324--Q&A WITH SWAMIJI-- Two Gotras

[Guest guest]

Question from Sherri:

What if a person is learning from two branches? My kriya yoga

tradition and initiation comes from Agastya, who is sometimes

recognized as one of the rishis. Then it is clear to me that Shree

Maa is my living Guru, so this would be Satyananda gotre. No rush,

but your or Swamiji's guidance is welcomed.

 

Nanda's tentative response : She could do a "cha" for both gotras.

That would be Agastya gotra cha Satyananda gotra, to honor both her

lineages. Swamiji, please let me know if this is ok.

 

Swamiji's response:

The migration of Hindu to a global culture really makes it evolve

with

new questions that had not been previously asked.

 

Traditionally, when a woman marries, she drops her family Gotra and

takes the Gotra of her husband's family. Of course the children

would take the father's Gotra, so I know of no precedent for having

two Gotras.

 

Suffice it to say that Agastya and Satyananda are so similar in

origin and tradition, it would be hard to tell by listening to the

mantras from which lineage the puja came. Therefore, you could use

either one or both with the inclusion of cha.