About Brahmin- My Little Knowledge

The history of the Brahmin community in India begins with the Vedic religion of early Hinduism, now often referred to by Hindus as Sanatana Dharma, in ancient India. The Vedas are the primary source of knowledge for brahmin practices. Most sampradayas of Brahmins take inspiration from the Vedas. According to orthodox Hindu tradition, the Vedas are apauruṣeya and anâdi (beginning-less), but are revealed truths of eternal validity. The Vedas are considered Úruti (that which is heard), signifying their validity or relevance and are the paramount source of Brahmin traditions. Shruti includes not only the four Vedas (the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda and the Atharvaveda), but also their respective Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads. Brahman and Brahmin (brahman, brahmán, masculine ) are not the same. Brahman (Brahman, neuter) refers to the Supreme Self. Brahmin or Brahmana (brahmán, brâhmaṇa) refers an individual. Additionally, the word Brahma (brahmâ) refers to first of the gods. In 1931 (the last Indian census to record caste), Brahmins accounted for 4.32% of the total population. Brahmins even in Uttar Pradesh, where they were most numerous, constituted just 12% of the recorded population. In Karnataka they formed less than 6%,Tamil Nadu they formed less than 3% and in Andhra Pradesh, less than 2%.[9] In Kerala, Nambudiri Brahmins make up 0.7% of the population
Brahmin Communities
The Brahmin castes may be broadly divided into two regional groups: Pancha-Gauda Brahmins and Pancha-Dravida Brahmins as per the shloka,however this sloka is from Rajatarangini of Kalhana which is composed only in 11th CE and many communities find their traces from sages mentioned in, much older Vedas and puranas.
The surname Dwivedi
The surnames Dwivedi, Trivedi and Chaturvedi are open to different interpretations. One interpretation: Dwivedi: DAIV + VEDI Daiv: Spiritual, related to the GOD Vedi: One who knows about. Thus DWIVEDI means a person who knows about GOD. Similarly: Trivedi never means one who has learnt three Vedas. According to Hinduism, a Brahmin must read all the four Vedas. Tri: All the three Vedi: Who knows Thus Trivedi means one who knows about all the three (Past, Present & Future). In that time a "Jyotishi" was called Trivedi. Another interpretation: Dwivedi (dwi = two (also second), vedi = one who has learned the Vedas), is an Indian Brahmin surname, indicating that the holder's forbears were proficient in the second out of the four Vedas (including the vedic branch one is born into). Another commonly used surname, Dubey is also used for dwivedi. Another interpretation: Dwivedi may also mean a person who has the knowledge of two Vedas. For example, a person might have the knowledge of Rigveda and Yajurveda, and hence called a Dwivedi. Similarly for three Vedas Trivedi and all four: Chaturvedi. Also, Samvedi surname exists, where the person is said to have the knowledge of one Veda. Dwivedi is a surname of sarswat, kanyakubj , saryupari or sanadhya Brahmins of north India mostly found in U P, Bihar and punjab. In district Gorakhpur, hoshiarpur of punjab there are some villages eg(Budhi Pind) where brahmins are predominantly of surname Dwivedi/Dubey
For definition of the noun brâhmaṇaḥ as "1. A man belonging to the first of the four classes (varṇas instead of castes in Apte's Skt-Hindi dictionary) of the Hindus, a Brâhmaṇa(priest) (born from the mouth of the Purusha)"; and the adjective ब्राह्मण brâhmaṇa as "a. 1. Belonging to a Brâhmaṇa", and other meanings, see: Apte 1965, p. 707 ,Apte 1966, p. 724-25 ; on p.901 of the latter, Apte gave one of the meanings of varṇa as caste but qualified it with a statement :"mainly people of four varṇas of brâhmaṇa (scholars,priests), kṣatriya (warriors), vaiúya (merchants), úudra (artisans)", and did not permit use of the term varṇa for any caste other than these four. ^ For definition of ब्राह्मण brâhmaṇa, with last syllable showing a Vedic accent, used as a noun as "m. (having to do with Brahman or divine knowledge), one learned in the Veda, theologian, priest, Brâhman, man of the first four castes"; and definition of ब्राह्मण brâhmaṇa, with only first syllable showing a Vedic accent, used as an adjective as "a. (i) belonging to a Brâhman, Brâhmanic", see: Macdonell 1924, p. 