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Panini grammatically defines gotra as अपत्यं पौत्रप्रभृति गोत्रम् । ४.१.१६२  (Asht. 4.1.162)<ref>Ashtadhyayi by Panini Maharshi ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%80_%E0%A5%AA#%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97_%E0%A5%AA.%E0%A5%A7 Adhyaya 4])</ref> which means 'the word gotra denotes the progeny (of a rshi) beginning with the son's son (i.e., grandson of a person). For example, the son of गर्गः (Garga maharshi) would be called गार्गि (Gārgi), but the grandson would be called गार्ग्यः (Gārgyaḥ) and the plural गर्गाः (Gargāḥ) would denote all descendants of Garga (downwards from Garga's grandson). It should be noted that this scheme was meant in a technical sense and uses the word gotra as comprehending all descendants of a common male ancestor.

Panini grammatically defines gotra as अपत्यं पौत्रप्रभृति गोत्रम् । ४.१.१६२  (Asht. 4.1.162)<ref>Ashtadhyayi by Panini Maharshi ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%80_%E0%A5%AA#%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97_%E0%A5%AA.%E0%A5%A7 Adhyaya 4])</ref> which means 'the word gotra denotes the progeny (of a rshi) beginning with the son's son (i.e., grandson of a person). For example, the son of गर्गः (Garga maharshi) would be called गार्गि (Gārgi), but the grandson would be called गार्ग्यः (Gārgyaḥ) and the plural गर्गाः (Gargāḥ) would denote all descendants of Garga (downwards from Garga's grandson). It should be noted that this scheme was meant in a technical sense and uses the word gotra as comprehending all descendants of a common male ancestor.

The Pravara rshis belonged to same lineage as the Gotra rshis among their children, grandchildren and students. Among the Pravara rshis, notably we find the mantra-drashtas. Pravara means recalling the lineage of a person and reciting the names of the descendants of the mula-rshi or the founding father along with the ancient rshis of that lineage. Pravara not only includes the father-son relationships in the descendants but also recalls the students of the founding rshi. They are said to be shreshta (well-known) among the lineage. The system of Gotras and Pravaras has been given in the ancient past and cannot be changed in any way. Neither the rshis mentioned in the Pravara nor the sequence in which they are to pronounce their names can ever be changed by anyone. Pravara includes the Gotra rshi, either at the beginning, middle or at the end and in some instances may not be included. (Telugu Book)   

The Pravara rshis belonged to same lineage as the Gotra rshis among their children, grandchildren and students. Among the Pravara rshis, notably we find the mantra-drashtas. Pravara means recalling the lineage of a person and reciting the names of the descendants of the mula-rshi or the founding father along with the ancient rshis of that lineage. Pravara not only includes the father-son relationships in the descendants but also recalls the students of the founding rshi. They are said to be shreshta (well-known) among the lineage. The system of Gotras and Pravaras has been given in the ancient past and cannot be changed in any way. Neither the rshis mentioned in the Pravara nor the sequence in which they are to pronounce their names can ever be changed by anyone. Pravara includes the Gotra rshi, either at the beginning, middle or at the end and in some instances may not be included. (Telugu Book)   

According to Dattaka Chandrika, lays the rule of having samskaras performed by the adopting father to bring the child into his family.<blockquote>पितुर्गोत्रेर्ण यः पुत्रः संस्कृतः पृथिवीपते । आचूडान्तं न पुत्रः स पुत्रतां याति चान्यतः॥</blockquote><blockquote>चूडाद्या यदि संस्कारा निजगोत्रण वै कृताः। दत्ताद्यास्तनयास्ते स्युरन्यथा दास उच्यते॥ (Dattaka chandrika)</blockquote>Meaning: A son, (if adopted) who has been initiated in samskaras under the family name of his natural father, up to chudasamskrara (tonsure) - that son does not acquire filial relationship to the another (father who adopted him) unless the Chudakarma and the rest of the samskaraas are performed under the gotra of the adopter. If the samskaras are not performed again by the adopter then the status of the son is said to be that of a dasa (servant) and not of a son (putra).  

