This article is an excerpt from book “Daivagnya Brahmanara Sandhyavandane”, written by Sri Ramakrishna Narayana Shet (Year 1980).

All rights in this article are held by Sri Ramakrishna Narayana Shet, Kadathoka, Honnavara (North Kanara).

Please note that the contents in this article have been translated from Kannada to English.

Who is Diavagnya?

Daivagnya Brahmins were “Deva Purohits”.

“Deva sambandheem Jaanaatheethi Daivagnyaha “

A person who knows about god is “Daivagnya” . A person who knows all the details of god and can craft an idol of god is called a “Daivagnya”.

“AsthadiKaaRaan Jaguhu Daivagnyaha paraMeshtiSuryayavanaaha KheMedhMaalaaJaguhu ||”

A person mastering the following eight fields is termed as a Daivagnya

1.      Bhugola sthiti (Geographical conditions)

2.      GaNitha Sidhantha (Mathematical Philosophies)

3.      Hora Shashtra

4.      Shakuna (Fortune)

5.      Samhitha

6.      Swara Shastra

7.      Saamudrika

8.      Shilpakaushalya Shastra

Mr. Drew Superintendent of the Census Bombay, has ordered that “Daivadnya” should write as “Daivadnya Brahmin” in the Census return accordingly by they are reported in the Brahmin Class in 1891.

The Story of the word “Shet”

The word “Shet” is a corrupt form of the word “Shreshta” meaning superior.

We the people with surname “Shet” are superior. As the time progressed the word was transformed from “Shreshta” to “Shet”.