Actual use of gotra (=vr.ddha) and yuvan

George Cardona cardonagj at EARTHLINK.NET
Thu Apr 9 10:41:43 UTC 2009


Dear colleague, The "suutras" are clearly not part of the original A.s.taadhyaayii text as known to Kaatyaayana and Patanjali. *4.1.166: v.rddhasya ca puujaayaam is vaarttika 3 to 4.1.163 (jiivati tu va.m'sye yuvaa.  *4.1.167: yuuna's ca kutsaayaam is included as part of the suutra text of the Kaa'sikaav.rtti but is identified as not part of the original text by Kaiya.ta in his Pradiipam (Rohtak ed. III.617) on 4.1.162 (apatyam pautraprabh.rti gotram) vt. 2 (jiivadva.m'sya.m ca kutsitam), where Kaiya.ta cites yuuna's ca kutsaayaam and remarks that this statement shows the suutra in question does not stem from the sage: yuuna's ca kutsaayaam iti suutram anaar.sam iti vacanam.  In his Bhaa.sya on 4.1.162 vt. 2 (Kielhorn-Abhyankar ed. II.265.5-8), Patanjali remarks that someone whose father is still alive but is independent is addressed using a gotra term; such an offspring bears the technical name 'gotra' out of scorn, as when one addresses one who should be called gaargyaaya.na (using a yuvan term) is addressed as gargya.  Conversely, an elder who rspresents his line and is properly referred to using a gotra term like gaargya may affectionately be addressed using a yuvan term like gaargyaaya.na, now used as an honorific, since youth is something desirable (Bh. on 4.1.163 vt. 3, II.265.23-25).  There is a very old but still informative pamphlet by V. S. Agrawal, 'Gotras in Paa.nini'(Varanasi, 1963), but I don't know of a detailed study of the usage in the domains you mention.  I hope this helps.  George Cardona  

-----Original Message-----
>From: Jean-Luc Chevillard <jean-luc.chevillard at UNIV-PARIS-DIDEROT.FR>
>Sent: Apr 9, 2009 4:47 AM
>To: INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk
>Subject: Actual use of gotra (=vr.ddha) and yuvan
>
>Dear list members,
>
>I would like to have information regarding the actual use of /gotra/ (or 
>/vṛddha/ ?) and /yuvan/ for referring to individuals or for adressing them.
>
>I would like to have a clear understanding of the purport of the 
>following two sūtra-s (found among the sūtra-s of Pāṇini but said to be 
>in fact vārttika-s):
>
>vṛddhasya ca pūjāyām || PS_4,1.166 || {{Vasu: "The Gotra is sometimes 
>optionally regarded as Yuvan, when respectful reference to him is 
>intended"}} {{Boehtlingk: "Auch statt des Geschlechtsnamens kann man das 
>zweite Patronymicum brauchen, wenn man Jemand ehren will."}} {{Renou: 
>"(Le nom technique de /yuvan/) peut être le substitut (du patronymique 
>restreint) dit /vṛddha/ quand il y a intention d'honorer."}}
>
>yūnaś ca kutsāyām || PS_4,1.167 || {{Vasu: "The Yuvan is optionally 
>spoken of as Gotra, when contemptuous reference to him is intended"}} 
>{{Boehtlingk: "Auch den Juvan kann man mit dem Geschlechtsnamen 
>bezeichnen, wenn man ihn schmähen will"}} {{Renou: "(Le nom technique de 
>/vṛddha/) peut être le substitut du nom de /yuvan/ quand il y a 
>intention de critiquer"}}
>
>Has anybody written (in English, or French, or German, ...) on the 
>actual use as seen in literature, in inscriptions, etc.?
>
>I would be grateful for any bibliographical pointer or for comments.
>
>-- Jean-Luc Chevillard (Paris)





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