The Family Goddesses, Gotras, and Pravaras

Verse 1 (skanda.3.73.1)

व्यास उवाच । तया चोत्पादिता राजञ्छरीरात्कुलदेवताः

vyāsa uvāca tayā cotpāditā rājañcharīrāt kuladevatāḥ

Vyasa said: By her, O king, were these family deities (kuladevatas) brought forth from her own body.

Verse 2 (skanda.3.73.2)

भट्टारिकी तथा छत्रा ओविका ज्ञानजा तथा

bhaṭṭārikī tathā chattrā ovikā jñānajā tathā

Bhaṭṭārikī, Chattrā, Ovikā, and Jñānajā —

Verse 3 (skanda.3.73.3)

भद्रकाली च माहेशी सिंहोरी धनमर्द्दनी गात्रा शांता शेषदेवी वाराही भद्रयोगिनी

bhadrakālī ca māheśī siṁhorī dhanamarddanī gātrā śāntā śeṣadevī vārāhī bhadrayoginī

Bhadrakālī, Māheśī, Siṁhorī, Dhanamardanī, Gātrā, Śāntā, Śeṣadevī, Vārāhī, and Bhadrayoginī —

Verse 4 (skanda.3.73.4)

योगेश्वरी मोहलज्जा कुलेशी शकुलाचिता तारणी वनकानंदा चामुंडा च सुरेश्वरी

yogeśvarī mohalajjā kuleśī śakulācitā tāraṇī vanakānandā cāmuṁḍā ca sureśvarī

Yogeśvarī, Mohalajjā, Kuleśī, Śakulācitā, Tāraṇī, Vanakānandā, Cāmuṇḍā, and Sureśvarī —

Verse 5 (skanda.3.73.5)

दारभट्टारिकेत्याद्याः प्रत्येका शतधा पुनः उत्पन्नाः शक्तयस्तस्मिन्नानारूपान्विताः शुभाः अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रवराण्यथ देवताः

dārabhaṭṭārikety ādyāḥ pratyekā śatadhā punaḥ utpannāḥ śaktayas tasmin nānārūpānvitāḥ śubhāḥ ataḥ paraṁ pravakṣyāmi pravarāṇy atha devatāḥ

Dārabhaṭṭārikā and the rest — each of these twenty-two goddesses multiplied a hundredfold, giving rise to many auspicious forms of shakti. Now, next, I shall describe the pravaras — the sage-lineages — and their presiding deities.

Verse 6 (skanda.3.73.6)

औपमन्यवसगोत्रप्रवर ३ गोत्रदेव्या गात्रा, वसिष्ठ १ भरद्वाज २ इंद्रप्रमदक ३। व्यासगोत्रस्य गोत्रदेव्या ज्ञानजा, प्रवर ३ काश्यपः १ अवत्सारः २ रैभ्यः ३। मांडव्यसगोत्र, गोत्रजा दारभट्टारिका, प्रवर ५ भार्गवच्यवनाप्नवानौर्वजमदग्निः ५। कुशिकसगोत्रजा तारणी, महाबला, प्रवर ३ विश्वामित्रदेवराजउद्दालक। शौनकसगोत्र, गोत्रदेवी शांता, प्रवर ३ भार्गव-वैणहोत्र-गार्त्समद। कृष्णात्रेयसगोत्र, गोत्रदेव्या भद्रयोगिनी, प्रवर ३ आत्रेय-अर्चनानस-श्यावाश्व। गार्ग्यायणसगोत्र, गोत्रजा शांता, प्रवर ५ भार्गवच्यवनाप्नवानौर्वजमदग्निः। गार्गायणगोत्र, गोत्रजा ज्ञानजा, प्रवर ५ काश्यप-अवत्सार-शांडिल-असित-देवल; गोत्रदेवा शांता द्वारवासिनी, प्रवर ३ गार्ग्य-गार्गि-शंख-लिखित। पैंग्यसगोत्रजा ज्ञानजा शेषला, प्रवर आंगिरस-आंबरीष-यौवनाश्व। वत्ससगोत्रं, गोत्रजा ज्ञानजा, प्रवर ५ भार्गवच्यावनाप्नवानौर्वपुरोधसः। वात्ससगोत्र, गोत्रजा ज्ञानजा, प्रवर ५ भार्गवच्यावनाप्नवानौर्वपुरोधसः। वात्स्यसगोत्रस्य गोत्रजा शीहरी, प्रवर ५ भार्गवच्यावनाप्नुवानौर्वपुरोधसः। श्यामायनसगोत्रस्य गोत्रजा शीहरी, प्रवर भार्गवच्यावनाप्नुवान् अवि जमदग्निः। धारणसगोत्रस्य गोत्रजा छत्रजा, प्रवर ३ अगस्त्य-दार्ढ्यच्युत-दध्यवाहन। काश्यपगोत्रस्य गोत्रजा चामुण्डा, प्रवर ३ काश्यप-अवत्सार-नैध्रुव। भरद्वाजगोत्रस्य गोत्रजा पक्षिणी, प्रवर ३ आंगिरस-बार्हस्पत्य-भारद्वाज। मांडव्यसगोत्रस्य वत्स-वात्स्य-वात्स्यायनसंज्ञाः ४। सामान्यलौगाक्षसगोत्रस्य गोत्रजा भद्रयोगिनी, प्रवर ३ काश्यप-वसिष्ठ-अवत्सार। कौशिकसगोत्रस्य गोत्रजा पक्षिणी, प्रवर ३ विश्वामित्र-अथर्व-भारद्वाज। सामान्यप्रवर १ पैंग्य-भारद्वाजयोः, समानप्रवरा २ लौगाक्ष-गार्ग्यायन-काश्यप-कश्यपानां ४, समानप्रवर ३ कौशिक-कुशिकयोः २, समानप्रवराः ४ औपमन्यु-लौगाक्षयोः २, समानप्रवराः ५ ।।