According to Dattaka Chandrika, lays the rule of having samskaras performed by the adopting father to bring the child into his family.<blockquote>पितुर्गोत्रेर्ण यः पुत्रः संस्कृतः पृथिवीपते । आचूडान्तं न पुत्रः स पुत्रतां याति चान्यतः॥</blockquote><blockquote>चूडाद्या यदि संस्कारा निजगोत्रण वै कृताः। दत्ताद्यास्तनयास्ते स्युरन्यथा दास उच्यते॥ (Dattaka chandrika)</blockquote>Meaning: A son, (if adopted) who has been initiated in samskaras under the family name of his natural father, up to chudasamskrara (tonsure) - that son does not acquire filial relationship to the another (father who adopted him) unless the Chudakarma and the rest of the samskaraas are performed under the gotra of the adopter. If the samskaras are not performed again by the adopter then the status of the son is said to be that of a dasa (servant) and not of a son (putra).  

If there exists an agreement stipulating that the son adopted should be the son of the natural father and the adopting father, then under this special situation applicable to both families, the adopted son is called '''Dvyamushyana'''.<ref>Sutherland, J. C. C. (1865) ''The Dattaka Mimansa and Dattaka Chandrika, Two original treatises on the Hindu Law of Adoption.'' Calcutta:  Sree Nauth Banarjee and Brothers. (Page 146 )</ref> Such an adopted son is a dvigotra, i.e., one having two gotras.<blockquote>अनेनैवन्याये नपरगोत्रोत्पन्न-दत्तकादीनामिदानींतनानामपि-द्विगोत्रत्वात्  अनकप्रतिग्रहीतृपित्रोद्वयोरपिस नात्रपुरुषसंख्या तेनशतपुरुषोत्तरमपिद्विगोत्रत्वंनापति ...॥ (Dhar. Sind. Page 357)<ref name=":5" /></blockquote>A person who is adopted cannot marry within the gotras of both the natural and adopted fathers as he is a dvigotra. Girls from both the families would be sagotras to him. Even after 100 generations the lineage of the adopted person will remain a dvigotra only.  

If there exists an agreement stipulating that the son adopted should be the son of the natural father and the adopting father, then under this special situation applicable to both families, the adopted son is called '''Dvyamushyana'''.<ref>Sutherland, J. C. C. (1865) ''The Dattaka Mimansa and Dattaka Chandrika, Two original treatises on the Hindu Law of Adoption.'' Calcutta:  Sree Nauth Banarjee and Brothers. (Page 146 )</ref> Such an adopted son is a dvigotra, i.e., one having two gotras.<blockquote>अनेनैवन्याये नपरगोत्रोत्पन्न-दत्तकादीनामिदानींतनानामपि-द्विगोत्रत्वात्  अनकप्रतिग्रहीतृपित्रोद्वयोरपिस नात्रपुरुषसंख्या तेनशतपुरुषोत्तरमपिद्विगोत्रत्वंनापति ...॥ (Dhar. Sind. Page 357)</blockquote>A person who is adopted cannot marry within the gotras of both the natural and adopted fathers as he is a dvigotra. Girls from both the families would be sagotras to him. Even after 100 generations the lineage of the adopted person will remain a dvigotra only.<ref name=":5" />

==== When gotra is not known ====

==== When gotra is not known ====

It is also said in Gotrapravara-manjari that whose ever purohita parampara is broken and hence does not know his gotra, he can be counted under the Kashyapa gotra, because Kashyapa rshi is considered to be earliest ancestor.<ref name=":4" />

It is also said in Gotrapravara-manjari that whose ever purohita parampara is broken and hence does not know his gotra, he can be counted under the Kashyapa gotra, because Kashyapa rshi is considered to be earliest ancestor.<ref name=":4" />

==== मातृगोत्रवर्जननिर्णयः॥ Exclusion of Maternal Family Gotra ====

==== मातृगोत्रवर्जननिर्णयः॥ Exclusion of Maternal Family Gotra ====

<blockquote>अथमातृगोत्रवर्जननिर्णयः तत्रमातृगोत्रपदेनमातामहगोत्रमेववर्ज्यं तच्चगांधर्वादिविवाहोढापुत्राणांसर्वेषांवर्ज्यं ब्राह्मविवाहोढापुत्राणांतुसर्वेषांमातामहगोत्रंनवर्ज्यं किन्तुमाध्यंदिनानामेव मातृगोत्रंमाध्यंदिनीयानामितिसत्याषाढवचनात् तथैवसर्वत्रशिष्टाचाराच्च ॥ (Dhar. Sind. Page 358)<ref name=":5" /></blockquote>Summary - Here the rules for excluding the mother's gotra are taken up. By mother's gotra it means gotra of the maternal side (the family which the mother belongs to) which is to be excluded. The children of the girl who is married by Gandharva vidhi cannot marry anyone in the maternal family (the gotra of maternal grandfather). But the children of the girl married by Brahma vidhi can marry anyone in the maternal family with one exception. This rule applies to all those belonging to any vedashaka except Madhyandina shaka or Yajurveda.  

