Shandilya

{{short description|Brahmin/Rajput Gotra}}

{{For|the Upanishad|Shandilya Upanishad}}

{{Use Indian English|date=November 2019}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}

{{Primary sources|date=June 2024}}

Shandilya (IAST: Śāṇḍilya) is a gotra{{cite book|author=Bose|title=Structure Of Hindu Society of Nepal and India, The — Rev. Edn.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WDavv_0tgkAC&pg=PA71|accessdate=12 July 2012|date=1 January 1994|publisher=Orient Blackswan|isbn=978-81-250-0855-2|pages=71–}} which is named after the great sage Shandilya,{{cite book|author=Swati Datta|title=Migrant Brāhmaṇas in Northern India and Nepal: Their Settlement and General Impact C. A.D. 475-1030|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pKAb9DPUCCcC&pg=PA128|accessdate=12 July 2012|date=1 January 1989|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0067-0|pages=128–}} specifying that individuals of the gotra have Shandilya as one of their patrilineal ancestors. Shandilya Rishi was the progenitor of the Śāṇḍilya gotra. The name derives from the Sanskrit words Śaṇ, and Dilam, thus meaning Full Moon, therefore implying Śāṇḍilya to be the priest of the Moon God.{{Cite web|last=जोशी|first=अनिरुद्ध|title=हिन्दुओं के प्रमुख वंश, जानिए अपने पूर्वजों को|url=https://hindi.webdunia.com/sanatan-dharma-history/hindu-dynasty-or-caste-history-116051700021_1.html|access-date=2021-09-25|website=hindi.webdunia.com|language=hi}} People belonging to this gotra are considered to be of lunar race. This gotra has three pravar, they are Sandilya, Asit and Deval. The Veda of this gotra is Samveda. This gotra is one of the eight highest gotra in Brahmins. Sandilya gotra is the largest gotra in Maithil Brahmins of Nepal and Bihar. Many families claiming direct patrilineal ancestry to this gotra can be found throughout India and Nepal. People of this gotra hail from Nepal and many Indian states such as West Bengal, Bihar, Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha. Many Saraswat Brahmin families residing in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh claim Shandilya as their paternal ancestor.{{Cite web|title=Gotra1 -|url=https://maithilbrahminmahasabha.in/gotra1/|access-date=2021-09-25|language=en-US}} There are 44 mool (origin) of Shandilya gotra in Maithil Brahmins.{{Cite web|title=mool -|url=https://maithilbrahminmahasabha.in/mool/|access-date=2021-09-25|language=en-US}} Other than Brahmins, some clans of Rajputs, like Banauts, Waldias, and Parmars, have Shandilya Gotra and have Shandilya as one of their patrilineal ancestors. There are only few Nepalis with Sandilya Gotra such as Kafle, Poudar and Prasai but their population is relatively high compared to people with other gotras in Nepal.