See Also:
Conducting the interviews
First Lesson
Second Lesson
Third Lesson
Fourth Lesson 1

Panjikar Consults His Books

 A father consults with the genealogist before finalizing an agreement for the marriage of his daughter

 

 First Lesson of the Panjikar

 The book of panji, or genealogy, of one clan of the Srotriyas

 

I am the panjikar (genealogist) to the Srotriyas. Srotriyas are found in forty villages in Mithila, in Bengal, and other places, even America.

I began my work as panjikar to the Srotriyas in 1941. I have their genealogies since viji purusha [the founding ancestor], for 1000 years. It has been 670 years since the beginning of the panjis (panji prabandha). That was Sake 1232, or 1310 AD. Sixteen years after the beginning of Maharaja Harisingh Dev's reign he went to Nepal, so some say it started in 1248. For 18 generations my family has done this work. My son is the 19th generation. Harisingh Dev gave responsibility for this work to Gunakar Jha, and I am the 18th generation since then.
 
In the genealogies gotra [clan] and mul [lineage] are recorded. There are 19 gotras. Shandilya gotra has 43 muls. Seven of these are systematic; these are tight and have always remained. They never left. The others migrated off. Vivahstitah means "remained in one place."
 
Chhapa was written 80 or 90 years ago. At first my father couldn't get the right to it. When his father died my father applied to the king and said, "I must have the right to Chhapa. Then Hajur Nabis, a Kayastha, an official of the Maharaja's, was ordered by Maharaja Rameshwar Singh to give a copy to my father. So father got the copy to copy. This was about 90 years ago in 1882 or 1884.
 
The Curse Panji (Dukhan Panji) is another book. The panjikar is always trying to protect this. It shouldn't be seen. This is parampara--customs coming down from generation to generation.

Panjis contain information about their origin. [One particular panji has details about origins. He brings a copy of it to show me.] When panji began, the histories were written. Gotra Panji is the name of this work. It was commissioned by Harisingh Dev. Gunakar Jha, my ancestor, wrote it. [Opening the book, first he prays:]

 
Om, Durga. Shiva is always worshipping you for auspiciousness. Therefore I draw near to you. Therefore Ambika, Gauri, and Narayani I do namaskar to you.
 
The world originated from Vishnu's body. Brahmans came from the mouth, Ksatriyas from his arms, Vaish from his stomach, Sudra from his feet. There were allotted work for the good of society. The vyavahar [which he translates as "rules and regulations" for making society work] were made. It is my thought that originally there was no caste system. But in Vedic Yug, the slok of the origin of castes was spoken and this is when it began. Afterward the varnavyavastha [varna system] was organized. The activities were made differently according to varnavyavastha.

There is a slok that says: "At birth all men are Sudra but if they do good samskar then they would be Brahman." Due to exercize of Vedas the man becomes Bipra, i.e., Brahman. Therefore he who knows Brahma is Brahman. According to my thinking there was no caste system until Vedic times. From the womb until the time of sacred thread a man is Sudra. At the sacred threat ceremony he receives dvijetva, the quality of Brahmanness. [dvijetva - "twice-bornness"] When he exercizes the Vedas he is Bipra. When he knows the mystery of the Vedas, if he does sandhya (daily puja), chants Gayatri, and does Vishnu puja and related things then he will be Brahman.

So there are four stages in the development of the Brahman:

  1. Sudra
  2. Dvijatya
  3. Bipra
  4. Brahman

Also there is: Muni, Rishi, and Maharishi.

Originally there was no distinction between Brahmans. All Brahmans were Brahmans. But afterward those who lived in Gaur Province were Gaur, those in Dravida were Dravida, etc. Dravida is divided into five kinds:

  1. Karnatak
  2. Telangana
  3. Maharashtra
  4. Gujarat
  5. Dravida

All those are South of the Vindachal mountains. North of the Vindachal there are:

  1. Saraswati
  2. Kanyakubja
  3. Gaur
  4. Uttkal
  5. Maithil

Of these, the munis certified that the Maithil are the best.

At first, all ten married together; but then they dispersed across India and formed separate communities. The Maithils in thinking (vichar) and activities (acharya) and learning were the best Brahmans. All Brahmans were involved in Vedic and Sruti activities and griha (customary) activities. In every way they have tried to preserve their Brahmanness.

In different places, they have adopted different kinds of acharya or activities, and prolonged them over generations; and tried to speak Vedas in regional languages but preserved the basic content. In this way their activities and methods became different. Accordingly in each country the customs of Brahmans varied. In Mithila they ave adapted their own methods. Up to today our customs have been preseved.