History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v2.c28.s1.81

v2.c28.s1.81

The same conclusion is further supported by a study of the Pravaras, What is Pravara is not known generally even to the most learned Pandits for this question is rarely studied by them. A study of the Pravarādhyāyas of the several Sūtras discloses the fact that Pravara Rishis are those ancestors in one's family who have composed hymns in the Rigveda and who have praised Agni by those hymns or sūktas. The sacrificer in reciting Pravara is supposed to pray to Agni and tell him that he is the descendant of those Rishis who have praised him by their hymns in the Rigveda. In fact the sacrificer calls upon the Agni by the name of his Rishi. The Āpastamba Sūtra आर्षेयं वृणीते is thus commented on “ आर्षेय-मृष्यपत्यसंबन्धं प्रार्थयते संकीर्तयति । अथवा ऋषेरुत्पत्तिर्मग्न यजमानस्य ऋषि सन्तानत्वात् तं वृणीते प्रार्थयते होमादिभिः ॥” It is clear from this that the sacrificer is connected with the Pravara Rishis by descent and not by discipleship. The word Rishi is explained by another Sūtra ( मंत्रकृतो वृणीते ) as meaning the composers of mantras or hymns. Now the gotra Rishi may not be a Mantrakrit or composer of hymns. He is any famous descendant of the Pravara Rishi who gave his name or a fresh start to the particular branch sprung from him. This proves the truth of the dictum that gotras are innumerable, while the number of Pravaras is fixed, for the composers of Vedic hymns must be fixed in number. Now the Sūtras further declare एकं वृणीते द्वौ वृणीते त्रीन् वृणीते न चतुरो वृणीते न पंचातिवृणीते “ One may recite one, two, three, but not four, nor more than five, Rishis.” That is to say even if there are more than five composers of hymns in one's ancestry, one cannot mention more than five. This explains how there are usually three and sometimes five Pravara Rishis but never four nor more than five. The gotra Rishi is either one of these Rishis or their descendants.