What Is Sankalp? Why Your Name, Gotra and Intention Matter in a Puja

Every Hindu puja, havan or anushthan begins with a moment that is easy to miss if you don't know what to listen for. The priest takes water, rice and a flower in his right hand and recites a long sentence in Sanskrit, naming the time, the place, and you. This is the sankalp, and it is the heart that gives the whole ritual its purpose.

This article explains what a sankalp is, what it contains, why your name and gotra are included, what to do if you don't know your gotra, and how a sankalp works when the puja is performed on your behalf.

What Does "Sankalp" Mean?

Sankalp (संकल्प) means a firm resolve or sacred intention. In ritual, it is the formal declaration, made before the Divine, of who is performing the ritual, where and when, and for what purpose.

Without a sankalp, a ritual is like a letter without an address. The sankalp tells the ritual whom it is for and why.

What a Traditional Sankalp Contains

A traditional sankalp, recited in Sanskrit, moves from the cosmic to the personal:

At the end, the water, rice and flower are released, sealing the resolve.

Why Is Your Name Included?

Your name, along with your family members' names if included, connects the ritual to you personally. In tradition, the blessings of the puja are directed to the person named in the sankalp. That's why accuracy matters: always share the correct full name of each person to be included.

What Is a Gotra, and Why Does It Matter?

A gotra is a traditional lineage, traced through the paternal line to an ancient rishi (sage) such as Kashyap, Bharadwaj, Vashishtha, Gautam or Atri. Including your gotra in the sankalp identifies you within your ancestral lineage, as has been done in Hindu rituals for thousands of years.

What If I Don't Know My Gotra?

This is very common, especially for families living abroad or where the tradition wasn't passed down. Don't worry. Tradition offers a simple solution: when one's own gotra is not known, the Kashyap gotra is commonly used, since Rishi Kashyap is regarded in tradition as a progenitor of all beings. Your Acharya will guide you.

Tip: ask elders in your family, or check old family documents or wedding records, which often mention the gotra.

How to Express Your Intention

The intention in a sankalp is personal. You don't need Sanskrit. Simply tell the Acharya, in your own words, what you are seeking. For example:

• "Peace and harmony in our family"
• "Blessings and guidance for my son's marriage"
• "Strength and clarity during a difficult legal matter"
• "Steadiness and growth in our business"
• "Success in my daughter's studies"
• "Removal of obstacles in our life"

The Acharya will include your intention appropriately in the Sanskrit sankalp. Intentions should always be positive and dharmic: seeking blessings, protection and guidance, never harm to anyone.

Can a Sankalp Be Made for Someone Else?

Yes. It is common and traditional for:

• Parents to have a puja performed for their children
• Children to have a puja performed for their parents
• Spouses to include each other
• The whole family to be included in one sankalp

The sankalp will name the person for whom the ritual is performed, and often the person arranging it.

Remote Sankalp: When You Can't Be Present

When a puja is performed on your behalf, for example at Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Nalkheda while you live in the USA, Canada or UK, the Acharya recites your name, gotra, place and intention in the sankalp. According to tradition, this dedicates the ritual to you, just as families have long had rituals performed at pilgrimage places in their names.

Read more: Online Puja from Abroad: What Tradition Says About Remote Sankalp · How to Book a Puja in India from the USA, Canada or UK

Details to Share for Your Sankalp

When booking with Acharya Ashish Sharma, please share:

1. Full name(s) of the person(s) to be included
2. Gotra, if known (if not, Acharya ji will guide you)
3. Current city and country
4. Your intention, in your own words
5. Birth details (date, time, place), only if Acharya ji asks

Read more: How to Book a Puja at Nalkheda

What a Sankalp Sounds Like

A traditional sankalp is recited in Sanskrit. Its opening, used widely across India, sounds like this (shortened):

Om Vishnur Vishnur Vishnuh. Adya Brahmano dvitiye parardhe, Shri Shvetavaraha kalpe, Vaivasvata manvantare, ashtavimshatitame Kaliyuge, prathama charane, Jambudvipe, Bharatavarshe…

In simple words: "Remembering Lord Vishnu, on this day, in the second half of Brahma's life, in the Shvetavaraha kalpa, in the Vaivasvata manvantara, in the first quarter of the twenty-eighth Kali Yuga, in Jambudvipa, in the land of Bharat…"

The Acharya then adds the samvat year, month, paksha, tithi and day, the place (for example, Nalkheda), and then your name, gotra and intention, before naming the deity and the ritual. You do not need to recite any of this yourself. The Acharya does it for you, and you simply hold water, rice and a flower, or follow along silently.

The Seven Rishis and Common Gotras

Gotras are traced to ancient rishis. The seven great rishis, the Saptarishi, are among the most common gotra founders:

Many other gotras exist, such as Agastya, Sandilya, Garg, Parashar, Kaundinya and Vatsa, among hundreds more. Your family gotra may be any of these.

How to Find Your Gotra

1. Ask elders: grandparents, uncles and aunts on your father's side usually know.
2. Check old documents: wedding cards, janam patri (horoscopes) and records of past family pujas.
3. Ask your family priest (kul purohit) in your ancestral town or village.
4. Pilgrimage records: at some pilgrimage centres, family priests keep genealogical registers.
5. Community organisations of your caste or regional community may help.

If none of these works, don't worry. As explained above, tradition allows the Kashyap gotra to be used, and the puja is just as complete.

Gotra for Married Women

Traditionally, a woman takes her husband's gotra after marriage, and this is the gotra usually used in her sankalp. Customs vary between families and regions, and some women use their father's gotra for certain rituals. If you are unsure, simply tell your Acharya your situation, and he will guide you.

How to Phrase Your Intention Well

You can share your intention in plain words, in Hindi, English or any language you are comfortable with. A few tips:

• Be simple and honest: "Peace in our home", "Guidance for my career", "Good health and long life for my parents".
• Name the people the intention is for.
• Keep it positive: seek blessings, steadiness, protection and guidance.
• Never ask for harm to anyone. This is against the spirit of worship.
• Share context privately with the Acharya if you wish; the sankalp itself can be brief.

A Simple Sankalp for Your Daily Prayer

Sankalp is not only for formal rituals. You can make a short sankalp in your own words before your daily prayer, Thursday puja or recitation of the 108 names:

1. Sit quietly before your altar and light a diya.
2. Take a little water, a few grains of rice and a flower in your right hand.
3. Say in your own words: "Today, [day and date], I, [your name], of [your gotra, or Kashyap] gotra, living in [your city], offer this prayer to Maa Baglamukhi for [your intention]."
4. Release the water, rice and flower onto a plate before the altar.
5. Begin your prayer.

This small act turns an ordinary prayer into a focused offering, and helps you remember why you are praying. It takes less than a minute.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Misspelled or incomplete names. Share full names exactly.
2. Guessing a gotra instead of saying you don't know. It is better to say "unknown".
3. Leaving out family members you wanted included.
4. Framing the intention negatively, or against someone.
5. Sending details at the last minute. Share them when you book.
6. Changing the intention after the ritual has begun.

About Acharya Ashish Sharma

Acharya Ashish Sharma has served in the tradition of Maa Baglamukhi for more than 25 years. He is Sanskrit-trained and connected with this tradition since birth, and his office is near Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Nalkheda. He performs traditional Maa Baglamukhi Puja, Havan and Special Anushthan, and offers personal spiritual guidance according to each devotee's situation, for families in India and around the world.