[Advaita-l] On sagotra Marriages

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

> 
> But there is one problem nowadays. If someone does not know his Gotra
> he can say he is from Kashyapa Gotra. Possible situation is bridegroom
> and bride do not know the Gotra. Both will say Kashyapa Gotra. It
> becomes Sagotra. Will you prohibit the marriage?
> 

If ever I am asked to act as a priest at a wedding where neither family knows
its gotra, I will worry about it. As such an event is not going to happen, I don't
see why I am an authority to allow or prohibit the marriage!
 
Seriously speaking, there is no SAstric rule that prohibits a marriage where 
the gotra-s of both bride and groom are completely unknown. The formal
recitation of the pravara-s and transfer of bride's gotra to that of the groom
is not a necessary requirement for any marriage ceremony. What is important
for a marriage is the completion of the saptapadI, followed by lAjahoma. I 
don't think any traditional authority will hold that a wedding is incomplete if 
the gotra and pravara recitation were not included in the ritual.

Regards,
Vidyasankar