<blockquote>अथमातृगोत्रवर्जननिर्णयः तत्रमातृगोत्रपदेनमातामहगोत्रमेववर्ज्यं तच्चगांधर्वादिविवाहोढापुत्राणांसर्वेषांवर्ज्यं ब्राह्मविवाहोढापुत्राणांतुसर्वेषांमातामहगोत्रंनवर्ज्यं किन्तुमाध्यंदिनानामेव मातृगोत्रंमाध्यंदिनीयानामितिसत्याषाढवचनात् तथैवसर्वत्रशिष्टाचाराच्च ॥ (Dhar. Sind. Page 358)<ref name=":5" /></blockquote>Summary - Here the rules for excluding the mother's gotra are taken up. By mother's gotra it means gotra of the maternal side (the family which the mother belongs to) which is to be excluded. The children of the girl who is married by Gandharva vidhi cannot marry anyone in the maternal family (the gotra of maternal grandfather). But the children of the girl married by Brahma vidhi can marry anyone in the maternal family with one exception. This rule applies to all those belonging to any vedashaka except Madhyandina shaka or Yajurveda.

 

==== Kshatriya becoming a Brahman Gotrakara ====

==== Kshatriya becoming a Brahman Gotrakara ====

=== Samskaras ===

=== Samskaras ===

# A person has to know his veda, sakha, and sutra according to his gotra. All the samksaras are to be performed according to the sutras (Dharmasutras) and vedas followed for that gotra. For example, if a person's gotra is Kaushika, and his Veda is Yajurveda, he has to follow the rituals as given in the Dharmasutras associated with Yajurveda, such as Baudhayana, Apastamba etc. He cannot perform the rituals according to Ashvalayana Dharmasutras which are sutra granthas of Rigveda.<ref name=":1">Devalal, Rajendra. ''Brahmana Gotravali, Utpatti, Vamsh, Pravar - Gotra sahit.'' Delhi: Swasthik Publications (Pages 5 - 20)</ref>  

# A person has to know his veda, sakha, and sutra according to his gotra. All the samksaras are to be performed according to the sutras (Dharmasutras) and vedas followed for that gotra. For example, if a person's gotra is Kaushika, and his Veda is Yajurveda, he has to follow the rituals as given in the Dharmasutras associated with Yajurveda, such as Baudhayana, Apastamba etc. He cannot perform the rituals according to Ashvalayana Dharmasutras which are sutra granthas of Rigveda.<ref name=":1">Devalal, Rajendra. ''Brahmana Gotravali, Utpatti, Vamsh, Pravar - Gotra sahit.'' Delhi: Swasthik Publications (Pages 5 - 20)</ref>  

# In the Choula samskara, the tufts of hair were to be left in accordance with the gotra, pravara, and the practice of the family. (Khadira. Gr. 2.3.30)<ref name=":0" />  

# In the Choula samskara, the tufts of hair on the head were to be left in accordance with the gotra, pravara, and the practice of the family. (Khadira. Gr. 2.3.30)<ref name=":0" />  

# In the Upanayana samskara, the knots in the yajopaveeta are based on the number of rshis in the pravara. (Brah. Gotra. Page 17).<ref name=":1" /> The girdle (mekhala) was to have one, three, or five knots according to the number of rshis constituting the boy's pravara. (Sankhyayana. Gr. 2.2)<ref name=":0" />

# In the Upanayana samskara, the knots in the yajopaveeta are based on the number of rshis in the pravara. (Brah. Gotra. Page 17).<ref name=":1" /> The girdle (mekhala) was to have one, three, or five knots according to the number of rshis constituting the boy's pravara. (Sankhyayana. Gr. 2.2)<ref name=":0" />

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