vegetarianism.

Brahmins from South India performing Sandhyavandana

Traditional duties

The six duties of Brahmin are given as per the Sloka

adhyāpanam adhyāyānam
yajanam yajanam tathā
dānam pratigraham caiva

brahmanānāmakalpayāt

Teaching, study (svādhyāya), performing Yajna, make performing Yajna, accept Daana, and give Daana are the six duties of a Brahmin.

samodamastapah saucham
kshanthirārjavamevaca
jnanam vijnānamāstikyam

brahmakarma svabhavajam

In the ancient times the priests were expected to have control of their emotions, control of senses, purity, truthfulness, tolerance, simplicity, renounce material wealth and have sustenance from other community, belief in God, and studying and teaching of sacred scriptures.

The daily routine includes performing

• Snana (bathing),
• Sandhyavandana,
• Japa,
• Puja,
• Aupasana and
• Agnihotra.

The last two named Yajnas are performed in only a few households today. Brahmacharis perform Agnikaryam instead of Agnihotra or Aupasana. The other rituals followed include Amavasya tarpanam and Shraddha.

See also: Nitya karma and Kaamya karma

Diet

Brahmins, traditionally, can have only vegetarian diet.

In early days, brahmins who were proved to have consumed meat were banished from brahmin society. This practice was carried out till 19th century, roughly. Now the religious restrictions on diet are diluted. Many brahmins willingly have non-vegetarian diet today.

Samskaras

Main article: Samskara (rites)

Brahmins also perform sixteen major Samskaras (rites) during the course of their lifetime.

• In the pre-natal stage,
  • Garbhadharana (conception),
  • Pumsavana (rite for consecrating a male child in the womb) and
  • Simantonnayana (rite for parting the hair of a pregnant woman) are performed.
• During infancy,
  • Jatakarma (birth ceremony),
  • Namakarana (naming ceremony),
  • Nishkarmana (first outing),
  • Annaprasana (first feeding solid food),
  • Choodakarana (first tonsure) and
  • Karnavedha (ear piercing) are performed.
• During childhood and adolescence of the child,
  • Vidhyarambha (starting of education),
  • Upanayanam (thread ceremony- initiation),
  • Vedarambha (starting of the study of the Vedas),
  • Keshanta or Godana (first shaving of the beard) and
  • Samavartanam or Snaana (ending of studentship) are performed.
• During adulthood,
  • Vivaha (marriage)
  • Nisheka and
  • Antyesti (funeral rites) are the main ceremonies.

Sampradayas

The three sampradayas (traditions) of Brahmins, especially in South India are the Smarta sampradaya, the Srivaishnava sampradaya and the Madhva sampradaya.

Brahmins in Buddhism

Brahmins feature extensively in Buddhist canonical texts i.e the Tripitaka, and are found among the chief disciples of the Buddha. The Brahmana Varga (section on Brahmins) contained in the Dharmapada lists down the Buddha's views on Brahmins

Brahmin bhikshus

• Abhaya Raja (built Mahabouddha temple with his descendants in Patan, Nepal in year 1604)
• Asvaghosa (wrote the 'Buddhacharita' and is considered along with Nagarjuna to have founded the Mahayana). His philosophy was favored in the court of King Kanishka.
• Atapa
• Bakula
• Bhitka (Buddha's fifth successor)
• Cuda Panthaka
• Dignaga
• Gopaka
• Guhyashila
• Harita (wrote the "Harita Dharmasutra")
• Humkara
• Jnanadharma
• Kacanna
• Kamashila (Kashmiri Pandit)
• Kalika
• Kumarajiva (was imprisoned in China for spreading Buddhism)
• Kanaka (Yamantaka Tantra)
• Kukuraja
• Manjushri (The mentor of Asoka)
• Padma (woman)
• Palden Dekyong
• Pingala-Koccha (preached to the Buddha the Cūlasāropama Sutta, after which he became a dedicated student of the Buddha)
• Radhasvami (another mentor of Asoka)
• Majnushrimitra
• Nagasena
• Narpola (student of Tipola)
• Sahara (master of Tipola)
• Sariputra
• Shantideva
• Shantarakshita (Kashmiri Pandit)
• Subha
• Subhadra
• Subrahman (coming father of Bodhisattva Maitreya)
• Tipola (Mahasiddha, from modern-day Bangladesh)
• Vakkali
• Vanavasi

Brahmin Bodhisattvas

Aryadeva (successor of Nagarjuna) Asangha (from Hinayana sect and Peshwar city founded the Yogacarya and established the Classical age of Buddhism)

• Bodhidharma (royalty of Pallava, from Kanchi) that went to China
• Brahmadatta
• Nagarjuna (founded the Shunyata concept and considered along with Asvaghosa to have founded the Mahayana)
• Kusanda Buddha
• Konagamana Buddha
• Kasyapsa Buddha
• Kshitagarbha
• Maitreya (Bodhisattva to come)
• Parmasambhava (founder of Vajrayana Buddhism)

Scriptures dedicated to Brahmin bhikkus

Because of the aim of the Brahmins, and the Buddha following on their path, several Buddhist texts have been dedicated to them.

