PALAPARTHIFOUNDATION

Adapted from Palaparthi Vamsavali compiled by Ramesh Palaparthi

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Srivathsa (or Srivathsasa):

 

Srivathsa is a reference to our gotram and our family lineage that go back to Bhrigu or Bhargava rishi (one of the seven original rishis that are at the root of brahminism).  We subscribe to Apastamba Dharmasutra, one of the four extant sutras - guidelines for individual and social behavior, ethical norms, as well as personal, civil and criminal law within Hinduism.  The Apastamba Dharmasutra is ascribed to Apastamba and is an ancient Sanskrit text about Hindu dharma.  The text is notable for its broad minded and liberal views on women as also all social classes.  It has been translated into English by Patrick Olvielle.  

 

Apastamba was a student of Baudhayana and is said to have lived in 1st millennium BC (more narrowly to 450-350 BC) in the southern Indian peninsula between Godavari and Krishna rivers.  He was the founder of the Shakha school or tradition to which Palaparthis belong.  The Shakha school is of the Krishna (unarranged) Yajur (prose) Veda (knowledge) tradition.  

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Palaparthis are from the Vaidiki Velanadu sub-sect of brahmins.  That traces our family's roots in the 12th century timeframe to the Velanadu region on the banks of River Krishna in Guntur District.  As such, we are followers of the Smarta sampradaya (tradition) - which regards as equal all five deities (Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha, Surya and Shakti).  We are aligned with Advaita Vedanta and Adi Shankara, the Hindu reformer.

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Nrusimha:

 

Nrusimha is a reference to our family deity, the avatar of Vishnu.  Narasimha is first mentioned in the puranas dating back to 450AD.  A tradition in the family is to name the first born in each generation "Narasimha."  That tradition continues to today.

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Palaparthi:

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Palaparthi is our ancestral village.  Even though there is no actual village of Palaparthi today, according to one version, there was a village called Palaparthi near Bapatla in the 18th century.  It is possible that Palaparthi is a modified version of Palaparru. There is a Palaparru village in Paritalavaripalem Mandal in Guntur District, which is slightly to the north of Bapatla.  As can be seen, all indications are that the Palaparthis were historically pretty close to River Krishna.  

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Morampudi:

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Even if our forefathers lived in Palaparthi (or Palaparru), our immediate ancestors are known to have lived in Morampudi.  

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