What does Haritasa stand for in Haritasa Gothra?

Answer 1

This is Shreeram Balijepalli answering your question.My Gothra(patrilineal) is also Harithasa.(harithA is the gothrA name and harithasyA--of or belonging to harithA became as harithasya which later corrupted colloquially as harithasa).

While performing religious rites, it is practice to define ones origin through one's gothra, and in this case the three rishi origin along with the gothra has to be recited while performing religious rites.

Harit/Harita was one of the great kings of Suryavansha.

Brahmins with Haritha gotra are the descendants of Haritha. The Pravara of this gothra has 2 variations:

1. Haritha, Ambarisha(associated with atharvana veda), Yuvanaswa.
2. Angiras, Ambarisha(associated with atharvana veda), Yuvanaswa.

Ambarisha and Yuvanaswa were great kings as well. They were also great kings of Suryavansha and ancestors of Lord Rama (See Genealogy of Rama).

In the Vishnu Purana it is said, "The son of Ambarísha, the son of Mándhátri, was Yuvanáśwa; his son was Harita, from whom the Haritha / Angirasa Háritas were descended"[1].

Harita was a son of Yuvanaswa of the Solar race, descended from Ikshwaku. From him descended the Harita-Angirasas. In the Linga Purana it is said, "The son of Yuvanaswa was Harita, of whom the Haritas were sons. They were, on the side of Harita / Angiras, twice-born men (Brahmans) of Kshatriya lineage;" or according to the Vayu, "they were the sons of Haritas / Angiras, twice-born men (Brahmans), of Kshatriya race," possibly meaning that they were sons raised up to Harita by Angiras[2] or sons of Harita raised up by Sage Angiras.

The descendants of Harita were possibly sometimes given the name Harita if he is considered to be near equal to Harita. In the Vishnu Purana it is said, "The son of Triśanku was Hariśchandra; his son was Rohitáśwa; his son was Harita; his son was Chunchu, who had two sons named Vijaya and Sudeva." The Harita mentioned here was Harita II.

Some other works say that Hárita is also a name of a sage, considered as the son of Chyavana, and to whom a work on law is attributed.

Brahmans of Harita Gotra with Pravara (Harita / Angiras, Ambarisha, Yuvanaswa) which is followed for few thousands of years clearly describes their lineage.

Harita Smriti was written by Harita.

Harit (Harita) Rishi was a sage of the Lakulish cult and was a devotee of Lord Shiva (Shri Eklingji). Harita was also the guru who taught Bappa Rawal of Guhilot (later to called Sisodia) the four cardinal duties for the service of the state:

1. To follow the principles of Manav Dharma (the Religion of Man) and preserve Vedic Culture.
2. To serve all God's Creations as a service to God, the Creator of all life.
3. To endeavour constantly to keep the human soul awakened and alive, in order that human beings would value the Dignity of Man.
4. To help recognise Man's special status in the hierarchy of God's creations-the eternal principles underlying cosmic creation.

Sri Ramanuja was also of Harita Gotra. Ramanujacharya, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete. He is seen by Śrīvaiṣṇavas as the third and most important teacher (ācārya) of their tradition, and by Hindus as the leading expounder of Viśiṣṭādvaita, one of the classical interpretations of the dominant Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy.

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There are many people named Harita, but those of the Haritasa (also called Harita) brahmin gotra are said to be descendants of the King Harita of the Suryavansha (Solar Dynasty), who is mentioned in the Vishnu Purana and was an ancestor of Sri Rama. Harita was himself the son of the King Yuvanaswa and descended from King Ambarisha, both good and faithful kings of the Suryavansha. It is said that the sons of Harita were or disciples of Rishi Angirasa. Therefore, the Pravaras of the Harita/Haritasa brahmin gotra are listed as either Angirasa, Ambarisha, Yuvanaswa; or as Harita, Ambarisha, Yuvanaswa.