Vaishnavism in Daivajnas

Daivajna Brahmins are claimed as “SURYA VANSHI ARYA BRAHMAN’S”, as Lord Surya is one of the forms of Lord Vishnu, it is rightly said that Daivajna Brahmins belong to the Vaishnav cult.

• With regard to the Gokarna case, fought in 1927 .The Smarth Brahmin’s of Gokarna with a view that the Daivajna Brahmins would take over the Puja authority at Gokarna ,filed a case against the Daivajna Brahmins at Kumta court (22.10.1927).The case from Kumta court reached Karwar ,Bombay high court and has proved that Daivajna Brahmins belong to the Vaishnava Brahmin cult .

• The then Bombay census chief Mr. Drew has recorded the Daivajna Brahmins as top class Brahmins.

The order of census department of 1981:Mr. drew, superintend of the census of Bombay has ordered that the Daivajna should wrote as Daivajna Brahmins in the census, return accordingly, they are reported in the Brahmin class in 1891.

• In the statement at the Gokarna case, the 33rd pontiff Shri Vishwadeesha Theertha of Sri Sode Vadiraja Mutt has described Daivajna Brahmins as Mukhamasita Surya Vanshi Brahmins.At Hosakeri village near Gokarna, the pontiff of Sode Mutt use to halt at the residence of Burde who was the village Patel (chieftain) of Hosakeri. With refrence, the proof of the letter written by the pontiff is as follows:

Shree Swasthi Srimad Udupi Sri Sonde Mutt Sri Vadiraja Guru Peetharoodha Srimad Vishwadheesha Thirtha Padangalauru . Warm wishes to the Midaje Sime Gokarna shetgar Sanu,Mahabal shetti, Budhiwantha Subraya shetti ,Adigona shettigar ,Ram shetti, Durga shetti ,Shamanna shetti , Hosakeri Sham Appu shetti, Krishna Subraya shetti. We are at the Admanandana Samvatsara Vaishaka Shudha and under penance, deeply busy with the Puja of Srimad Vadiraja, Shri Krishna, Sri Boovaraha ,Sri Hayagreeva and at the residence of shri Burde at Hosakeri. In respect, this is to inform you that you are Mukhamasitha Daivajna Suvarnakar Surya Brahmin, and attain the right of performing Yajna Karma and Shatkarma rituals . We may able to make you satisfy by giving records of your existence in the Rigveda Purusha sukta ,Agni purana ,Skanda Purana, Manu Smrithi ,and Dharma Shastra etc

Daivajna vedamurthi Narayana Shanker Bhatta

Guddekagal taluk ,Kumta.

In government notifications

• In the book “CASTES AND TRIBES OF SOUTHERN INDIA” authored by Edgar Thrustan has recorded as:

Daivajnas or Shets of south as a gold smith caste, who speak Konkani, which is a dialect of Marathi, and are believed to have come from Goa, the community at each station has one or two Mukhtesars or headmen, who enquire into, and settle the caste affairs. Serious offences are reported to the Swamy of Sonde, who has authority to excommunicate or to inflict heavy fines. They wear the sacred thread. Marriages within the same Gothras are strictly prohibited .Most of them are Vaishnavities, but a few follow Shiva.”

• In the book namely “UTTAR KANNADA DISTRICT GAZETTER” edited by Suryanath Kamath record thus:

"Daivajnas" or "Shet" s are originally from Goa . They call themselves as Daivajna brahmin’s or Suvarnakar’s. They worship Hayagreeva of Sonda and belong to Madhwa Sampradaya. They are followers of vadiraja matha of sonda”.

• In the book “GAZETEER OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY”-KANARA DISTRICT, 1883, volume 15, part 1 records thus:

Daivanjyas or Shets: Numbering 10,158, of whom 5020 are males and 5138 females, are found in small numbers in almost all towns and large villages. They are said to have come from Goa on its conquest by the Portuguese in 1510.They call themselves Daivajna or astrologers from the Sanskrit ‘Daiv’ fate and ‘Jnya’ to know . They are said to belong to the Vatsa ,Kaundanya , Vishwamitra ,Bharadhwaj ,and Kaushik Gotras or family stocks. They are middle-sized, fair and delicate, and speak a some what peculiar Konkani, using ‘z’ instead of ‘j’. Both men and women dress like ‘Konkanasth Brahmans’. Their family gods and goddess are Mahalsa ,Shantadurga of Kavle, whose original temple is at Madadol ,they also worship the ordinary Brahman and village deities and keep local holidays . They are Vaishnavas and have as their teacher Sri Vadiraj Swami, the head of the Vaishnav Monastry of Udupi in South Kanara. They pay him large sums which are Gurukanike or presents to the teacher, and in return have their breasts and shoulders marked with hot metal seals bearing Vishnus the Shankha or conch, the Chakra or disc, the Gada or mace and Padma or lotus. Their boys are gift with the sacred thread between eight and twelve and their girls are married before ten. In Goa and Karwar they have family priests or Purohits of their own caste, in other places they employ Havik or Karhada Brahmins and show them much reverence”

• In the book “TRIBES AND CASTE OF BOMBAY” volume 3, page 338-344, edited by R.E. Enthoven:

Daivjnas are followers both of the Vaishnava and Smartha sects. Those in Kanara are exclusively Vaishnavas of the Madhwa School. They worship all the ordinary gods and goddesses. Those who claim Brahmin rank observe the Brahmin Sanskars. In some places, notably in Bombay, they have priests of their own caste, but many employ local Brahmans also the Kanara Daivajnas have three temples of their own at which Sunkeri and Kadwad , ministrants at which are Daivajnas . The spiritual head of the Kanara Daivajnas is the Swamy of Sonda, one of the eight Mathas of Udupi”.

• In the book entitled “SRI VADIRAJA CHARITRE” more details are given which conclusively established that at no time the Daivajna Brahmins had any mutt of their own nor a Mathadipathi of Swamier of Sode Mutt, Udupi and none else had any authority either to guide the members of Daivajna Brahmin community in spiritual and religious matters, the principal idol of worship of His Holiness Sode mutt Swamier was given by a member of Daivajna Brahmins, centuries back.Even today the Daivajna Brahmins follow the Vaishnav Sampradaya in their Sandhyavandana. At Goa, there are the principal deities of Daivajna Brahmins which are of Shiva and Shakti cult, truly Shiva is one of the different forms of Vishnu and the Vishnu Purusha Roopa is in the form of a Linga, which is a historic fact in the Purana’s (Epic’)