Why do we trace our lineage in chanting Gayatri mantra ?

[sadananda]

Sri Murthy wrote:

>          All of us, members of this group, are well aware that we are not the
>          body, nor the mind.  What we refer to as "I" is the Nirguna
>          Brahman, that formless, shapeless Reality described in the
>          Upanishads.  We add various upadhis to it due to ajnana and give
>          ourselves a name and a lineage and falsely associate ourselves with
>          this lineage.


The way I look at it:

Advaita is the ultimate - till then just intellectually understanding and
appreciating and discussing about it is dvaita - sadhana, japa, tapa,
meditation implies dvaita.

Just because I am advaitin- If I meet my father and mother - I prostrate -
when it is advaita why should I? - vyaavahaarika is satya too! in its
reference.

The one who does sandhyaavandana and gaayatri japa is automatically a
dvaitin, even if he has intellectual understanding of the ultimate goal.
There is a doer ship.

Sankalpa and abivaadam are means of establishing first in our own mind why
we are doing it and who we are.   By recognizing my ancestry, I have
indirectly acknowledging that I am standing on a platform build by my great
ancestors - that cuts down my ego - and also reminds me that I have come
such a lineage and my character and behavior be worthy of such lineage.
Our elders always remind us - to remember what a glorious family we have
come from.

Finally - Even as an advaitin - my pay check is mine and my friends is his
and my wife is my wife and his wife is his - no confusion in these!  All
transactions within time and time bound and satyam in their reference.
What was that biblical statement - what belongs to Rome belongs to Rome and
what belongs to kingdom of heaven belongs there - or to that effect. As
long there is no confusion about it - if there is, even that belongs to the
vyavahaarika satyam only! That is also within the total order! -

Hari Om!
Sadananda