Brahman

Thurston's Castes and Tribes of Southern India contains a very long section on the Brahman castes of the region. The following text is the opening of the section and indicates just how complex this caste category was and remains in India.

Brahman.—The Brahmans of Southern India are divided into a number of sections, differing in language, manners and customs. As regards to their origin, the current belief is that they sprang from the mouth of the Brahma. In support of thereof, the following verse from the Purusha Suktha (hymn of the primaeval male) of the Rig Veda is quoted:—From the face of Prajapathi (Viratpurusha) came the Brahmans, from the arms of arose the Kshatriyas; from the thighs sprang the Vaisyas; and from the feet the Sudras. Mention of the fourfold division of the Hindu castes is also made in other Vedas, and in the Ithihasas and Puranas.

The Brahmans fall into three groups, following the three Vedas or Sakas, Rig, Yajus and Samam. This threefold division is, however, recognised only for ceremonial purposes. For marriage and social purposes, the divisions based on language and locality are practically more operative. In the matter of the more important religious rites, the Brahmans of Southern India, as elsewhere, closely follow their own Vedas. Every Brahman belongs to one or other of the numerous gotras mentioned in Pravara and Gotra Kandams. All the religious rites are preformed according to the Grihya Sutras (ritual books) pertaining to their Saka or Veda. Of these, there are eight kinds now in vogue, viz.:—

• Asvalayana Sutra of the rig Veda}
• Apasathamba}
• Bharadwaja}
• Bhodyana} ________ Sutras of the black Yajus
• Sathyashada}
• Vaikkanasa}
• Kathyayana Sutra of the white Yajuas
• Drahyayana Sutra of Sama Veda

All Brahmans claim descent from one or more of the following seven Rishis:—Atri, Bhrigu, Kutsa, Vashista, Gautama, Kasyapa, Angiras. According to some, the Rishis are Agasthya, Angiras, Atri, Bhrigu, Kasyapa, Vashista, and Gautama. Under these Rishis are included eighteen ganams, and under each gnam there are a number of gitras, amounting in all to about 230. Every Brahman is expected to salute his superiors by repeating the Abhivadhanam (salutation) which contains his lineage. As an example, the following may be given:—"I, Krishna by name, of Srivathsa gotra, with the pravara (lineage) of the five Rishis, Bharagava, Chyavana, Apunvana, Aruva, and Jamadagini, following the Apasthamba sutra of the Yajus Saka, am now saluting you." Daily at the close of the Sandhya prayers, this Abhivadhanam formula should be repeated by every Brahman.

Source: Thurston, Edgar & Rangachari, K.(1909) Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Madras: Government Press, 267–268.