Srivatsa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Srivatsa is a mark on the chest of Vishnu where His consort Sri Lakshmi resides. Srivatsa is another name of Vishnu and is mentioned in the Vishnu Sahasaranamam.
The Brahmin subcastes are grouped under various gotras(In Sanskrit, gotram means family, race, lineage, a mountain, a cow-pen and so on!) that are patrilineal groups.
According to one legend (according to Rev.M.A.Sherring), all the chief Brahmin gotras are descended from the Saptarishis (seven sages). Sherring says the Vatsa, Bida, Arshtikhena, Yaska, Mitryu, Shaunak and Bainya gotras claim descent from sage Bhrigu; the gotras of Gautam, Bharadwaj and Kewal-Angiras from sage Angirah; the Atre, Badbhutak, Garishtira and Mudhgala from sage Atri; the Kaushika, Lohit, Raukshak, Kamkayana, Aja, Katab, Dhananjya, Agamarkhan, Puran and Indrakaushika from sage Viswamitra; the Nidruba, Kasyap, Sandila, Rebha and Langakshi from sage Kasyap; the Vashisht, Kundin, Upamanyu, Parashara and Jatukaraniya from sage Vashisht; and the Idhamabahar, Somabahar, Sambhabahar and Yagyabhar from sage Agastya. Other gotras are said to have been derived from these gotras.
So Sri-Vatsa is another similar gotra derved from the existing Vatsa gotra.