Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c17.5

c17.5

In dealing with synchronisms certain cautions must be borne in mind. First must be noted the lax use of personal names as gotra names instead of patronymics. Kṣatriya tradition generally distinguished between personal names and patronymics, and the same care is often found in the Brāhmaṇas and Upaniṣads, as where Janamejaya is styled Pārikṣita, Sahadeva Sārñjaya, and Somaka Sāhadevya;¹ but sometimes, especially in the Veda, the personal name is used instead of the patronymic, and thus Vasiṣṭha,² Viśvāmitra,³ Jamadagni,⁴ Kaṇva,⁵ &c., are used in the plural collectively for Vāsiṣṭhas, Vaiśvāmitras, Jāmadagnyas, Kāṇvas, &c.; and similarly Yadus, Turvaśas, Druhyus, Anus and Pūrus are spoken of.⁶