Kashyapa, Bharadvaja, Vasishtha,
Bhrgu, Atri, and Vishvamitra. All brah-
minsare believed to be descended from
these seven sages, with each family tak-
ing the name of its progenitor as its
gotra name. In modern times, these
gotra divisions are still important, since
marriage within the gotra is forbidden.
A new bride adopts her husband’s
gotra after her marriage as part of her
new identity.
Gautama is most famous as the hus-
band of Ahalya. When he discovers that
the god Indrahas slept with Ahalya,
he curses his wife to turn into stone
and curses Indra to have a thousand
vulvas on his body. Both cursesare later
modified to reduce their severity. Ahalya
is turned to stone, but returns to life
when touched by the god Rama’sfoot,
whereas Indra’s body becomes
covered with a thousand eyes. See also
marriage prohibitions.
Gautama
(2) (3rd c. B.C.E. ?) Indian philosopher
who is traditionally cited as the author
of the Nyaya Sutras, the foundation of
the Nyaya philosophical school. The
Nyaya school is one of several schools
that seek to explain the cause of human
bondage in the cycle of reincarnation
(samsara) and how it can be overcome.
Gaya
Sacred site (tirtha) and city in the mod-
ern state of Biharand capital of a dis-
trict by the same name. According to
Hindu mythology, this is the place
where the god Vishnusacrifices a pow-
erful demonnamed Gayasura, having
promised the demon that the space cov-
ered by his body will be the holiest spot
on earth. Gaya is best known as a site to
perform various rites for the dead, par-
ticularly the memorial rites known as
shraddhas. Its sanctity is so well known
that it draws people from all over the
eastern part of India.
Gayasura
In Hindu mythology, the name of a very
powerful asura (demon). Gayasura per-
forms harsh asceticism(tapas), spurred
by the traditional Indian assumption
that to voluntarily endure physical suf-
fering brings one spiritual and magical
powers. Gayasura’s powers grow so
large that all the gods become con-
cerned that he might become powerful
enough to overthrow them. As the gods’
fears grow, the god Vishnuadvises the
god Brahmato convince Gayasura to
allow his body to be sacrificed. Vishnu
promises Gayasura that the place where
he dies will become holier than all the
sacred sites (tirthas) in the world. The
spot where Gayasura’s body lies becomes
the holy place known as Gaya, which by
virtue of Vishnu’s boon is claimed to be
holier than all other places on earth. See
also magic.Gayatri Mantra
A particular verse from the Rg Veda
(3.62.10), the oldest Hindu religious text;
this verse is written in the poetic meter
named gayatri, hence its name. The
verse itself is an invocation to the sun
and can be translated “let us meditate
on the sun, most excellent of all the
deities, may he inspire our minds.”
Reciting the Gayatri mantra is part of the
morning and evening worship(sand-
hya) prescribed for every “twice-born”
man who has received the adolescent
religious initiationknown as the “sec-
ond birth.” An important part of this ini-
tiation is the transmission of this
mantrato the young man. Although the
Gayatri must be recited every day, it
should not be recited over water; in
earlier times this was one reason why
many orthodox Hindus were reluctant
to travel abroad.Gayawal
Endogamous group of pilgrimage
priests (pandas) who live in Gaya, a pil-
grimage place (tirtha) famous as a site
for rites for the dead. Each Gayawal familyGayawal