aupamanyavasagotrapravarāḥ 3 gotradevyā gātrā, vasiṣṭha 1 bharadvāja 2 indrapramadaka 3. vyāsagotrasya gotradevyā jñānajā, pravara 3 kāśyapaḥ 1 avatsāraḥ 2 raibhyaḥ 3. māṇḍavyasagotra, gotrajā dārabhaṭṭārikā, pravara 5 bhārgavacyavanāpnavānaurvajamadagniḥ 5. kuśikasagotrajā tāraṇī, mahābalā, pravara 3 viśvāmitradevarājoddālaka. śaunakasagotra, gotradevī śāntā, pravara 3 bhārgava-vaiṇahotra-gārtsamada. kṛṣṇātreyasagotra, gotradevyā bhadrayoginī, pravara 3 ātreya-arcanānasa-śyāvāśva. gārgyāyaṇasagotra, gotrajā śāntā, pravara 5 bhārgavacyavanāpnavānaurvajamadagniḥ. gārgāyaṇagotra, gotrajā jñānajā, pravara 5 kāśyapa-avatsāra-śāṇḍila-asita-devala; gotradevā śāntā dvāravāsinī, pravara 3 gārgya-gārgi-śaṅkha-likhita. paiṅgyasagotrajā jñānajā śeṣalā, pravara āṅgirasa-āmbarīṣa-yauvanāśva. vatsasagotraṁ, gotrajā jñānajā, pravara 5 bhārgavacyāvanāpnavānaurvapurodhasaḥ. vātsasagotra, gotrajā jñānajā, pravara 5 bhārgavacyāvanāpnavānaurvapurodhasaḥ. vātsyasagotrasya gotrajā śīharī, pravara 5 bhārgavacyāvanāpnuvānaurvapurodhasaḥ. śyāmāyanasagotrasya gotrajā śīharī, pravara bhārgavacyāvanāpnuvān avi jamadagniḥ. dhāraṇasagotrasya gotrajā chattrajā, pravara 3 agastya-dārḍhyacyuta-dadhyavāhana. kāśyapagotrasya gotrajā cāmuṇḍā, pravara 3 kāśyapa-avatsāra-naidhruva. bharadvājagotrasya gotrajā pakṣiṇī, pravara 3 āṅgirasa-bārhaspatya-bhāradvāja. māṇḍavyasagotrasya vatsa-vātsya-vātsyāyanasaṁjñāḥ 4. sāmānyalaugākṣasagotrasya gotrajā bhadrayoginī, pravara 3 kāśyapa-vasiṣṭha-avatsāra. kauśikasagotrasya gotrajā pakṣiṇī, pravara 3 viśvāmitra-atharva-bhāradvāja. sāmānyapravara 1 paiṅgya-bhāradvājayoḥ, samānapravarā 2 laugākṣa-gārgyāyana-kāśyapa-kaśyapānāṁ 4, samānapravara 3 kauśika-kuśikayoḥ 2, samānapravarāḥ 4 aupamanyu-laugākṣayoḥ 2, samānapravarāḥ 5.

