Which Gotra Is Superior?

My article Difference ‘Between Viswamitra Kaushika Gotras Why No Bharata’ is being read widely and there have been comments on it, most of them thanking me for clarifying the issue.

There are some comments which differ from the others.

I am replying for some relevant ,in my opinion important comments.

One of them states that I should refrain from writing articles on this subject as the definition and explanation of Brahma Rishis is not clear.

I quote,

I belong to KAUSHIKA GOTHRA. I still doubt about the concept of BRAHMARISI. Even Sage Vashista as per Mahabharatha is different from BRAHMARISHI VASHISTA.. It is better not to write articles on this for the following reasons. It is a well known fact the PROGENITOR OF BOTH VISWAMITHRA AND KAUSHIKA GOTHRAS is SAGE KUSHIKA –A MANASA PUTHRA OF BRAHMA. hen how can be descendents of KUSHIKA NOT BE CALLED AS BRAHMARISHIS. Further sage Kaushika is one of the five rishis eligible to givE DEEKSHA IN SIVAGAMAS and ne of the FIVE GOTHRAS NOMINATED FOR ACHARYASTHANA. There are different versions about GADHI–THE BRAHMA RAJAN OF KUSHIKA GOTHRAS. As per DEVI MAHATMAYAM he is son of SAGE KATHA OF KUSHIKA LINEAGE and he is mentioned as KADI BROTHER OF KAUSHIKI WHO BECAME A RIVER. Further GODDESS PARVATHI WAS BORN AS A DAUGHTER TO SGE KATHA AS KATHYAYINI. And there is also anoter sage KATHYAYANA son of KATHA RISHI the famous author of KATHYAYANA SUTRA. It is only from RAMAYANA the story of VISWAMITHRA BEGINS. Here the son of KATHA SAGE is mentioned as GADHI AND NOT KATHI. Further the descendents of SAGE KUSHIKA did not want o become purohits and performed RAJAYA DUTIES. They are not born KSHATRIYAS since they did not belong to five clans of KSHATRIYAS–BRAHMA/NAGA/SURYA/SOMA/AGNI VAMSAS. Hence to consider all descendents of KAUSHIKA is incorrect bu they were only Brahmins performing Rjanya duties. Let us restrict ourselves about VIWAMITHRA’S CONTRIBUTION and need not go about whether he is a KSHATRIYA OR NOT’

1.I shall continue writing about what I find in the Sruthi and Smriti.

Saptha Rishis.

I present facts.

If some one has a different view they are welcome to post their comments with authentic source/Links.

If they are authentic, I shall write on the subject with my views, with corrections over my earlier view.

I am of the opinion that Knowledge , especially in Hinduism , is an open source.

So long as the information does not run contradictory to Sruthi, It has to be taken as final .

And this is my view.

I shall be writing on Brahma Rishis in detail.

There seems to be some apprehension in some quarters that the origin of the rishis might reflect on the descendants present social standing.

This is not warranted if one understands that lineage is determined by disposition and Character and not birth as a matter of right.

This is probably the reason for the proverb in Tamil that states that one should not look deeply into the origin of Rishis and rivers for in both the cases the origins may not be worth to begin with.

A Sage like Viswamitra was not recognised among the Rishis when he was a powerful King as Kaushika.

But once he became a Brahma Rishi he was venerated to the extent that his Gayatri Mantra has been the most elevated Status in Hinduism, notwithstanding his origin.

There was another comment which is connected to this comment, though it may not appear so, is

‘Which Gotra is superior?’

If we take the Puranas as the authority all the Puranas name Kashyapa.

We can not really say Kasyapa gotra is superior to all the other  Gotras, because,

Sage Bharatwaja, Atri and Sikleetha were described as the father of Mahalakshmi at different times.

Then there are the Saptha Rishis.

They are eternal and their composition changes Manvantara to Manvantara.

So  they have to be given the utmost respect.

The message is not to look for the origins of the Rishis and engage oneself in debates as to which Gotra is superior, but to follow the Path given by the Rishi assigned to each Family and adhere to the appropriate Sutras.