Frequently Asked Questions & Answers By Sri Swamiji

• Which month is best ? Which Ekadasi is best ? What is to be eaten and not eaten on Ekadasi ? (New)
  
  
• I am in love with a person. Can I marry her. Please help Swamiji... (New)
  
  
• Question on - purudu
  
  
• Why Alamelumanga Tayaru is shown on the right side of the Lord, whereas all our Gods have their consort on the left side.
  
  
• How the Krishnashtami Dates are decided.
  
  
• About Ekadasi and fasting
  
  
• About Birthday celebrations of Rama and Krishna
  
  
• About deciding the calculation og birthdays etc, in USA
  
  
• What is meant here with "lion throne"? Is there any translation available of the Nityotsava
  
  
• Is kalyanam of Radha and Krishna celebrated ?
  
  
• Whether one can go to temples and perform aradhanas and poojas if one's parents have left the world.
  
  
• Please enlighten us in this contest what to do and what not do, at the time of either birth or death in a family. please let us know why these are done what they signify. Click Here
  
  
• About Ammavaru, Pongu, Atlamu disease in Andhra Pradesh.
  
  
• About performing Lord Shani pooja
  
  
• Procedure of the order of performing Sandhyavandanam and Dwayam.
  
  
• Can women do Salagrama Pooja
  
  
• Procedure on the directions of performing Sandhyavandanam
  
  
• About Gotras

1 ) ALL MONTHS ARE HOLIER IN THEIR OWN WAY. EACH HAS SOME IMPORTANT EVENT. SO IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE TO DISCRIMINATE. YET, CHAITRAM IS GOOD BECAUSE IT IS THE BEGINNING OF ALL THE MONTHS. WHERE AS MARGASI:RSHA IS BETTER BECAUSE ALL THE CROPS ARE REACHING ON TO HAND TO ENJOY. SO ON AND SO FORTH.

2 ) AGAIN EACH OF THE EKADASIS HAS ITS OWN MERIT. YET, VIAKUNTTA E:KA:DASI IS BETTER TO OBSERVE, ATLEAST, IF NOT ALL.

3 ) ONE NEEDS TO DO THE REGULAR SANDHYA AND PUJA TAKE THEERTHAMS. OFFERING UNCOOKED FOOD LIKE FRUITS ETC., IS GOOD. OR ELSE, OFFER SOME PREPARATION WITH SWEET AND FLOUR USING THINGS OTHER THAN RICE AND OFFER THEM TO THE LORD. USING SALT ALSO IS NOT GOOD ON E:KA:DASI. THEN TAKE PRASADAM AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. OR REDUCE TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE ON THAT DAY.

=chinnajeeyar=

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MARRIAGE IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES A TRIANGLE BONDAGE, BETWEEN COUPLE, AND BOTH THE FAMILIES. ALL THEY SHOULD ACCEPT AND PERFORM IT IN A MOOD OF JOY. IT SHOULD NOT BE DONE WITH FORCE WITH SADNESS.

HENCE, IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO ENTERTAIN LOVE WITH PROPER PERSONS OF UNDERSTANDING. BOTH BOY AND THE GIRL SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE SAMPRADAYAM AND SYSTEM OF THE FAMILIES. UNFORTUNATELY NOW A DAYS IT IS MISSING AND THUS CREATING DEPRESSION AMONG THE CHILDREN AND THE PARENTS.

ONE CAN BECOME VAISHNAVITE IF SANKHA AND CHAKRA IS TAKEN ALONG WITH MANTHRAM FROM A PROPER GURU. THEN, A VAISHNAVITE WILL NOT WORSHIP ALL THE DEVATHAS BUT RESPECTS ALL THE SAMPRADAYAS AND DEVATHAS TOO. HE WORSHIPS ONLY VISHNU AND HIS PARIVARAM.