The text now tabulates, gotra by gotra, the pravara-sages and the presiding gotra-devi of each lineage: the Aupamanyava gotra (three pravaras — Vasiṣṭha, Bharadvāja, Indrapramada; devi Gātrā); the Vyāsa gotra (devi Jñānajā; three pravaras — Kāśyapa, Avatsāra, Raibhya); the Māṇḍavya gotra (devi Dārabhaṭṭārikā; five pravaras — Bhṛgu, Cyavana, Āpnavāna, Aurva, Jamadagni); the Kuśika gotra (devi Tāraṇī/Mahābalā; three pravaras — Viśvāmitra, Devarāja, Uddālaka); the Śaunaka gotra (devi Śāntā; three pravaras — Bhārgava, Vaiṇahotra, Gārtsamada); the Kṛṣṇātreya gotra (devi Bhadrayoginī; three pravaras — Ātreya, Arcanānas, Śyāvāśva); the Gārgyāyaṇa gotra (devi Śāntā; the fivefold Bhārgava pravara); a further Gārgāyaṇa line (devi Jñānajā, also called Śāntā Dvāravāsinī; pravaras Kāśyapa, Avatsāra, Śāṇḍila, Asita, Devala, alongside the Gārgya-Gārgi, Śaṅkha-Likhita line); the Paiṅgya gotra (devi Jñānajā/Śeṣalā; pravaras Āṅgirasa, Āmbarīṣa, Yauvanāśva); the Vatsa, Vātsa and Vātsya gotras (devi Jñānajā or Śīharī; the fivefold Bhārgava pravara); the Śyāmāyana gotra (devi Śīharī; Bhārgava-Cyavana-Āpnuvāna-Avi-Jamadagni); the Dhāraṇa gotra (devi Chattrajā; three pravaras — Agastya, Dārḍhyacyuta, Dadhyavāhana); the Kāśyapa gotra (devi Cāmuṇḍā; three pravaras — Kāśyapa, Avatsāra, Naidhruva); the Bharadvāja gotra (devi Pakṣiṇī; three pravaras — Āṅgirasa, Bārhaspatya, Bhāradvāja); the four Māṇḍavya sub-branches — Vatsa, Vātsya, Vātsyāyana; the common Laugākṣa gotra (devi Bhadrayoginī; three pravaras — Kāśyapa, Vasiṣṭha, Avatsāra); and the Kauśika gotra (devi Pakṣiṇī; three pravaras — Viśvāmitra, Atharva, Bhāradvāja). It closes by noting which lineages share pravaras in common with one another — Paiṅgya and Bhāradvāja share one; Laugākṣa, Gārgyāyaṇa, Kāśyapa and Kaśyapa share two; Kauśika and Kuśika share three; and Aupamanyu and Laugākṣa share four — knowledge essential to the marriage rule that follows.

Verse 7 (skanda.3.73.7)

यावतां प्रवरेष्वेको विश्वामित्रोऽनुवर्तते न तावतां सगोत्रत्वाद्विवाहः स्यात्परस्परम्

yāvatāṁ pravareṣv eko viśvāmitro 'nuvartate na tāvatāṁ sagotratvād vivāhaḥ syāt parasparam

Among all those in whose list of pravaras Viśvāmitra occurs even once, all are reckoned of the same gotra; therefore marriage between them should not take place.

Verse 8 (skanda.3.73.8)

त्यजेत्समानप्रवरां सगोत्रां मातुः सपिंडामचिकित्स्यरोगाम् अजातलोम्नीं च तथान्यपूर्वां सुतेन हीनस्य सुतां सुकृष्णाम्

tyajet samānapravarāṁ sagotrāṁ mātuḥ sapiṇḍām acikitsyarogām ajātalomnīṁ ca tathānyapūrvāṁ sutena hīnasya sutāṁ sukṛṣṇām

One should avoid, in marriage, a girl who shares the same pravara or gotra, who is within the mother's degree of kinship, who suffers an incurable illness, who has no body hair, who has previously belonged to another, or who is the very dark-complexioned daughter of a man without sons.

