Nahta Bandhu Abhinandan Granth

Author(s): Dashrath Sharma
Publisher: Agarchand Nahta Abhinandan Granth Prakashan Samiti

Page 588

13. The Hiranyaretases have three rsi-pravaras-Vaisvamitra, Hiranya and Retas.1
14. The Suvarnaretases also have three ri-pravaras-Vaisvamitra, Sauvarna and Retas.
15. The Kapotaretases have three fi-pravaras-Vaisvamitra Kapota and Retas.3
16. The Ghṛta-kausikas also have three fi-pravaras-Vaisvamitra. Ghārta and Kausika.4
17. The Sathara-matharas also have three rsi-pravaras-Vaiśvāmitra, Sathara and Mathara.5
18. The Sahula.mahulas have three ffi-pravaras-Vaisvamitra, Sahula
and Mahula.
This is the picture of the pravara system of the Vaisvamitra in the Sutra literature. The Sutras refer to Vaisvamitra in other connections also. In the. AgGS, he is mentioned among the Saptarsis, the others being Jamadagni, Bharadvaja, Gautama, Atri, Vasistha and Kasyapa. The context is the Adhyaya-Utsarjanam (leave after completion of studies). In this rite seats are prepared by the student for the above-metioned Rsis
The Bauss refers to the selection of the priests. It enjoins that Adhvaryu priest should be an Angiras, the Brahma priest should be a Vasistha, the Hot! should be a Vaisvamitra and the Udgatr should be an Ayasya.8 Again, in the context of the Rşi-stoma, Visvamitra is connected with the seventeenth stoma."
It has been prescribed in the Sutra texts that a person desiring victory over enemies should perform the rite known as 'Sajaya' of Visvamitra.10, It has been stated in the TNB (XXI. 12. 1-4) that Visvamitra performed this four-day rite, defeated his rivals with its grace and got kingdom.
The VaiSS mentions that four chief priests should be descendants of Vasistha, Bhrgu, Angiras and Ayasya respectively, remaining twelve priests can
1. Ibid, XII. 14. 6. 2. MASS XI. 8. 5. 17.
3. Ibid. XI. 8. 5. 18.
4. lbid. XI. 8. 5. 19.
5. Ibid. XI. 8. 5. 20.
6. Ibid. XI, 8. 5. 31.
7. Ibid. XI. 8. 5. 22, 23. For the exhaustive list of the pravaras of the Visvamitras, see JOHN BROUGH, Early Brahmanical System of Gotra and Pravara. Camb
ridge, 1953, p. 35.
8. AgGS. I. 2. 2.
9. BauSS. 11. 3.
10. Ibid XVIII. 22.
इतिहास और पुरातत्त्व : ९९