199. ^ For definition of brâhmaṇa, with last syllable showing Vedic accents, as a noun, "m., one who has divine knowledge, a Brâhman. a man belonging to the 1st of the 3 twice-born classes and of the 4 original divisions of the Hindû body", and the adjective brâhmaṇa, with first syllable showing a Vedic accent, as "relating to or given by a Brâhman, befitting or becoming a Br., Brâhmanical", see: Monier-Williams, p. 741, middle column. Cf. Rgveda, Pune Edition, vol-5 (index), p.408 in which all occurrences of brâhmaṇa as first person singular show anudâtta (absence of accent) on first two syllables. ^ For definition of the neuter noun brahman (with Vedic accent on first syllable) as "n. the class of men who are the repositories and communicators of sacred knowledge, the Bramânical caste as a body (rarely an individual Brâhman)"; and the masuline noun brahman (with Vedic accent on final syllable) as "one who prays, a devout or religious man, a Brâhman who is a knower of Vedic texts or spells, one versed in sacred knowledge", see: MW, pp. 737-738. ^ Monier-Williams : inspired, inwardly stirred, wise, learned, etc. ^ 'Dvija was used more frequently for Brahmins, but it also included Kṣatriyas and Vaiúyas who were "reborn through investiture with the sacred thread" - Monier-Williams. ^ Reversal of Fortune Isolates India's Brahmins. The Wall Street Journal ^ Are Brahmins the Dalits of today?. May 23, 2006. Rediff.com. ^ A detailed article on Brahmins at Vepachedu Educational Foundation[1] ^ Brâhmanotpatti Martanda, cf. Dorilal Sharma, p.41-42 ^ A detailed article on various castes and groups of Brahmins at www.vedah.net[2] ^ a b P. 849 Gujarat State Gazetteers By Gujarat (India), 1984 ^ A detailed article on Brahmins of Andhra Pradesh at Vepachedu Educational Foundation[3] ^ A detailed article on Gotras of Brahmins at Vepachedu Educational Foundation[4] ^ A detailed article on Gotras and pravaras of Brahmins at Vepachedu Educational Foundation
Brahmin Communities
The Brahmin castes may be broadly divided into two regional groups: Pancha-Gauda Brahmins and Pancha-Dravida Brahmins as per the shloka,however this sloka is from Rajatarangini of Kalhana which is composed only in 11th CE and many communities find their traces from sages mentioned in, much older Vedas and puranas.
Pancha Gauda Brahmins
Panch Gaur (the five classes cant sayof Northern India): (1) Saraswat,(2) Kanyakubja, (3)Saryuparin Brahmins (4) Gauda brahmins (including Sanadhyas)) (5)Utkala Brahmins including Bengali, Oriya and Maithili Bahmins]], In addition, for the purpose of giving an account of Northern Brahmins each of the provinces must be considered separately, such as, Kashmir, Nepal, Uttarakhand, Himachal, Kurukshetra, Rajputana, Uttar Pradesh, Ayodhya (Oudh), Gandhar, Punjab, North Western Provinces and Pakistan, Sindh, Central India, Trihoot, Bihar, Orissa, Bengal, Assam, etc. The originate from south of the (now-extinct) Saraswati River.[12] In Bihar, majority of Brahmins are Kanyakubja Brahmins, Bhumihar Brahmins and Maithil Brahmins with a significant population of Sakaldipi or Shakdweepiya Brahmins. In Haryana, the Brahmin are classified in mainly Dadhich_Brahmin, Gaud Brahmin, Khandelwal Brahmin. But large proportion of Brahmin in Haryana are Gaud(about 90%). Approximately all Brahmin in west U P are adi gaur. In Madhya Pradesh, the Brahmins are classified in mainly Shri Gaud, Sanadhya brahmin, Gujar-Gaud Brahmins. Majority of Shri Gaud Brahmins are found in the Malwa region (Indore, Ujjain, Dewas). Eastern MP has dense population of Sarayuparain Brahmins. Hoshangabad and Harda Distt. of MP have a considerable population of Jujhotia and Naremdev Brahmins. In Nepal, the hill Brahmins are classified in mainly Upadhaya Brahmin, Jaisi Brahmin and Kumain Brahmins. Upadhaya Brahmins are supposed to have settled in Nepal long before the other two groups. Majority of hill Brahmins are supposed to be of Khasa origin. In Punjab, they are classified as Saraswat Brahmins. In Karnataka, Brahmins are mainly classified into Havyaka speaking Havigannada, Hoysala Karnataka speaking kannada, Shivalli and Kota speaking Tulu, Karahada speaking Marathi and have their own tradition and culture. In Rajasthan, the Brahmins are classified in mainly Dadhich_Brahmin, Gaud Brahmin,Sanadhya brahmins, Rajpurohit / Purohit Brahmins, Sri Gaud