[Advaita-l] On sagotra Marriages

[Rajaram Venkataramani]

>
> > it is based on the
> > belief that all humans are descendants of one or the other rishi. the
> > descendants of the same rishi should not marry just as siblings don't.
>
>
> You may need to provide original text confirming it.
>

>From the word itself. sagotra as you know means same lineage. In brahminical
Tamil, we use sagotharan and sagothari to indicate brother and sister
respectively.

   1. Here is an usage of gotra to indicate descendents of the same father.
   sarvatraskhalitadesah  sapta-dvipaika-danda-dhrik  anyatra brahmana-kulad
   *anyatracyuta-gotratah* (SB 4.21.12).
   2. Here is an usage of gotra to indicate descendents of the same
   teacher.  tuṣṭas tasmai sa bhagavān  ṛṣaye priyam āvahan svāḿ ca vācam
   ṛtāḿ kurvann idam āha viśāmpate māsaḿ pumān sa bhavitā māsaḿ strī *tava
   gotrajaḥ* itthaḿ vyavasthayā kāmaḿ sudyumno 'vatu medinīm (SB
   9.1.38-39).

As you know, the prohibition of sagotra marriage is based on dharma
sastras. I dont know the refrences but it is said that according to
Vasishta, sagotra marriages were possible after seven generations of the
father and five generations of the mother. But that according to
Apasthambha, it is not limited.