ACCEPTING BOTH THE PARENTS IS VERY MUCH IMPORTANT. SO YOU TRY TO INFORM YOUR PARENTS FIRST AND THEN ASK THEM TO APPROACH HER PARENTS. LET HER ALSO APPROACH HER PARENTS AND CONVINCE THEM TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE WITH YOUR PARENTS. IF THAT IS DONE FIRST, OTHER THINGS MAY BE SORTED OUT SOON.
If the parents are not able to come to an understanding, then we suggest you and the girl also to be restrained yourself from the proposal of marriage.

=chinnajeeyar=

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IF YOU ARE A BRAHMACHARY, YOU NEED NOT OBSERVE THE UNTOUCHABILITY. YOU NEED TO TAKE A SNANAM, AFTER KNOWING THE MESSAGE AND THAT IS ALL. BUT THIS RULE WILL APPLY IF YOUR ANUSHTTANAM IS LIKE A BRAHMACHARI. THAT IS, YOU MUST BE PERFORMING SANDHYA VANDANAM 3 TIMES A DAY. AGNI KARYAM 2 TIMES ETC. IF NOT ALL AT LEAST SANDHYAVANDANAM.
=Chinnajeeyar=

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IF NOT ALL THE ACTIVITIES, ATLEAST, WHAT TTD IS DOING IN PRINTING THE CONSORT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LORD IS RIGHT. IN ALL THE TRADITIONAL TEMPLES AND ALSO IN ALL THE TRADITIONAL HOUSES, LADIES ARE PLACED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HUSBAND ONLY. NOT ON THE LEFT SIDE AT ALL. FOR THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE MALE IS AUSPICES TO
HIM AND THE LEFT SIDE OF THE LADY IS AUSPICES TO HER. ALWAYS, EVERYBODY WANTS THAT HIS OR HER BETTER HALF SHOULD BE ON THE AUSPICES SIDE ONLY. THEN, MALE SHOULD COME ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE LADY AND LADY SHOULD COME ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE MALE. DHARMA SASTHRAS RECOMMEND THIS SYSTEM ONLY. IN SRIVAISHNAVA SAMPRADAYAM, ALL SECTIONS OF THE SOCIETY FOLLOW THIS TRADITION ONLY.

=Chinnajeeyar=

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KRISHNASHTAMI OR " SRI JAYANTHI " AS SRI VAISHNAVITES CALL IT, SHOULD BE CELEBRATED, IN A DAY WHEN DURING THE SUN'S STAYS IN SIMHA RASI, AND WHEN ROHINI STAR OR ASHTAMI THITTHI, STAY WITHOUT ANY POLLUTION.

POLLUTION MEANS, BY THE TIME OF SUN RAISE, THAT PARTICULAR STAR OR THITTHI, ENJOINING WITH THE PREVIOUS ONE. THEY CALL IT AS "VIDDHA".

TO CELEBRATE THE FUNCTION, OUT OF BOTH THITHHI AND STAR, WHICHEVER WILL REMAIN LONG WILL ONLY BE CONSIDERED TO BE THE ONE FOR FUNCION. IF THAT REMAINS TO THE MORNING THAT IS ENOUGH, THAT NEED BE THERE DURING MID NIGHT. BUT THAT DAY CAN BE TAKEN "PURE" FOR PERFORMING THE FUNCTION. IT IS BECAUSE THE
KRISHNA'S JANM SLOKA SAYS

"SIMHA RA:SOW ASITHE: PAKSHE: RO:HINYA:M ASHTAMI: THITTHOW |
CHARAMA:RTTHA PRADA:THA:RAM KRUSHNAM VANDE: JAGAD GURUM ||"

(Swamiji is refereing to the year 2006)

NOW ON 15TH OR 16TH OF AUGUST, SIMHA RASI ENTRANCE TO SUN HAS NOT HAPPENED AT ALL. HE IS STILL IN KARKATAKA RASI. HE IS ENTERING INTO SIMHA RA:SI ON 17TH IN THE EVENING AT 6.48 pm. SO PERFORMING HIS FUNCTION IN AUGUST, IS NOT PROPER.

