Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.1.38-39
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionDisciples Also Belong to the Dynasty
“O King Parīkṣit, Lord Śiva was pleased with Vasiṣṭha. Therefore, to satisfy him and to keep his own word to Pārvatī, Lord Śiva said to that saintly person, “Your disciple Sudyumna may remain a male for one month and a female for the next. In this way he may rule the world as he likes.””
What the purport teaches
- Lord Śiva was pleased with Vasiṣṭha. To satisfy him while keeping his word to Pārvatī, he allowed Sudyumna to alternate between male and female each month and rule the world.
- Brāhmaṇas generally act as spiritual masters of both their disciplic succession and their family descendants. Both belong to the same gotra, or dynasty.
- The word gotrajaḥ includes both disciples and family members within the same dynasty. The purport explains that brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and even vaiśyas may belong to the disciplic succession of the same ṛṣis.
Try this today
Write a brief definition of gotrajaḥ that includes both disciples and family descendants.
Ask yourself
How does this explanation broaden my understanding of belonging to a spiritual dynasty?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.