Śāṇḍilya is one of the Brahmin gotra

Brahmin gotra system

The word "gotra" means "lineage" in the Sanskrit language. Among those of the Brahmin caste, gotras are reckoned patrilineally. Each gotra takes the name of a famous Rishi or sage who was the patrilineal forebearer of that clan...

s, named after the eponymous rishi

Rishi

Rishi denotes the composers of Vedic hymns. However, according to post-Vedic tradition, the rishi is a "seer" to whom the Vedas were "originally revealed" through states of higher consciousness. The rishis were prominent when Vedic Hinduism took shape, as far back as some three thousand years...

 Śāṇḍilya

Sandilya (Rishi)

Ṣāṇdilya was the name of at least two prominent rishis. One of the rishis was the progenitor of the Sandilya gotra.The name was derived from the Sanskrit words ṣan, full and dilam,the moon, with the derivative ya added, meaning the one of the full moon, thereby implying a priest or a descendant of...

, specifying that individuals of the gotra

Gotra

In the Hindu society, the term Gotra broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram , which means "the word gotra denotes the progeny beginning with the son's son"...

 have Śāṇḍilya for one of their patrilineal ancestors.

While individuals of the gotra are to be found all through India, it is particularly prevalent amongst Vaidiki

Vaidiki Brahmins

Vaidiki Brahmins are a sect of Telugu speaking Smartha Brahmins. They are predominantly followers of Adi Shankaracharya. The term Vaidika derives itself from the term Vedas. Vaidikis are people who mastered Vedas, also called Ghanaapaathi...

, Bhumihar, Maithil

Maithil Brahmin

Maithil Brahmins form part of ancient Vedic Brahmins. Maithil s are a part of Panch-gauda , a group of highest-ranking castes among Brahmin, who still strive to follow rites and rituals according to ancient Hindu canons. Maithil Brahmin is a community of highly cohesive, and traditional Brahmins...

, Assamese

Assamese Brahmins

In Assam, out of many sects of Hindu people which include Brahmins , Kalitas, Ahoms amongst others; the Brahmin community is comparatively small. Brahmins are found everywhere in Assam and surrounding areas. However most predominantly in Jorhat, Nalbari, Barpeta, Goalpara and Darrang districts....

, Bengali Brahmins as well as Śri Gauda Brahmins that live predominantly in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Śāṇḍilya gotra was historically common in Kashmir

Kashmiri Pandit

The Kashmiri Pandits are a Hindu Brahmin community originating from Kashmir, a mountainous region in South Asia.-Background:The Hindu caste system of the region was influenced by the influx of Buddhism from the time of Asoka, around the third century BCE, and a consequence of this was that the...

 and Sindh

Pushkarna

- Introduction :Pushkarna is one of the Brahmin communities in India. The Pushkarnas primarily hail from Sindh and Persia region.- Migration :...

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The Pravaras, or lineages, of the Śandilya gotra are:

• Kaśyapa, Āvatsāra, Dīvala
• Kaśyapa, Āvatsāra, Śāṇḍilya
• Kaśyapa, Dīvala, Asita
• Kaśyapa, Āvatsāra, Naidruva(Naitruva), Rebha, Raibha, Śandila, Śāṇḍilya

Some non-Brahmin castes also use the name, claiming the rishi to be their ancestral preceptor

Preceptor

A preceptor is a teacher responsible to uphold a certain law or tradition, a precept.-Christian military orders:A preceptor was historically in charge of a preceptory, the headquarters of certain orders of monastic Knights, such as the Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar, within a given...

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