Brahmin gotras trace lineage to the Saptarishis (seven sages). Each gotra belongs to a specific Veda tradition and has unique pravar (ancestral line). Same-gotra marriage is strictly prohibited in all Brahmin sub-communities including Kanyakubj, Saryupareen, Gaur, Maithil, and Deshastha. The 8 primary gotras — Kashyap, Bharadwaj, Vashishtha, Vishwamitra, Gautam, Jamadagni, Atri, and Agastya — descend from the Saptarishis.
Same-gotra marriage is strictly prohibited across all Brahmin sub-communities. The boy's and girl's gotra must be different. Families also check pravar (lineage of 3 or 5 sages) — families with common pravar cannot intermarry even if gotras differ.
There are 50+ documented Brahmin gotras, with 8 primary gotras descended from the Saptarishis.
No. Same-gotra marriage is strictly prohibited across all Brahmin sub-communities.
Pravar refers to the line of ancestors from whom the gotra descends. Families with common pravar also cannot intermarry.
Kashyap, Bharadwaj, and Vashishtha are among the most common Brahmin gotras.
Yes, gotra is considered essential in Brahmin marriage biodata. BiodataJi includes a dedicated gotra field.