Castes

Brahmins claim descent from the eight great sages Agastya, Kashyap, Jamadagni, Gautam, Vishwamitra, Bharadvaja, Vasishtha and Atri. It is said that Brahmins were categorized into different classes according to the Vedas adopted by each community under the leadership of a guru or sage. These sages developed their own interpretations of the Vedas that they passed on to their descendents and foollowers. Apasthambha, Brihaspati, Atri, Yajnavalka, Yama, Vishnu, Vasishtha, Satatapa, Manu, Parasara, Katyayana, Daksha and Boudhayana were among the ancient twenty one law givers to establish their Dharma Sastras. In course of time Brahmins were classified into two broad divisions on the basis of geographic location and their adherence to these Sastras. The Pancha Gauda Brahmins belong to the north of India, north of the Narmada River. Brahmins from the regions south of Narmada came to be known as Pancha Dravida.

The Pancha Gauda Brahmins are further divided into five main categories like Saraswat, Kanyakubja, Gauda, Utkala and Maithili. The northern branch is further classified into zones of North Western Provinces, Punjab, Sindh, Rajputana, Trihoot, Kurukshetra, Central India, South Bihar, Assam, Bengal, Orissa, Gandhar and Kashmir. The Panch Dravida branched out into Andhra, Dravida, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Konkan and Gujarat. Each of these main branches or sects has further subdivisions.

A few of major castes among Brahmins are: Chitpavana, Daivajna, Deshastha, Dhima, Gouda Saraswat, Havyaka, Hoysala Karnataka, Iyers, Kandavara, Karade, Karhada, Kayastha, Khandelwal, Kota, Konkanastha, Koteshwara, Nagar, Nampoothri, Niyogi, Padia, Rajapur Saraswat, Saklapuri, Sanketo, Saraswat, Shivalli, Smarta, Sthanika, Therakalai Iyengars, Tuluva, Vadagala Iyengars, Vaidiki and Vaishnava. These major divisions have further subdivisions amounting to over 2000 in number, grouped according to gotras, each claiming descent from one of the ancient sages. In brief the main lineages are :

• Sage Bhrigu lineage: Bida, Arshtikhena, Mitryu, Yaska, Vatsa, Shaunak, Bainya
• Sage Angiras: Kewal Angiras, Bharadvaj and Gautam
• Sage Atri: Atre, Badbhutak, Garishtira and Mudhgala
• Sage Vishwamitra: Lohit, Kaushika, Raukshak, Aja, Katab, Agamarkhan, Puran, Kamkayana, Indrakaushiika and Dhananjaya
• Sage Kashyap: Kasyap, Sandiila, Langakshi, Nidruba and Langakshi
• Sage Vashisht: Vashisht, Upamanyu, Jatukaraniya, Parashara and Kundin
• Sage Agastya: Somabahar, Yagyabahar, Sambhabahar and Idhamabahar

Interestingly these sects developed independent beliefs. Samarth Sampradaya is one sect that believes in liberalism with a focus on worship of Shiva, Vishnu, Sun, Ganesha and Shakti. The Vaishnavites show a divergence from the teachings of Shri Adi Shankaracharya. The Shaivites worship Lord Shiva and follow the core of Vedic traditions.

Apart from India, Brahmins are to be found in Nepal, Thailand and Burma where Hindu religion held sway for centuries.

Regardless of their caste or gotra and the sampradaya or sect to which they belong, Brahmins seem to have a genetic affiliation to Vedic practices and have always had the welfare of people at heart.