Srivatsa

The Srivatsa (Devanagari: श्रीवत्स)^[1] is an ancient symbol, considered auspicious in India. Alternative transliterations include Shreevatsa, Śrīvatsa, Shrivatsa, Srivathsa and Sri Vatsa.

Srivatsa means "beloved of Sri", where Sri refers to the goddess Lakshmi.^[2] It is a mark on the chest of Vishnu where his consort Sri Lakshmi resides. It is said that the tenth avatar of Vishnu, Kalki, will bear the Srivatsa mark on his chest. Srivatsa-vakshaah ("One who has Srivatsa on his chest") is a name of Vishnu mentioned in the Vishnu Sahasranam.

In Buddhism, the Srivatsa is said to be a feature of the tutelary deity (Sanskrit: ishtadevata; Tibetan: yidam) Manjusri the Youth (Skt: Manjusrikumarabhuta).^[3] Tibetan Buddhists depict the Srivatsa as a triangular swirl or an endless knot.^[2]

As a Jain symbol

The compound Buddhist symbols: Shrivatsa within a triratana, over a Chakra wheel, on the Tonana gate at Sanchi. 1st century BCE.

In Jainism, it often marks the chest of the Tirthankara statue. It is one of the ashtamangala. It can look somewhat like a fleur-de-lis, an endless knot, a flower or diamond shaped symbol. ^{[citation needed]}

Gotra

In Sanskrit, gotra means family, race or lineage that are patriarchal groups. The Brahmin subcastes are grouped under various gotras. Srivatsa is a commonly used surname in Hindu names. Lord Parasurama an avatar of Vishnu was born in this Gotra. Sri-Vatsa is a gotra derived from the existing Vatsa gotra. Srivatsa gotra has 5 pravara rishis (sages): Bhargava, Chyavana, Apnavana, Aurava and Jamadagni; people of the Srivatsa or Vatsa gotra claim descent from these sages.^[4]

Other uses

Flag of Rakhine State, showing Srivatsa

The srivatsa is the symbol of Rakhine State and the Arakanese people of Myanmar.

References

Further reading

• Sutton, Nicholas (200). Religious doctrines in the Mahābhārata p.&nbsp