History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c26.225

v2.c26.225

The conception of *pravara* is closely interwoven with that of gotra from very ancient times. The two have to be studied together. 'Pravara' literally means 'choosing' or 'invoking' (*prārthanā*).¹¹²⁴ As Agni was invoked to carry the offerings of a sacrificer to the gods by taking the names of the illustrious *ṛṣis* (his remote ancestors) who in former times had invoked Agni, the word *pravara* came to denote one or more illustrious *ṛṣis*, ancestors of a sacrificer. A synonym of pravara is *ārṣeya* or *ārṣa* (as in Yāj. I. 52). Pravara entered into several domestic ceremonies and practices according to the gṛhya and dharma sūtras. For example: