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== Creation of Saptarshis ==

== Creation of Saptarshis ==

The creation of Saptarshis as explained in Brahmanda Purana is mentioned here. It should be noted that different versions about the origin of saptarshis are present. Brahmanda Purana mentions that the seven rshis created by Brahma (here actually eight brahmamanasa putras, are mentioned as seen in the sloka below instead of seven saptarshis) in Svayambhuva Manvantara were cursed by Shiva (at the time of Daksha yajna) were reborn in Chakshusha Manvantara as children of Pitamaha (Brahma) again. <blockquote>ब्रह्मणो जुह्वतः शुक्रमग्रौ पूर्वं प्रजेप्सया । ऋषयो जज्ञिरे दीर्घे द्वितीयमिति नः श्रुतम् ॥ २,१.२० ॥</blockquote><blockquote>brahmaṇo juhvataḥ śukramagrau pūrvaṁ prajepsayā । r̥ṣayo jajñire dīrghe dvitīyamiti naḥ śrutam ॥ 2,1.20 ॥</blockquote><blockquote>भृग्वङ्गिरा मरीचिश्च पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः । अत्रिश्चैव वसिष्ठश्च ह्यष्टौ ते ब्रह्मणः सुताः ॥ २,१.२१ ॥ (Brah. Pura. 2.1.20 - 21)<ref name=":3">Brahmanda Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7 Madhyabhaga Adhyaya 1])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>bhr̥gvaṅgirā marīciśca pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ । atriścaiva vasiṣṭhaśca hyaṣṭau te brahmaṇaḥ sutāḥ ॥ 2,1.21 ॥</blockquote>The seers say - this has been heard by us that the seven rshis had their second birth, even as Brahma, with a desire of begetting children, was performing homa in the fire by means of his Shukra (semen). There were eight sons of Brahma - Bhrgu, Angiras, Marichi, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu Atri, and Vaishista.  

The creation of Saptarshis as explained in Brahmanda Purana is mentioned here. It should be noted that different versions about the origin of saptarshis are present. Mahabharata (Shanti Parva Adhyaya 208) mentions that the seven manasaputras of Brahma from whom the ten Prajapatis arose.<ref name=":4">Pt. Ramnarayandatt Shastri. ''Mahabharata, Volume 5, Shanti Parva.'' Gorakhpur : Gita Press. ([https://archive.org/stream/Mahabharata04SanskritHindiPanditRamnarayanGitaPress/Mahabharata05_Sanskrit-hindi_panditRamnarayan_gitaPress#page/n589/mode/1up Page no 4952])</ref> <blockquote>ब्रह्मणः सप्त वै पुत्रा महात्मानः स्वयम्भुवः॥ brahmaṇaḥ sapta vai putrā mahātmānaḥ svayambhuvaḥ॥ (Maha. Shan. 12.208.3)</blockquote><blockquote>मरीचिरत्र्यङ्गिरसौ पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः। वसिष्ठश्च महाभागः सदृशो वै स्वयम्भुवा॥ (Maha. Shan. 12.208.4) </blockquote><blockquote>marīciratryaṅgirasau pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ। vasiṣṭhaśca mahābhāgaḥ sadr̥śo vai svayambhuvā॥ (Maha. Shan. 12.208.4)</blockquote>Svayambhu Brahma had seven mahatmas as sons. They are Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vaishista. They are also said to be as powerful as the Svayambhu Brahma.<ref name=":4" />

 

Brahmanda Purana mentions that the seven rshis created by Brahma (here actually eight brahmamanasa putras, are mentioned as seen in the sloka below instead of seven saptarshis) in Svayambhuva Manvantara were cursed by Shiva (at the time of Daksha yajna) were reborn in Chakshusha Manvantara as children of Pitamaha (Brahma) again. <blockquote>ब्रह्मणो जुह्वतः शुक्रमग्रौ पूर्वं प्रजेप्सया । ऋषयो जज्ञिरे दीर्घे द्वितीयमिति नः श्रुतम् ॥ २,१.२० ॥</blockquote><blockquote>brahmaṇo juhvataḥ śukramagrau pūrvaṁ prajepsayā । r̥ṣayo jajñire dīrghe dvitīyamiti naḥ śrutam ॥ 2,1.20 ॥</blockquote><blockquote>भृग्वङ्गिरा मरीचिश्च पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः । अत्रिश्चैव वसिष्ठश्च ह्यष्टौ ते ब्रह्मणः सुताः ॥ २,१.२१ ॥ (Brah. Pura. 2.1.20 - 21)<ref name=":3">Brahmanda Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7 Madhyabhaga Adhyaya 1])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>bhr̥gvaṅgirā marīciśca pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ । atriścaiva vasiṣṭhaśca hyaṣṭau te brahmaṇaḥ sutāḥ ॥ 2,1.21 ॥</blockquote>The seers say - this has been heard by us that the seven rshis had their second birth, even as Brahma, with a desire of begetting children, was performing homa in the fire by means of his Shukra (semen). There were eight sons of Brahma - Bhrgu, Angiras, Marichi, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu Atri, and Vaishista.  