DURING September, ON 15TH SUN IS IN SIMHA RASI, THOUGH PURE ROHINI WAS ON PREVIOUS DAY, BUT ASHTAMI GOT POLLUTED ON 14TH, HENCE THAT DAY IS NOT GOOD, WHICHEVER WILL REMAIN TILL END CAN BE TAKEN, SO, ASHTAMI STAYS ON 15H ALSO AND THAT TOO WITHOUT ANY POLLUTION, SO "15TH SEPTEMBER" WILL BE OUR "SRI JAYANTHI'
DAY.

WE ARE SURE WE DID NOT CONFUSE YOU MUCH.

=chinnajeeyar=

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DOING FASTING IN TOTAL, TAKING A:RA:DHANA THI:RTHAM AND A VERY LITTLE PRASADAM IS REALLY GOOD. IF ONE IS NOT ABLE TO OBSERVE THAT, BETTER TO REDUCE THE FOOD AS LESS AS POSSIBLE THAN THE REGULAR ONE, OK!!!

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WE DID NOT HEAR THE STORY OF THITHIES GOING TO LORD ETC......LORD RAMA BORN ON NAVAMI, LORD KRISHNA BORN ON ASHTAMI. THERE IS A PURPOSE BEHIND CHOOSING THOSE DATES BY THEM.

1) LORD RAMA, A PU:RNA MA:NAVA AVATHA:RAM. HE NEVER SAID THAT HE WAS GOD. INSPITE OF DEVATHAS SAYING SO, HE DENIED THAT. THAT PU:RNATHWAM IS SHOWN BY THITTHI " 9 ". NINE AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, IS A PU:RNA SAMKHYA.
INDESTRUCTIBLE NUMBER IT IS. MANUSHYA SHOULD LIVE LIKE THAT IN THE HISTORY, BY PRACTISING HUMANE QUALITIES, LIKE THAT OF LORD RAMA.

2) LORD KRISHNA, IS THE INCORNATION OF LORD HIMSELF DIRECTLY ON THIS EARTH. HE IS NOT A MAN LIKE SRI RAMA. WHILE LOOKING AT LORD KRISHNA, ONE SHOULD NOT THINIK OF MAN AT ALL. HE IS GOD-HIMSELF. ACCORDING TO THE
VEDAS, GOD WILL BE REVEALED THOUGH A MANTHRA THAT IS " 8 " SYLLABLES, CALLED ASHTA:KSHARI MAHA MANTHRA. THAT IS WHY HE CHOSE TO BE THE EIGHTTH BORN TO DE:VAKI DE:VI, AND 8TH THITTHI ALSO.

ACCORDING TO THE JYOTHISHA, THOSE ARE NOT BE TAKEN AS GOOD DAYS TO START SOME NEW ACTIVITY AND THAT IS SA;STHRA, WHICH NEED TO BE OBSERVED. BECAUSE SA:STHRA IS ALSO THE ORDINACE OF GOD-HIMSELF. HENSE, FOLLOWING THAT IS RESPECTING HIM ONLY.

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WE WON'T PERFORM ONLY THITTHIS TO LORD SRIRAMA & KRISHNA. SOME PEOPLE DO SO, THOSE WHO DON'T OBSERVE RIGHT SA:STHRA. OBSERVING THEIR BIRTH STARS, IS ONLY THE CUSTOMERY BY TRADITIONAL SRI VAISHNAVITES. SRIRAMA
NAVAMI BECAME FAMOUS, BECAUSE OF LORD SRIRAMA CHENDRA AT BHADRACHELAM IN ANDHRA PRADESH. THE CONSECRATION OF THAT TEMPLE TOOK PLACE ON THAT DAY AND STARTED CELEBRATING KALYANAM ON NAVAMI, ACCORDING TO A:GAMAS.

PEOPLE STARTED NAVAMI-CELEBRATIONS.

FOR KRISHNA'S BIRTHDAY, EVEN TODAY, WE OBSERVE RO:HINI ONLY. IT IS ONLY NON-VAISHNAVITES, WHO DO NOT FOLLOW RIGHT SA:STHRA, OBSERVE SRA:VANA BAHULA ASHTAMI ONLY. WE SEE THAT RO:HINI STAR SHOULD BE PURE AND
ASHTAMI THITTHI SHOULD BE PURE AND THEN ONLY OBSERVE THAT CELEBRATION.

