Bharadwaja Gotra

Bharadwaja (also spelled Bharadvaja) was one of the most celebrated Vedic sages and is counted among the Saptarishi of the present Vaivasvata Manvantara. He belonged to the Angirasa lineage as the son of Brihaspati (the preceptor of the gods) and was therefore also known as Bharadvaja Barhaspatya. The name is traditionally linked to the idea of one who brings or carries nourishment and vigor. Bharadwaja and his family are the principal seers of the sixth mandala of the Rigveda, which contains seventy-five hymns. He is remembered for his profound knowledge of the Vedas, Ayurveda, and Dhanurveda (the science of archery and warfare). In later tradition he is the father of Dronacharya, the martial teacher of the Kauravas and Pandavas, and his ashram at Prayaga (modern Allahabad) is described in the Ramayana as a place where Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana stayed during their exile.

The Bharadwaja gotra is one of the most widespread Brahmin lineages and also appears among several other communities. Its pravara is typically recited as Angirasa–Barhaspatya–Bharadvaja. The gotra is primarily affiliated with the Rigveda. Tradition holds that Bharadwaja studied the Vedas for three successive lifetimes yet still felt incomplete, until Indra showed him that what he had learned was only a handful from three immense mountains of knowledge. He is also credited in some medical traditions with receiving Ayurvedic knowledge from Indra for the welfare of humanity.