This is created by me without Vanakkam's idea ....subject to correction and other things.
Reference taken from the Wikipedia.com
Courtesy: Wikipedia.com
The Saptarishi (from saptarṣi,
a Sanskrit dvigu meaning "seven sages") are the seven rishis who are
extolled at many places in the Vedas and Hindu literature. The Vedic
Samhitas never enumerate these rishis by name, though later Vedic texts
such as the Brahmanas and Upanisads do so. They are regarded in the
Vedas as the patriarchs of the Vedic religion.
The earliest list of the Seven Rishis is given by Jaiminiya Brahmana 2.218-221: Vashista, Bharadvaja, Jamadagni, Gautama, Atri, Visvamitra, and Agastya, followed by Brihadaranyaka Upanisad 2.2.6 with a slightly different list: Gautama and Bharadvāja, Viśvāmitra and Jamadagni, Vashiṣṭha and Kaśyapa, and Atri, Brighu. The late Gopatha Brāhmana 1.2.8 has Vashiṣṭa, Viśvāmitra, Jamadagni, Gautama, Bharadvāja, Gungu, Agastya, Vrighu and Kaśyapa.
In post-Vedic texts, different lists appear; some of these rishis were recognized as the 'mind born sons' (Sanskrit: manasa putra) of Brahma, the representation of the Supreme Being as Creator. Other representations are Mahesha or Shiva as the Destroyer and Vishnu as the Preserver. Since these seven rishis were also among the primary eight rishis, who were considered to be the ancestors of the Gotras of Brahmins, the birth of these rishis was mythicized.
In some parts of India, people believe these are seven stars of the Big Dipper named "Vashista", "Marichi", "Pulastya", "Pulaha", "Atri", "Angiras" and "Kratu". There is another star slightly visible within it, known as "Arundhati". Arundhati is the wife of vasistha.
The earliest list of the Seven Rishis is given by Jaiminiya Brahmana 2.218-221: Vashista, Bharadvaja, Jamadagni, Gautama, Atri, Visvamitra, and Agastya, followed by Brihadaranyaka Upanisad 2.2.6 with a slightly different list: Gautama and Bharadvāja, Viśvāmitra and Jamadagni, Vashiṣṭha and Kaśyapa, and Atri, Brighu. The late Gopatha Brāhmana 1.2.8 has Vashiṣṭa, Viśvāmitra, Jamadagni, Gautama, Bharadvāja, Gungu, Agastya, Vrighu and Kaśyapa.
In post-Vedic texts, different lists appear; some of these rishis were recognized as the 'mind born sons' (Sanskrit: manasa putra) of Brahma, the representation of the Supreme Being as Creator. Other representations are Mahesha or Shiva as the Destroyer and Vishnu as the Preserver. Since these seven rishis were also among the primary eight rishis, who were considered to be the ancestors of the Gotras of Brahmins, the birth of these rishis was mythicized.
In some parts of India, people believe these are seven stars of the Big Dipper named "Vashista", "Marichi", "Pulastya", "Pulaha", "Atri", "Angiras" and "Kratu". There is another star slightly visible within it, known as "Arundhati". Arundhati is the wife of vasistha.
Saptarishis given in major Hindu texts
- Atri
- Bharadvaja
- Gautama
- Jamadagni
- Kashyapa
- Vashista
- Vishwamitra
- Angiras
- Atri
- Bhrigu
- Gautama
- Kashyapa
- Kutsa
- Vashista
- Marichi
- Atri
- Pulaha
- Pulastya
- Kratu
- Vashista
- Kashyapa
4. Brihat Samhita gives the Seven Rishis’ names as:
- Marichi
- Vashista
- Angiras
- Atri
- Pulastya
- Pulaha
- Kratu
The reason for the differences in the mentioned list is that there
are seven Rishis who govern the functioning of the Cosmos in batches and
all the above-mentioned Rishis have had the post of a 'Saptarishi' at
some point. These Rishis had different names in different places.