LEAVE ALL THIS, THEY BORN ON SOME THITTHIS AND YOU SHOULD PERFORM THEM AS THEIR BIRTHDAYS. WHY YOU NEED TO HAVE ANY OBJECTION AT ALL, WHETHER OR NOT TO PERFORM THAT ON THAT DAY?

=CHINNAJEEYAR=

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THE BIRTH STAR OF YOUR BABY WAS PU:RVA BHA:DRA ONLY. YOU NEED NOT CHANGE THE TIME AND CALCULATE THE DIFFERENCE OF TIME ETC., AND BREAK THE HEAD. TAKE THE PANCHA:NGAM HERE AND TAKE THE EXACT TIME FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT, TAKE THE DAY AND DATE OF LOCAL CALCULATION, LOOK INTO THE PANCHANGAM AND DECIDE THE STAR OR THITTHI. IN THAT WAY YOURS' NOW IS PU:RVA:BHADRA ONLY.

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LION THRONE IS 'SIMHA:SANAM' ON WHICH GOD SITS. NITHYA UTSAVAM IS DAILY RITUALS OBSERVED IN TRADITIONAL TEMPLES, DONE ACCORDING TO SOME A:GAMA SA:STHRA.

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NO. IT IS NOT. ACCORDING TO ORIGINAL SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM, COMPOSED BY THE GREAT SAGE VEDA VYASA, THERE IS NO CHARACTER CALLED AS "RADHA" AT ALL.
THE MENTION OF RADHA IS AVAILABLE IN RAJASA PURANA LIKE 'BRAHMA VAIVARTHA PURANAM'.

WE CAN TAKE 'RADHA' AS A SYMBOL OF DEVOTEE WITH SELFLESS DEVOTION. IN SANSKRIT "RADH" MEANS TO PLEASE. THE DEVOTION OF ONE, WHO PLEASED LORD WITH HIS HEART, DEED AND WORD, WILL BE CALLED AS RADHA. BECAUSE THE WORD 'DEVOTION' IS IN FEMININE GENDER, SO THE WORD 'RADHA' ALSO BECAME A FEMININE GENDER WORD. WHEN A
CHARACTER IS PERSONIFIED THAT CHARACTER BECAME 'LADY RADHA'.

HOW LORD LOVES SUCH A DEVOTEE AND HOW SUCH DEVOTEE IS MERGED IN LORD, IS SEEN IN RADHA-KRISHNAS. HENCE RADHA IS NOT REALLY A PERSON, IT APPEARS. THAT IS THE REASON WHY KALYANAM IS NOT PERFORMED TO THEM. IT IS DONE TO THOSE WHO WERE REALLY THERE DURING HIS PERIOD.
=chinnajeeyar=

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WE ARE HAPPY FOR YOUR INTEREST. ACCORDING TO VAISHNAVA SAMPRADAYAM, AFTER 13 DAYS OF THE CEREMONY, IT IS PERFORMED "PARAMAPADA UTSAVAM". IT THAT IS DONE THAT DEPARTED SOUL, CHILDREN OF THE DEPARTED SOUL, CAN GO TO TEMPLES AND DO ALL SIMPLE PUJAS WITHOUT ANY HESITATION. MANY PEOPLE WON'T DO THAT UTSAVAM, THEY
NEED TO OBSERVE THE RESTRICTION OF NOT GOING TO TEMPLE AND DO PUJAS OR ANY FUNCTIONS ETC., FOR ONE YEAR. WHICH THEY CALL AS "SAMVATSARA SU:THAKAM" WE THINK THAT RULE MAY BE OBSERVED UPTO ATLEAST 6 MONTHS IN OTHER COUNTRIES BY INDIANS.
=CHINNAJEEYAR=

