# SB 9.1.38-39 ## Text > tuṣṭas tasmai sa bhagavān > ṛṣaye priyam āvahan > svāṁ ca vācam ṛtāṁ kurvann > idam āha viśāmpate > > māsaṁ pumān sa bhavitā > māsaṁ strī tava gotrajaḥ > itthaṁ vyavasthayā kāmaṁ > sudyumno 'vatu medinīm ## Synonyms *tuṣṭaḥ*—being pleased; *tasmai*—unto Vasiṣṭha; *saḥ*—he (Lord Śiva); *bhagavān*—the most powerful; *ṛṣaye*—unto the great sage; *priyam* *āvahan*—just to please him; *svām* *ca*—his own; *vācam*—word; *ṛtām*—true; *kurvan*—and keeping; *idam*—this; *āha*—said; *viśāmpate*—O King Parīkṣit; *māsam*—one month; *pumān*—male; *saḥ*—Sudyumna; *bhavitā*—will become; *māsam*—an other month; *strī*—female; *tava*—your; *gotra*-*jaḥ*—disciple born in your disciplic succession; *ittham*—in this way; *vyavasthayā*—by settlement; *kāmam*—according to desire; *sudyumnaḥ*—King Sudyumna; *avatu*—may rule; *medinīm*—the world. ## Translation **O King Parīkṣit, Lord Śiva was pleased with Vasiṣṭha. Therefore, to satisfy him and to keep his own word to Pārvatī, Lord Śiva said to that saintly person, "Your disciple Sudyumna may remain a male for one month and a female for the next. In this way he may rule the world as he likes."** ## Purport The word *gotrajaḥ* is significant in this connection. *Brāhmaṇas* generally act as spiritual masters of two dynasties. One is their disciplic succession, and the other is the dynasty born of their semen. Both descendants belong to the same *gotra,* or dynasty. In the Vedic system we sometimes find that both *brāhmaṇas* and *kṣatriyas* and even *vaiśyas* come in the disciplic succession of the same *ṛṣis.* Because the *gotra* and dynasty are one, there is no difference between the disciples and the family born of the semen. The same system still prevails in Indian society, especially in regard to marriage, for which the *gotra* is calculated. Here the word *gotrajaḥ* refers to those born in the same dynasty, whether they be disciples or members of the family.