Brahmin, Khandelwal Brahmin, Gujar-Gaud Brahmins. Rajpurohit / Purohit Brahmins are mainly found in Marwar & Godwad region of Rajasthan. In Sindh, the saraswat Brahmins from Nasarpur of Sindh province are called Nasarpuri Sindh Saraswat Brahmin. During the India and Pakistan partition migrated to India from sindh province. In Uttar Pradesh from west to east: Sanadhya & Gauda(western UP), Kanyakubja( Central UP), Sarayuparin (CENTRAL UTTAR PRADESH Eastern, NE,& SE UP) and Maithil(Varanasi), the South western UP, i.e. Bundelkhand has thick population of Jujhotia brahmins(branch of Kanyakubja brahmins:ref. Between History & Legend:Power & Status in Bundelkhand by Ravindra K Jain). Mathure or mathuria Brahmins 'choubeys' are limited to Mathura area. In West Bengal the Brahmins are classified in Barendra & Rarhi corresponding to the ancient Barendrabhumi(North Bengal) and Rarhdesh(South Bengal) making present day Bangladesh & West Bengal. It is also said that Barendras are traditional Brahmins who practiced the art of medicinal science and surgury rather than the traditional function of being the teacher or the priest, and so many a times they are not considered true brahmins by the Rarhis, although they are their own offshoots. The traditional accounts of the origin of Bengali Brahmins are given in texts termed Kulagranthas (e.g., Kuladîpîkâ), composed around the 17th century. They mention a ruler named Âdiúûra who invited five Brahmins from Kanyakubja [7], so that he could conduct a yajña, because he could not find Vedic experts locally. Traditional texts mention that Âdiúûra was ancestor of Ballâl Sena from maternal side and five Brahmins had been invited in AD 1077. Historians have located a ruler named Âdiúûra ruling in north Bihar, but not in Bengal. But Ballâl Sena and his predecessors ruled over both Bengal and Mithila (i.e., North Bihar). It is unlikely that the Brahmins from Kânyakubja may have been invited to Mithila for performing a yajña, because Mithila was a strong base of Brahmins since Vedic age. Another account mentions a king Shyamal Varma who invited five Brahmins from Kânyakubja who became the progenitors of the Vaidika Brahmins. A third account refers to five Brahmins being the ancestors of Vârendra Brahmins as well. From similarity of titles (e.g., upâdhyâya), the first account is most probable. Besides these two major community there are also Utkal Brahmins, having migrated from present Orissa and Vaidik Brahmins, having migrated from Western and Northern India
Pancha Dravida Brahmins
Panch Dravida (the five classes of Southern India): 1) Andhra, 2) Dravida (Tamil and Kerala), 3) Karnataka, 4) Maharashtra and Konkon, and 5) Gujarat. They originate from north of the (now-extinct) Saraswati River.[12]
In Andhra Pradesh, Brahmins are broadly classified into 2 groups: Vaidika (meaning educated in vedas and performing religious vocations) and Niyogi (performing only secular vocation). They are further divided into several sub-castes. However, majority of the Brahmins, both Vaidika and Niyogi, perform only secular professions. [13]
In Kerala, Brahmins are classified into three groups: Namboothiris, Pottis and Pushpakas. (Pushpakas are commonly clubbed with Ampalavasi community). The major priestly activities are performed by Namboothiris while the other temple related activities known as Kazhakam are performed by Pushpaka Brahmins and other Ampalavasis. Sri Adi Shankara was born in Kalady, a village in Kerala, to a Namboothiri Brahmin couple, Shivaguru and Aryamba, and lived for thirty-two years. The Namboothiri Brahmins, Potti Brahmins and Pushpaka Brahmins in Kerala follow the Philosophies of Sri Adi Sankaracharya. The Brahmins who migrated to Kerala from Tamil Nadu are known as Pattar in Kerala. They possess almost same status of Potti Brahmins in Kerala.
In Tamil Nadu, Brahmins belong to 2 major groups: Iyer and Iyengar. Iyers comprise of Smartha and Saivite Brahmins and are broadly classified into Vadama, Vathima, Brhatcharnam, Ashtasahasram, Sholiyar and Gurukkal. There are mostly followers of Adi Shankaracharya and form about three-fourths of Tamil Nadu's Brahmin population. Iyengars comprise of Vaishnavite Brahmins and are divided into two sects: Vadakalai and Thenkalai. They are mostly followers of Ramanuja and make up the remaining one-fourth of the Tamil Brahmin population.