FOR VAISHNAVITES, ONE YEAR RESTRICTION IS NOT THERE TO DO THE PUJA, WHICH IS A REGULAR ACTIVITY, AFTER DEMISE OF PARENTS. FINISHING THE PARAMA PADO:TSAVAM WITH 'IYAL GOSTI' ON 13TH DAY, CLEARS THE 'A:SOUCHAM' AND MAKES ELIGIBAL FOR NITYA KARMA. PUJA IS ALSO ONE AMONG NITYA KARMAS. SO IT HAS TO BE DONE. EVEN IF
IT IS A TEMPLE, ONE CAN GO FOR DARSAMAN AND FOR SELF PUJA, IF HE IS A PUJARI. KALYANAS AND SPECIAL CELEBRATIONS SHOULD NOT BE DONE.

EVEN THAT IS TO SHOW ONE'S SORROW ONLY. BUT, FOR NON VAISHNAVITES, THEY DO NOT DO THE PARAMA PADOTSAVAM, 1YEAR A:SOUCHAM WILL BE THERE, SO THEY CANNOT GO TO TEMPLE AND DO THE PUJA.

=Chinnajeeyar=

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WHEN THERE IS BIRTH OR DEATH IN A FAMILY, THE WHOLE FAMILY GETS "A:SOUCHAM" WHICH MEANS IT GETS POLLUTED. THIS POLLUTION CONTINUES FOR ABOUT 10 DAYS OR SO.
IT MAY CHANGE IN SOME CASES. WE DO NOT WANT TO GO TO THOSE DETAILS.

THE POLLUTION AFFECTS DURING BIRTH OF A NEW BABY IS CALLED "JA:THA A:SOUCHAM", WHERE AS THE POLLUTION AFFECTS OF DEATH IS CALLED "MRUTHA A:SOUCHAM". FOR BOTH OF THEM ONE SHOULD OBSERVE. MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT MRUTHA:SOUCHAM IS TO BE OBSERVED,BUT NOT THE JA:THA:SOUCHAM. BUT IT IS SAID THAT JA:THA:SOUCHAM IS MORE SEVERE THAN THE MRUTHA:SOUCHAM.

HOW AND AT WHAT LEVEL IT EFFECTS, IS NOT OUR TOPIC OF DISCUSSION. AS YOU KNOW WELL THAT IF A TELEPHONE TOWER IS AFFECTED ALL THE CELL PHONES IN THAT AREA GET AFFECTED. THAT MAY BE TAKEN AS AN ANOLOGY.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION SCRIPTURE (SA:STHRAM) NEVER GIVES EXPLANATIONS WHY TO DO. IT SIMPLY ORDERS WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO. GIVING EXPLANATIONS IS ONLY FOR OUR SATISFACTION AND IN OUR LIMITED UNDERSTANDING. THAT MAY BE CORRECT OR NOT. YET, THE DICTUM SHOULD BE OBSERVED AND FOLLOWED. OTHERWISE, IT SAYS YOU RECEIVE
PUNISHMENT IN SOME OR THE OTHER WAY.
=chinnajeeyar=

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NO. IT IS A HEALTH HAZARD. NOT ANY GODLY IMPACT. SO TAKING GOOD CARE AND USING PROPER MEDICINE, WILL TAKE CARE. NO NEED TO SATISFY ANY GOD OR GODDESS BY UNWANTED OFFERINGS LIKE MEAT ETC.,

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YOUR IDEA IS GREAT. YOU NEED NOT DEPEND UPON DUMMY THINGS. BE FIRM ON GOD. AND DO PUJA TO LORD VISHNU IN KURMA FORM.
-chinnajeeyar-

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WE ARE HAPPY FOR YOUR INTEREST IN MAINTAINING THE VEDIC PRACTICES.

