The story of Sage Koundinya

In Hindu tradition we have the habit following Gotras. But, many of us keep telling the Gorris,  and don't understand the concept behind it. Hindus believe that we come under the lineage of Rishis and Sages. The first and foremost were the Sapta Rishis and then came the other Rishis who formed their own lineage. This lineage is called as Gotra.We will discuss about the Rishis and the lineage formed later on. Today, we will see about Sage Koundinya under whom many of the Hindus' Gotras fall.
Sage Koundinya was an ardent devotee of Lord Ganesha and a scholar. His wife's  namewas Ashraya. Once, when he was explaining the significance and importance of Dhruva grass- which is a part of Lord Ganesha's worship, to his wife Ashraya, she didn't believe it. So, he sent her to Lord Indira with a single piece of Dhruva grass and asked her to demand gold equivalent to the weight of the grass.
Ashraya went to Lord Indira and asked for gold as instructed by her husband. Lord Indira thought that it would be very small in weight and told her to ask something bigger. But, she was adamant and told him to do as said. He sent her to Kubera and Kubera placed the Dhruva grass in one side of the balance and gold in other side. Dhruva grass was heavier. He placed all his gold,  jewels and everything. Still it seemed to be heavier. So he along with his wife sat on it. The balance was not moving at all. The God's who were watching this sat on it. But to the amazement of everyone it didn't move an inch. Thus, Ashraya and the others understood theimportance of Dhruva grass.

It is said that Sage Koundinya was appointed the royal court scholar at the court of king Suddhodhana of Kapilavatsu. Sage Koundinya predicted that a son would be born and he would be called as Siddhartha in the beginning, but he would become an enlightened called as 'Gautama Buddha'. Though, the story of Sage Koundinya goes like this,  there are no references whether both the Sages were the same.
Many communities in Andhra Pradesh belong to the Koundinya Gotra as they trace their lineage to him, as they say that he lived in Kurnool district.  Even in Karanataka many in the district of Mulbagal claim that Sage Koundinya lived in recluse in kutadri or Kurudumale where a Ganesha temple exist.
Sage Koundinya was a scholar and a valor. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Ganesha and many Hindu communities including the Brahmins and the Gowdas of Karnataka fall under Koundinya Gotra.