Should I follow my family's religious tradition or a different one?

[Shri Arunkumar asked: Dear Swamiji! My humble pranams. I have a doubt regarding the sacred thread. I am a Veera Shaiva Shiva Acharya Jangam by birth. People in my caste do not wear a sacred thread. But one group within the community says they follow the Vedas and the other says that they do not. In Kedarnath, people of our caste perform pūjā to Lord Śiva. My question is, I do not know whether I have to wear the sacred thread or not. I am enclosing my birth details herewith. I am a follower of the Vaiśṇava Mārga since no one in my family does liṅga pūja. I struggled a lot in my life and now, I have become useless and my life has become meaningless. I have nothing and I am deeply frustrated. I have lost my life and my saṃskāra. Swamiji, will you be able to talk to me once please? I need some higher power to uplift me. Please help me once. ]

Swami replied: O Learned and Devoted Servants of God! Whether you wear the sacred thread or not and whether you follow the path of devotion to Śiva or Viṣṇu, finally, it is one and the same, provided you are deeply involved in the devotion to God. Both Viṣṇu and Śiva are the same God. If you follow the tradition of your family, it will just be convenient to you. If you start following a different tradition or path, it will cause some inconvenience to you, because you have been continuously following a specific tradition and path for a long period of time. You may call Me on My personal phone number.

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|Shri Datta Swami| Shiva Vishnu Puja Pooja samskaara linga puja