In which one of the following Vedas does the term 'Gotra' appear for the first time as representing a clan?
Atharvaveda
In the Rigveda, the word 'Gotra' occurs but in its literal sense of a cow-pen or cattle enclosure, not as a term for lineage or clan.
The Samaveda is largely a liturgical collection of chants derived from Rigvedic verses and does not introduce the clan sense of the word, and the Yajurveda is chiefly concerned with sacrificial formulae.
It is in the Atharvaveda that 'Gotra' is first used in the extended sense of a group of people descended from a common ancestor, marking the shift towards its later meaning as a clan or lineage identifier.
Hence, the answer is the Atharvaveda.
Similar Questions
Who among the following Vedic deities was considered the guardian of compacts and marriages?
Important Questions from Vedic Age
Consider the following statements about the emergence of urban centres in India from circa 6th Century BCE:
1. All of them developed away from the capitals of Mahajanpadas.
2. Major towns were located along routes of communication.
3. Many were bustling centres of commercial, cultural and political activity.
How many of the above statements is/are correct?
In the Manusmriti which form of marriage results from the “Voluntary union of a maiden and her lover”?
The main collections of Vedic hymns are called ______.
Ajatashatru, a ruler of the Haryanka Dynasty, was the son of _____.
King Ajatashatru was a ruler of the ______ dynasty.