• Annatara Brahmana Sutta: To a Brahmin
• Aññatra Sutta: To a certain Brahman (SN XII.46)
• Brahmana Sutta 1: To Unnabha the Brahman
• Cankii Sutta: To the Brahmin Cankii
• Esukaari Sutta: To the Brahmin Esukari
• Janussoni Brahmana Sutta: To the Brahmin Janussoni
• Ganakamoggallaanasuttam B: To the Brahmin Ganakamoggallaana
• Paccha-bhumika Sutta: To Brahmins of the Western Land (SN XLII.6)
• Saleyyaka Sutta A: The Brahmins of Sela
• Saleyyaka Sutta B: The Brahmans of Salahar"

In Kingdoms

There have been Brahmin Buddhists too in Buddhist kingdoms.

• In Cambodia (Sanskrit Kambhoja) there is an edict saying that King Jayavarman and his son Rudravarman build a monument in dedication of Lord Buddha and appointed a Brahmin to protect it.
• In Sri Lanka, Maha Adigar was the first Buddhist emperor of Sri Lanka, converting many to Buddhism.
• In 120 BC, the Indo-Greek King Milinda converted to Buddhism under sage Nagasena.
• The Shunga Dynasty is thought by neo-Buddhists as an anti-Buddhist dynasty but the Shungas themselves built a stupa dedicated to the Buddha at Baharut.

Brahmins in Jainism

• The founder of the new Jain religion was the Tirthankara or Jina Mahavira but his first convert was Indrabhuti (aka Gautamswami) the Brahmin, who headed a group of other Brahmins and converted them to Jainism. He was from the village Gobbar (also called Govarya) near Rajgriha.
• Sajjambhava was another born from Rajgriha and was elected the head of the Jain temple. He is famous for his composition of the "Dasavaikalika Sutra."
• Acharya Vidyanand is a Brahmin of the Dhigambar Jain sect and compiled in the Sanskrit language, "Ashta Shahastri" with eight thousand verses.
• Acharya Shushil Kumar, known better to Jains as "Guruji", was born a Vaidik in the Shakarpur village of the Haryana province. At the age of 15, he took Diksha (became a sanyassin) into the Sthanakvasi, a Swhetambara sub-sect.
• There is also a story about a wealthy Brahmin named Dhangiri in the town of Tumbhivan, who, when heard the sermons of the Jain Acharya Sinhgiri, while he regularly listened to but later lost his interest in wealth and decided to take the Diksha.
• Umasvati was a composer who was so loved by Jains that he is considered by the Dhigambar sect to be a Dhigambar member and the Svetambara sect to be a Svetambara member.

In Kingdoms

• The Jain Acharya Bhadrabahu of Pundravardhana is said to be the preceptor of Chandragupta Maurya of the Mauryan dynasty, grandfather of Ashoka the Buddhist ruler.
• A copperplate grant from the Gupta period found in the vincity of Somapura mentioned a Brahmin donating land to a Jain vihara at Vatagohali.
• A Brahmin general by the name of Vasudeva in the army of Kamadeva in the Vijayaditya dynasty had built a temple to Lord Parshvanath.
• The Kadamba kings of Palasika were Jain Brahmins who supported Jainism and gave land grants and erected many temples and hence, patronised Jainism. This supports the view that Jainism entered South India through the West and perhaps from Ujjayini itself.
• King Mrigesavarman of the Kadamba dynasty of palasika further went on to give grants to Yapaniyas, Nigranthas and Kurchakas.
• The Brahmin Haribhadra was a pupil of Jinabhadra (or Jinabhata) and Jinadatta and later received the title of "Suri" (an honorable epithet of learning Jain monks.)

Contributions to modern India

Brahmins have immensely contributed to the making of modern India and to the world in fields such as literature, science and technology, politics, culture, and religion. During the Indian independence movement, many Brahmins, including Mangal Pandey, Balgangadhar Tilak, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, C. Rajagopalachari, Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, Basawon Singh (Sinha), Yogendra Shukla, and Sheel Bhadra Yajee, to name just a few, were at the forefront of the struggle for freedom. Jawaharlal Nehru, a Brahmin, was the first Prime Minister of India. Other Brahmins who later attained this position are Morarji Desai, P.V. Narasimha Rao and Atal Behari Vajpayee. Among the great Brahmin scholars and writers are Nobel laureates Rabindranath Tagore and V. S. Naipaul and others like Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan, Subramanya Bharathy, Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar', Suryakant Tripathi Nirala, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay and Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. Great Brahmin scientists include Nobel Laureate Sir C.V.Raman and Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, and great Brahmin mathematicians include Srinivasa Ramanujan and C. P. Ramanujam.

See also

• Varnas
• Brahmin Communities
• Maithil Brāhamana
• Brahmanism
• Forward Castes
• List of famous Brahmins
• Social cycle theory

References

• Definitions: A Sanskrit English Dictionary by Sir Monier Monier-Williams
• Mayne's "Treatise on Hindu Law and Usage.
• Kane, Pandurang Vaman, "History of dharmasastra" (ancient and mediæval religious and civil law in India)
• Hindu Castes and Sects Jogendranath Bhattacharya.
• Andhra Viprula Gotramulu, Indla Perlu, Sakhalu by Emmesroy Sastri.
• History and Culture of Andhra Pradesh Rao PR.
• History of India Herman Kulke and Dietmar Rothermund.
• Acharalu sastriyataNarayanareddi Patil.
• Hindu Manners, Customs, and Ceremonies Abbe J. A. Dubois

External links

• The complete reference to Brahmins: Material from this site has been borrowed for this article with the permission form Dr. Vepachedu: [6]
• About Kerala Iyers, a.k.a Pattars , the brahmins who moved to Kerala centuries ago from Tamil Nadu
• List Of Andhra Brahmins And Surnames
• A Long List of Brahmin Castes and Sub-castes