INITIALLY AFTER BATH AND MARKING THE HEAD, ONE HAS TO CHANT GURU PARAMPARA AND 3 MANTHRAS, GIVEN BY OUR ACHARYAS. DURING THE COURSE ITSELF, DWAYAM WILL BE CHANTED. OTHERWISE, THERE IS NO TIME RESTRICTION TO DWAYAM. BUT RULES ARE HERE FOR SANDHYA VANDANAM. DWAYAMANTHRAM, IS NOTHING TO DO WITH OTHERS. SO ALSO SANDHYAVANDHANAM WITH DWAYAM TOO. AFTERNOON AND EVENING SANDHYAS SHOULD BE DONE AT THEIR OWN PLACES AND AT RECOMMENDED TIMES.
=CHINNAJEEYAR=

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IT IS ONLY MEN RECOMMENDED TO DO THE SALAGRAMA PUJA, BUT NOT LADIES. THERE IS NO QUESTION OF SAMPRADAYA. IT IS A COMMON RULE FOR ALL THE SAMPRADAYAS. FOR SALAGRAMA, SO MANY MANTHRAS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE CHANTED, WHICH MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO THEM. THEN, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN DOING PUJA, YOU CAN HAVE VIGRAHAS LIKE GODA, KRISHNA, RAMA ETC., AND DO THEM WELL. EVEN IF THERE IS AN UNAVOIDABLE BREAK IN BETWEEN, HERE AND THERE, IT IS ACCEPTABLE.
=Chinnajeeyar=

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MORNING SANDHYA SHOULD BE DONE FACING EAST.

* NOON SANDHYA ALSO SHOULD BE DONE FACING EAST ONLY. RIGHT FROM BEGINNING TO THE END. NO NORTH BUSINESS.
* WHEREAS IN EVENING SANDHYA VANDHANAM THERE ARE SOME CHANGES.
* UPTO ARGHYA PRADA:NAM, IT SHOULD BE DONE FACING NORTH.
* STARTING FROM ARGHYA PRADA:NAM IT SHOULD BE DONE, FACING WEST.
* BUT, WHILE DOING A:CHAMANAM IN BETWEEN, IT SHOULD BE DONE FACING NORTH ONLY, FOR, DOING A:CHAMANAM FACING WEST IS PROHIBITED.
=Chinnajeeyar=

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WE GOT YOUR DOUBT. WE GIVE A CONSOLIDATED ANSWER. GO:THRA STARTED TO SAY THE MAIN RUSHI, FROM WHOM THE LINEAGE IS STARTED. IN OLDEN DAYS, A FEW RUSHIES ARE USED TO FORM A GROUP AND MAKE RELATIONSHIPS ONLY AMONG THEMSELVES, JUST LIKE 'ASHTAGO:THRIES' NOW. OF COURSE, THAT SYSTEM IS BEING LOST GRADUALLY. YET THAT
IS HOW THE GROUPS WERE STARTED VIZ., 3, 5, 7, 9 OR 11 & 12 RUSHIS. SIMILAR NAMES WERE THERE TO RUSHIES. BHARADWAJA IS NOT JUST ONE, OR GOUTHAMA IS NOT JUST ONLY ONE. THERE ARE MANY RUSHIES HAVING SIMILAR NAMES. THIS IS A BIG CONFUSION. IN THE SAME GOTHRA, DIFFERENT VEDA SAKHA PEOPLE ARE EXISTING. SIMILARITY CONFUSES
US MOST OF THE TIMES. SO SAME NAME OF THE RUSHI MAY BE THERE WITH IN THE SAME VEDA, IN DIFFERENT SAMPRADAYA, IN DIFFERENT CASTE, AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS OF THE WORLD. ONCE UPON A TIME, ALL THESE PEOPLE WERE LIVING TOGETHER. LATER, SOME TSUNAMI, MUST HAVE SEPERATED THE CONTINENTS AND THUS PEOPLE FORGOT THEIR
ORIGINS. EVEN IN THE SAME COUNTRY, PEOPLE MUST HAVE GOT SEPERATED, BY VIRTUE OF THEIR PROFESSION OR SOMEOTHER REASON. GOTHRA MARRIAGES IN THE SAME CASTE OR FAMILY ARE RESTRICTED, FOR THEIR ORIGIN MIGHT BE ONE.
=Chinnajeeyar=

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