Saptarishis are seven Rishis and nobody else is given the title of the
saptarishis. Hence, clearly they have different names. But, many rishis
were known as maharishis (great sages.)
RISHIS
The Hindu seers, of whom many were incarnations of Shiva.
The most
famous were Gotama, Bharadjawa, Viswamitra, Jamad-agni, Vasishtha,
Kasyapa and Atri, as well as Bhrigu and Daksha.
1. GAUTAMA One of the
Rishis, to whom was ascribed the authorship of a book on law.
2.
BHARADWAJA One of the Hindu Rishis, he lived through three lives, at
the end of which he 'became immortal and ascended to the heavenly world,
to union with the sun'.
3. VISWAMITRA One of the great Rishis of Hindu
legend, he once ordered the river Saraswati to bring to him
(5.Vasishtha) vasishtha for execution, but the river defied him, instead
carrying his prey far away. In rage, Viswamitra turned the river to
blood.
4. JAMAD-AGNI One of the Hindu Rishis, Jamad-Agni perceived
Renuka, his wife, as fallen from perfection, after her envious desires
had been brought to the fore by her witnessing of a loving couple
bathing, and ordered his five sons to kill her. Four refused, and were
cursed to idiocy by the enraged father, but the fifth, Parasurama,
obeyed, striking off his mother's head. This act of obedience calmed
Jamad-Agni, and he granted his son's wish that his brothers be restored
to sanity, and his mother restored to life. The Rishi was killed by one
of the Kartavirya, whom Parasurama in turn slew.
BHRIGU One of the
Prajapatis, who surveyed the gods, to see which of them was worthy of
the worship of both gods and men, finding Vishnu the only one worthy.
DAKSHA One of the Rishis, Daksha was the son of Brahma, springing from
the god's right thumb, but he was condemned to go through a rebirth as a
result of a curse laid on him by Shiva, his son-in-law. This had to do
with the inadvertent exclusion of the Destroyer from a sacrifice to
Vishnu, for which the god retaliated to devastating effect, laying low
most of the gods gathered there. Daksha himself was decapitated, and his
head thrown in the sacrifical fire. After due apology and entreaty,
Shiva agreed to restore his victims, but as Dashka's head could not be
found, he had to make do with that of a ram.
6. kashyapa
7. ATRI Atri
Rishi was one of those seven sons of Brahma.Atri practiced severe
penance for countless number of years and attained Brahma-Jnana
(Self-realisation). Later, at the instance of Brahma, he married
Anasuya, the daughter of Kardama Prajapati. Anasuya was embodiment of
perfection and was entirely blemishless and her name itself indicates,
was devoid of even the least taint of envy, which is one of the greatest
blemishes among humans. She has no malice against anyone and had
overwhelming and motherly love for all beings. She was an embodiment of
chastity, who worshipped and considered her husband alone as God. She is
reckoned foremost among Pati-vratas, i.e., those whose devotion for
their husbands is unalloyed and supreme. Her fame and glory spread far
and wide, all over the three worlds.
Rishi means a sage. The Vedas were
revealed to them and the respective hymns stand in their names. Seven
Rishis (Saptarshi) are recognized as the mind born sons of the creator
Brahma.
The ’Satapatabrahmana’ gives their names as, Vashishta,
Kashyapa, Viswamitra, Jamadagni, Gautama, Bharadwaja and Atri.
The
Vayupurana adds the eighth name of ‘Bhrigu’, but the congregation is
still called ‘Saptarishi’. Brahmins trace their lineage to these seven
Rishis,but they are more than this 7 Rishis,yet this 7 Rishis
saptarishis are important one.
- Atri or Atthiri ====>> 1 and 2
- Bharadvaja or Bharadwaja
- Gautama
- Jamadagni
- Kashyapa
- Vashista
- Vishwamitra
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