BRAHMINS

The term Brahmana means one who has realized the Ultimate Reality.

Brahmins are one of the groups of India who pray for the welfare of the people in general , are ordained to be a role model for the Society and are expected to lead the society.

In exercise of this, Brahmins have been priests,Advisers to kings(which continues even today) and in some cases have also been Kings, though this is not the function of the Brahmins.

Geographical Distribution of Brahmins in India.

Brahmins are called ‘Vipra’ the ‘Inspired ones’ ‘Dwija ‘ Twice , first being born physically, the second,when a Brahmin is anointed with the ceremony and practice of the Upanayana, the opening of the third Eye.

The authority for the Brahmins are the Sruthi( which is heard), the Vedas, and the Smritis(The remembered).

The Vedas are four in number, Rig, Yajur(Krishna and Shukla), Sama and Atharva.

There are many Smritis.Vasishta,Vishnu, Manu and many more.

To be a Brahmin is no Birthright.

It is be nature and character one becomes a Brahmin.

Such is the expectations from the Brahmins, the Manu Dharma Shastra sanctions 1000 times more severe punishment for Brahmin for similar offence committed by the other groups like Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudras.

There are references to Brahmins from time of the Vedas, about 5000 years old, and in the Purans.

Pippalatha, Katyayani.Angiras,Bharadwaja,Maitri, Gargi are some of the Brahmins who composed the Veda sutras.

Maitri, Gargi and Katyayani were women.

The Brahmins were spread through out the world as were the Vedas.

Later after Sage Viswamitra consigned his sons beyond the  Vindhyas to the Dakshina Desa, or Dravida, there appeared a distinction between the Brahmins of the North and those from the South.

The Brahmins from the South of the Vindhyas generally follow the Apasthamba Sutra, Apasthamba being a descendant of Viswamitra.

This sutra contains some material culled out from another great Culture the Tamils.

However there is commonality between the Brahmins from North and South.

For both of them the primary Deity is Agni, the God of Fire.

Both follow the Vedas.

Both have Upnayana, Jathakarma,marriage ceremonies up to Samskara (Death Rites)

There are minor variations in the mantras and both follow the  basic 40 Samskaras.

Kalhana , in His Rajatharangini describes and assigns the geographical locations for Brahmins.

कर्णाटकाश्च तैलंगा द्राविडा महाराष्ट्रकाः,
गुर्जराश्चेति पञ्चैव द्राविडा विन्ध्यदक्षिणे ||
सारस्वताः कान्यकुब्जा गौडा उत्कलमैथिलाः,
पन्चगौडा इति ख्याता विन्ध्स्योत्तरवासि ||

 Karnataka (Kannada), Telugu (Andhra), Dravida (Tamil and Kerala), Maharashtra and Gujarat are Five Southern (Panch Dravida). Saraswata, Kanyakubja, Gauda, Utkala (Orissa), Maithili are Five Northern (Pancha Gauda).

This classification occurs in Rajatarangini of Kalhana, mentioned by Jogendra Nath Bhattacharya in “Hindu Castes and Sects.”