![]() ![]() The Oriya Brāhmans, who follow the creed of Chaitanya, are called Paramarthos, and are confined to the Ganjam district. It has no organised hierarchy under one supreme head, but it may have any number of separate associations under separate leaders, who are ever banding themselves together for the extension of spiritual supremacy over ever increasing masses of population." It admits of every form of internal development. It is always ready to accommodate itself to other creeds, and delights in appropriating to itself the religious idea of all the nations of the world. For Vaishnavism is, like Buddhism, the most tolerant of systems. Their one god, in fact, exists in an eternal body, which is antecedent to his earthly incarnations, and survives all such incarnations." He adds that "it cannot be doubted that one great conservative element of Hinduism is the many sidedness of Vaishnavism. It should be noted, too, that both Saivites and Vaishnavas agree in attributing an essential form of qualities to the Supreme Being. "Vaishnavas," Monier Williams writes,* "are believers in the one personal god Vishnu, not only as the preserver, but as above every other god, including Siva. Like the Smarthas, the Vaishnavites recognise Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva, but Vishnu is supposed to be the chief god, to whom the others are subordinate. Of Vaishnavites there are three kinds, viz., those who are the followers of Chaitanya, Rāmānuja, and Mādhvāchārya. Saivas, on the other hand, do not recognise the Trimurtis, and believe only in one god, Siva, who is self-existent, and not liable to lose his personality. They recognise the Trimurtis, Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva as separate gods, but only as equal manifestations of the supreme spirit, and that, in the end, these are to be absorbed into the infinite spirit, and so disappear. The Smarthas believe that the soul of man is only a portion of the infinite spirit (ātman), and that it is capable of becoming absorbed into the ātman. The Saivites are either Saivites proper, or Smarthas. The Tulu-speaking Shivalli Brāhmans are included among the Carnātakas the Pattar and Nambūtiri Brāhmans (see Nambūtiri) among the Drāvidas proper.įrom a religious point of view, the Brāhmans are either Saivites or Vaishnavites. In South India, all Brāhmans, except those who speak the Oriya and Konkani languages, are Pancha Drāvidas, who are divided into five sections, viz. Other differences will be noted in connection with Oriya Brāhmans, who belong to the Pancha Gauda section. The Pancha Drāvidas are pure vegetarians, whereas the Pancha Gaudas need not abstain from meat and fish, though some, who live amidst the Pancha Drāvidas, do so. Taking the Brāhmans as a whole, it is customary to group them in two main divisions, the Pancha Drāvidas and Pancha Gaudas. "I, Krishna by name, of Srivathsa gotra, with the pravara (lineage) of the five Rishis, Bhargava, Chyavana, Apnuvana, Aruva, and Jamadagni, following the Apasthamba sūtra of the Yajus Sāka, am now saluting you."ĭaily, at the close of the Sandhya prayers, this Abhivādhanam formula should be repeated by every Brāhman. As an example, the following may be given : Every Brāhman is expected to salute his superiors by repeating the Abhivādhanam (salutation) which contains his lineage. Under these Rishis are included eighteen ganams, and under each ganam there are a number of gotras, amounting in all to about 230. :Īll Brāhmans claim descent from one or more of the following seven Rishis : Of these, there are eight kinds now in vogue, viz. All the religious rites are performed according to the Grihya Sūtras (ritual books) pertaining to their Sāka or Veda. Every Brāhman belongs to one or other of the numerous gotras mentioned in Pravara and Gotra Kandams. ![]() In the matter of the more important religious rites, the Brāhmans of Southern India, as elsewhere, closely follow their own Vedas. ![]() For marriage and social purposes, the divisions based on language and locality are practically more operative. This threefold division is, however, recognised only for ceremonial purposes. The Brāhmans fall into three groups, following the three Vedas or Sākas, Rig, Yajus, and Sāmam. Mention of the fourfold division of the Hindu castes is also made in other Vedas, and in Ithihāsas and Purānas. In support thereof, the following verse from the Purusha Sūktha (hymn of the primaeval male) of the Rig Veda is quoted : From the face of Prajāpathi (Viratpurusha) came the Brāhmans from the arms arose the Kshatriyas from the thighs sprang the Vaisyas and from the feet the Sūdras. As regards their origin, the current belief is that they sprang from the mouth of Brahma. The Brāhmans of Southern India are divided into a number of sections, differing in language, manners and customs.
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