History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c41.s1.1.2

v3.c41.s1.1.2

XIV) with the Brahmin's gotra and Pravara added and it was an important discovery to find a Śilāhāra of Karhad grant describing the Brahmin donees as Karhāṭaka and Ghaisāsa Brahmins, the importance of which we will shortly notice. Names of country became so important that latterly the mention of gotra and Śākhā was omitted for Brahmins, though in the previous sub-period it was considered necessary (Vol. II p. 276). Thus in the Sāsabahu temple inscription (I. A. XV p. 36) dated 1093 we find names of many Brahmin donees without the mention of gotra. In an inscription of Bholā Bhīma of Gujarat dated St. 1256 or 1200 A.D. (I. A. XI p.72) the Brahmin donee is described without the mention of his gotra or Śākhā by his name only and by his Raikavāla Jāti or sub-section of Brahmin caste. In a Konkan inscription dated 1249 A. D. (J. R. A. S. Bombay IX p. 248) we have names of 32 Brahmin donees whose gotras are given but whose Śākhā is not stated and instead of it every Brahmin's surname is given. Surnames grew by this time, either from profession or from place of residence or other peculiarities and the importance of Śākhā was lost sight of. Surnames probably came into use among Brahmins in this sub-period such as Dikshita, Raut, Thakur, Pāthaka, Upādhyāya, Pattavardhana* and so on. It is no doubt true that even so late as 1200 A. D. we find gotra and pravara of Brahmins mentioned;