Truth

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Tue, 21 Aug 2001, venkata subramanian wrote:

>   the question in Satyakama's case was only his GOTRA i.e. lineage and
> not varna.

...which amounts to the same thing.  What Satyakama is being asked is the
abhivandana.  We still do this during upanayana to this day
today.

The acharya asks,  ko nAmasi saumya

the Brahmachari replies

___ pravaranvita ___ gotrasya, ___ shakhAdhAyi, ___ upahve ___ Atmaja ___
sharmo'ham bho

Where the blanks are filled in with pravara[1], gotra, Vedic Shakha[2],
surname, fathers name[3] and first name.

It should also be recited at the wedding, during sandhyavandana, and other
special occasions.

[1]  The Rshis who are the ancestors of the Gotra rshi.  There can be i,
3, or 5 pravaras.

[2]  I've noticed South Indians also mention their Shrautasutras
(apastambha, bodhayana etc.)  In Shuklayajurveda there is only one extent
so we don't do that.

[3] or mothers name in cases such as Satyakama apparently.

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>