Verse 9 (skanda.3.73.9)

एक एव ऋषिर्यत्र प्रवरेष्वनुवर्तते तावत्समानगोत्रत्वमृते भृग्वंगिरोगणात्

eka eva ṛṣir yatra pravareṣv anuvartate tāvat samānagotratvam ṛte bhṛgvaṅgirogaṇāt

Wherever even a single sage is common among the pravaras, that alone makes the two of the same gotra — except in the case of the Bhṛgu and Aṅgiras lineages.

Verse 10 (skanda.3.73.10)

पंचसु त्रिषु सामान्यादविवाहस्त्रिषु द्वयोः भृग्वगिरोगणेष्वेवं शेषेष्वेकोपि वारयेत्

pañcasu triṣu sāmānyād avivāhas triṣu dvayoḥ bhṛgvagirogaṇeṣv evaṁ śeṣeṣv eko 'pi vārayet

For the Bhṛgu and Aṅgiras lineages, marriage is forbidden when three of five pravaras coincide, or two of three; but for all other lineages, even a single shared pravara is enough to forbid the marriage.

Verse 11 (skanda.3.73.11)

समानगोत्रप्रवरां कन्यामूढ्वोपगम्य च तस्यामुत्पाद्य चांडालं ब्राह्मण्यादेव हीयते

samānagotrapravarāṁ kanyām ūḍhvopagamya ca tasyām utpādya cāṇḍālaṁ brāhmaṇyād eva hīyate

One who marries a girl of the same gotra and pravara, and begets a child upon her, produces offspring equal to a caṇḍāla, and himself falls from brahminhood.

Verse 12 (skanda.3.73.12)

कात्यायनः । परिणीय सगोत्रा तु समानप्रवरां तथा त्यागं कृत्वा द्विजस्तस्यास्ततश्चांद्रायणं चरेत्

kātyāyanaḥ pariṇīya sagotrāṁ tu samānapravarāṁ tathā tyāgaṁ kṛtvā dvijas tasyās tataś cāndrāyaṇaṁ caret

Kātyāyana says: if a twice-born man has married a girl of the same gotra or the same pravara, he should renounce her and then perform the chāndrāyaṇa penance.

Verse 13 (skanda.3.73.13)

उत्सृज्य तां ततो भार्यां मातृवत्परिपालयेत्

utsṛjya tāṁ tato bhāryāṁ mātṛvat paripālayet

Having renounced her as a wife, he should nonetheless continue to support and protect her as he would his own mother.

Verse 14 (skanda.3.73.14)

याज्ञवल्क्यः । अरोगिणीं भ्रातृमतीमसमानार्षगोत्रजाम् पंचमात्सप्तमार्दूर्ध्वं मातृतः पितृत स्तथा

yājñavalkyaḥ arogiṇīṁ bhrātṛmatīm asamānārṣagotrajām pañcamāt saptamād ūrdhvaṁ mātṛtaḥ pitṛtas tathā

Yājñavalkya says: one should marry a girl who is free of disease, who has a living brother, who is born of a different sage-gotra, and who lies beyond the fifth degree of kinship on the mother's side and the seventh on the father's side.

Verse 15 (skanda.3.73.15)

असमानप्रवरैर्विवाह इति गौतमः । यद्येकं प्रवरं भिन्नं मातृगोत्रवरस्य च तत्रोद्वाहो न कर्तव्यः सा कन्या भगिनी भवेत्

asamānapravarair vivāha iti gautamaḥ yady ekaṁ pravaraṁ bhinnaṁ mātṛgotravarasya ca tatrodvāho na kartavyaḥ sā kanyā bhaginī bhavet

Gautama says: marriage should be between those of unmatched pravaras. If only a single pravara differs from the mother's gotra-pravara, marriage should not be undertaken there — such a girl is to be regarded as a sister.

Verse 16 (skanda.3.73.16)

दाराग्निहोत्रसंयोगं कुरुते योऽग्रजे स्थिते परिवेत्ता स विज्ञेयः परिवित्तिस्तु पूर्वजः

dārāgnihotrasaṁyogaṁ kurute yo 'graje sthite parivettā sa vijñeyaḥ parivittis tu pūrvajaḥ

One who takes a wife and performs the agnihotra rite while his elder brother remains unmarried is called a parivettā; the elder brother himself, thus overtaken, is called a parivitti.