At the first instance, Kavi (Bhrgu) came out of the flame, then came Angiras when shukra was deposited on the burning coals (angaras). Then the shukra was divided into six parts by Brahma and deposited into the fire by way of Homa. Marichi rose from there at the outset from the rays and in that Kratu (yajna) the rshi named Kratu was born. Atri maharshi was born saying "I am the third" hence he is named as Atri. The fourth was born with overspreading hairs, hence remembered as Pulastya, while the fifth had long hairs, hence called Pulaha. Born from among the Vasus, self controlled and himself the embodiment of Vasu (wealth), he was called Vasishta by the expounders of Vedas. (Brah. Pura. 2.1.34 to 47)<ref name=":3" /><ref>Tagare, G. V., (1958 First Edition) ''[https://archive.org/details/BrahmandaPuranaG.V.TagarePart2/page/n8 The Brahmanda Purana, Part 2.]'' Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass Pvt. Ltd.</ref>

At the first instance, Kavi (Bhrgu) came out of the flame, then came Angiras when shukra was deposited on the burning coals (angaras). Then the shukra was divided into six parts by Brahma and deposited into the fire by way of Homa. Marichi rose from there at the outset from the rays and in that Kratu (yajna) the rshi named Kratu was born. Atri maharshi was born saying "I am the third" hence he is named as Atri. The fourth was born with overspreading hairs, hence remembered as Pulastya, while the fifth had long hairs, hence called Pulaha. Born from among the Vasus, self controlled and himself the embodiment of Vasu (wealth), he was called Vasishta by the expounders of Vedas. (Brah. Pura. 2.1.34 to 47)<ref name=":3" /><ref>Tagare, G. V., (1958 First Edition) ''[https://archive.org/details/BrahmandaPuranaG.V.TagarePart2/page/n8 The Brahmanda Purana, Part 2.]'' Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass Pvt. Ltd.</ref>

An important aspect of this group of Seven Rshis is that they are the torch bearers of knowledge of the Vedas and practice Dharma in every Manvantara setting an example for the people to follow.  

An important aspect of this group of Seven Rshis is that they are the torch bearers of knowledge of the Vedas and practice Dharma in every Manvantara setting an example for the people to follow.  

Hiranyakasipu, an asura, stole the Vedas and hid them in the bottom of the ocean, while the worlds were submerged in water. Mahavishnu in order to protect the Vedas takes the form of a fish (Matsya avatara) and restores them. At that time the Saptarshis escape the deluge in a boat by anchoring it to the Himalayan mountain, which came to be named as Naubandhana (the one where the boat was tied). (Maha. Vana. Parva. 187.50)

Hiranyakasipu, an asura, stole the Vedas and hid them in the bottom of the ocean, while the worlds were submerged in water. Mahavishnu in order to protect the Vedas takes the form of a fish (Matsya avatara) and restores them. At that time the Saptarshis escape the deluge in a boat by anchoring it to the Himalayan mountain, which came to be named as Naubandhana (the one where the boat was tied). (Maha. Vana. Parva. 187.50)

[[Category:Rishis]]

[[Category:Rishis]]

== Verses and Meanings ==

== Verses and Meanings ==

In the Mahabharata Anusashana Parva, the following are the slokas from adhyaya 93 describing the anecdote of Saptarshis and Yatudhani an asura.  

In the Mahabharata Anusashana Parva, the following are the slokas from adhyaya 93 describing the anecdote of Saptarshis and Yatudhani a rakshasi (krtya created by Raja Vrshadarbhi).  

भीष्म उवाच

भीष्म उवाच