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'''[[Gotra (गोत्रम्)]]''' - In the Indian society, marriage is in general restricted in three ways. A man may not marry a girl

'''[[Gotra (गोत्रम्)]]''' - In the Indian society, marriage is in general restricted in three ways. A man may not marry a girl

# outside his class (jaati)

# outside his class

# those who fall within certain degrees of prohibited relationships (the sapindas)

# those who fall within certain degrees of prohibited relationships (the sapindas)

# those inside his own clan (gotra)  

# those inside his own clan (gotra)  

To marry a woman belonging to the same gotra is regarded as incest and requires a severe penance such as Chandrayana. Gotra means a family or a clan according to families. A person born in any varna, Brahmanas and others, are obliged by dharmik vidhis to pronounce the name of his important ancestors, the rshis, who were the founders of his family on certain occasions. This is known as Pravara. It shows that he is the descendent of a particular rshi.<ref>Chentsal Rao, P. (1900) ''Gotra Pravara Nibandha Kadambam, The Principles of Pravara and Gotra.'' Mysore: Government Branch Press (Introduction)</ref>   

To marry a woman belonging to the same gotra is regarded as incest and requires a severe penance such as Chandrayana. Gotra means a family or a clan according to families. A person born in any varna, Brahmanas and others, are obliged by dharmik vidhis to pronounce the name of his important ancestors, the rshis, who were the founders of his family on certain occasions. This is known as Pravara. It shows that he is the descendent of a particular rshi.<ref>Chentsal Rao, P. (1900) ''Gotra Pravara Nibandha Kadambam, The Principles of Pravara and Gotra.'' Mysore: Government Branch Press (Introduction)</ref>   

== Members of the Family ==

== Members and Relationships of the Family ==

It can be stated that getting married and having a family have been indispensable aspect in the Indian family system. There are three important purposes as per Dharmashastras, viz., begetting sons, performing dharmik activities and fulfillment of conjugal desires. Rig veda states that by having progeny, a man attains Amritatva (eternity). <blockquote>यस्त्वा॑ हृ॒दा की॒रिणा॒ मन्य॑मा॒नोऽम॑र्त्यं॒ मर्त्यो॒ जोह॑वीमि । जात॑वेदो॒ यशो॑ अ॒स्मासु॑ धेहि प्र॒जाभि॑रग्ने अमृत॒त्वम॑श्याम् ॥१०॥ (Rig. Ved. 5.4.10)</blockquote>In another sukta (Rig. Ved. 10.85.36) the bridegroom at the time of marriage (panigrahana) tells the bride that he is taking her as a wife to obtain good progeny.<ref name=":1" />

It can be stated that getting married and having a family have been indispensable aspect in the Indian family system. There are three important purposes as per Dharmashastras, viz., begetting sons, performing dharmik activities and fulfillment of conjugal desires. Rig veda states that by having progeny, a man attains Amritatva (eternity). <blockquote>यस्त्वा॑ हृ॒दा की॒रिणा॒ मन्य॑मा॒नोऽम॑र्त्यं॒ मर्त्यो॒ जोह॑वीमि । जात॑वेदो॒ यशो॑ अ॒स्मासु॑ धेहि प्र॒जाभि॑रग्ने अमृत॒त्वम॑श्याम् ॥१०॥ (Rig. Ved. 5.4.10)</blockquote>In another sukta (Rig. Ved. 10.85.36) the bridegroom at the time of marriage (panigrahana) tells the bride that he is taking her as a wife to obtain good progeny.<ref name=":1" />

Thus we see that children are important members, the very purpose of a family. The purohit further blesses both the bride and groom to have ten sons (Rig. Ved. 10.85.45). Manusmriti (9.29) also stresses that begetting children is the first of the purposes of marriage.  

Thus we see that children are important members, the very purpose of a family. The purohit further blesses both the bride and groom to have ten sons (Rig. Ved. 10.85.45). Manusmriti (9.29) also stresses that begetting children is the first of the purposes of marriage.

== References ==

== References ==

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