Verse 17 (skanda.3.73.17)

सदा पौनर्भवा कन्या वर्जनीया कुलाधमा वाचा दत्ता मनोदत्ता कृतकौतुकमंगला

sadā paunarbhavā kanyā varjanīyā kulādhamā vācā dattā manodattā kṛtakautukamaṅgalā

A girl born of a remarried woman should always be avoided, being regarded as the lowest of her lineage; likewise one already pledged in speech, promised in the heart, or for whom the auspicious kautuka rite has already been performed.

Verse 18 (skanda.3.73.18)

उदकस्पर्शिता याच याच पाणिगृहीतका अग्निं परिगता या च पुनर्भूः प्रसवा च या

udakasparśitā yā ca yā ca pāṇigṛhītakā agniṁ parigatā yā ca punarbhūḥ prasavā ca yā

One who has already touched the marriage-water, whose hand has already been taken, who has already circled the sacred fire, or who, having remarried, has already borne a child —

Verse 19 (skanda.3.73.19)

इत्येताः काश्यपेनोक्ता दहंति कुलमग्निवत्

ity etāḥ kāśyapenoktā dahanti kulam agnivat

Such girls, says the sage Kāśyapa, burn up the family like fire, if wedded.

Verse 20 (skanda.3.73.20)

अथावटंकाः कथ्यंते — गोत्र, पात्र, दात्र, त्राशयत्र, लडकात्र, मंडकीयात्र, विडलात्र, रहिला, भादिल, वालूआ, पोकीया, वाकीया, मकाल्या, लाडआ, माणवेदा, कालीया, ताली, वेलीया, पांवलन्डीया, मूडा, पीतूला, धिगमघ, भूतपादवादी, होफोया, शेवार्दत, वपार, वथार, साधका, बहुधिया ।।

athāvaṭaṅkāḥ kathyante — gotra, pātra, dātra, trāśayatra, laḍakātra, maṇḍakīyātra, viḍalātra, rahilā, bhādila, vālūā, pokīyā, vākīyā, makālyā, lāḍāā, māṇavedā, kālīyā, tālī, velīyā, pāṁvalanḍīyā, mūḍā, pītūlā, dhigamagha, bhūtapādavādī, hophoyā, śevārdata, vapāra, vathāra, sādhakā, bahudhiyā.

Now the avaṭaṅkas (clan surnames) are named: Gotra, Pātra, Dātra, Trāśayatra, Laḍakātra, Maṇḍakīyātra, Viḍalātra, Rahilā, Bhādila, Vālūā, Pokīyā, Vākīyā, Makālyā, Lāḍāā, Māṇavedā, Kālīyā, Tālī, Velīyā, Pāṁvalanḍīyā, Mūḍā, Pītūlā, Dhigamagha, Bhūtapādavādī, Hophoyā, Śevārdata, Vapāra, Vathāra, Sādhakā, and Bahudhiyā — forty such avaṭaṅkas in all.

Verse 21 (skanda.3.73.21)

मातुलस्य सुतामूढ्वा मातृगोत्रां तथैव च समानप्रवरां चैव त्यक्त्वा चांद्रायणं चरेत् इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां तृतीये ब्रह्मखण्डे पूर्वभागे धर्मारण्यमाहात्म्ये श्रीमाताकथितनामगोत्रप्रवरकृतदेव्यवटंककथननामैकविंशोऽध्यायः

mātulasya sutām ūḍhvā mātṛgotrāṁ tathaiva ca samānapravarāṁ caiva tyaktvā cāndrāyaṇaṁ caret iti śrīskānde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṁ saṁhitāyāṁ tṛtīye brahmakhaṇḍe pūrvabhāge dharmāraṇyamāhātmye śrīmātākathitanāmagotrapravarakṛtadevyavaṭaṅkakathananāmaikaviṁśo 'dhyāyaḥ

If one has married the daughter of a maternal uncle, or a girl of the mother's own gotra, or of the same pravara, he should renounce her and perform the chāndrāyaṇa penance. Thus ends the twenty-first chapter, called "The Names, Gotras, Pravaras and Avaṭaṅkas of the Goddesses, as Told by Shri Mata," within the Glory of Dharmaranya, in the earlier portion of the third Brahma Khanda, in the Skanda Mahapurana's Samhita of eighty-one thousand verses.