abhivAdana – Identity defined to preserve vEdas

abhivAdana refers to introduction of a younger person to an elderly person.  abhivAdana includes four attributes pravara, gOtra, sUtra, and shAKa defining the identity of the younger person.  Typically, the younger person is shishya (disciple) studying vEda and the elderly person is guru (teacher).   All the four attributes are related to the study of vEda  signifying the importance given by the society to the preservation of vEdas.   

pravara literally means ‘the most excellent’. pravara is a list of names of the most excellent rishis who belonged to a gOtra. There may be five names of rishis in a pravara. But there could be just one name in the pravara.  There may be two, three, or four names of rishis in a pravara. It is also possible to have seven or upto 19 names in the pravara list.

gOtra is defined by pANini trhough the phrase apatyam pautraprabhrti gOtram (progeny of a sage beginning with the son's son is gOtra).  Saptarshi’s are gOtra pravartakas (originators of gOtras). Progeny of other rishis are gotrâvayava.  gOtra indicates a lineage of a person or a family. All varnAs – brAhmana, Kshatriya, vaishya, and shUdra  - may have gotras associated with their families.

sUtra or kalpa sUtra is a commentary for shAstras.  Sutras are broadly of two types - srautasUtra and smAratsUtra.  srautasUtras are baed on shrutis and provide directions to performance of the sacrifices. srautasUtras also include sulbhasUtras referring to measurements and rules for the construction, of different kinds of altars required for sacrifices. SmartasUtra is based on the smriti.  SmArtasUtras include gruhyasUtras and dharmasUtras.   gruhyasUtras or domestic rules, treat the rites such as marriage, birth, and name giving.   dharmasUtras treat customs and social duties and provide a basis for the civil  law.

shAKa refers to a method of approaching the vEdas while studying.  A vEda shAKa includes a combination of samhita, brAhmaNa, araNyaka, upanishads and a kalpa sUtra.   shAKa is not a restriction for studying other parts of vEdas.  It only indicates the portions of vEdas to be studied at first by a disciple.  shAKa also includes one or more sUtra integrated along with the vEda portions.