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Saptarshis (Samskrit : ) refer to the group of seven well-known rshis who have a significant role in Sanatana Dharma.     

Saptarshis (Samskrit : सप्तर्षयः) refer to the group of seven well-known rshis who have a significant role in Sanatana Dharma as propagators of knowledge. They are also the preceptors    

== In Vedas ==

== In Vedas ==

Earliest mention of Saptarshis is seen in mantras of samhita section Rigveda where they are revered as our forefathers.  <blockquote>अस्माकमत्र पितरस्त आसन्सप्त ऋषयो दौर्गहे बध्यमाने । (Rig. Veda. 4.42.8)<ref>Rig Veda ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%AA.%E0%A5%AA%E0%A5%A8 Mandala 4 Sukta 42])</ref></blockquote>Other Rigveda references which mention about Saptarshis include Mandala 9, Sukta 67 and 107.  

Earliest mention of Saptarshis is seen in mantras of samhita section Rigveda where they are revered as our forefathers.  <blockquote>अस्माकमत्र पितरस्त आसन्सप्त ऋषयो दौर्गहे बध्यमाने । (Rig. Veda. 4.42.8)<ref>Rig Veda ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%AA.%E0%A5%AA%E0%A5%A8 Mandala 4 Sukta 42])</ref></blockquote>Other Rigveda references which mention about Saptarshis include Mandala 9, Sukta 67 and 107. For Sukta 67 the following is mentioned as the names of Saptarshis as mantra drashtas    <blockquote>ऋषयः - सप्तर्षयः(१-३ भरद्वाजो बार्हस्पत्यः, ४-६ कश्यपो मारीचः, ७-९ गोतमो राहूगणः, १०-१२ अत्रिःर्भौमः, १३-१५ विश्वामित्रो गाथिनः, १६-१८ जमदग्निर्भार्गवः, १९-२१ मैत्रावरुणिर्वासिष्ठः, २२-३२ पवित्र आङ्गिरसो वा वसिष्ठो वा उभौ वा)</blockquote>Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda Brahmanas and Upanishads also mention about Saptarshis and gives the names of the rshis as listed in the table below. For example the list of the Seven Rshis is given in Shatapata Brahmana as follows  <blockquote>इमावेव गोतमभरद्वाजौ। अयमेव गोतमोऽयं भरद्वाज इमावेव विश्वामित्रजमदग्नी अयमेव विश्वामित्रोऽयं जमदग्निरिमावेव वसिष्ठकश्यपावयमेव वसिष्ठोऽयं कश्यपो वागेवात्रिर्वाचा ह्यन्नमद्यतेऽत्तिर्ह वै नामैतद्यदत्रिरिति सर्वस्यात्ता भवति सर्वमस्यान्नम्भवति य एवं वेद - १४.५.२.[६] (Shata. Brah. 14.5.2.6)</blockquote>

 

Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda Brahmanas and Upanishads also mention about Saptarshis and gives the names of the rshis. For example the list of the Seven Rishis is given in Shatapata Brahmana as follows  <blockquote>इमावेव गोतमभरद्वाजौ। अयमेव गोतमोऽयं भरद्वाज इमावेव विश्वामित्रजमदग्नी अयमेव विश्वामित्रोऽयं जमदग्निरिमावेव वसिष्ठकश्यपावयमेव वसिष्ठोऽयं कश्यपो वागेवात्रिर्वाचा ह्यन्नमद्यतेऽत्तिर्ह वै नामैतद्यदत्रिरिति सर्वस्यात्ता भवति सर्वमस्यान्नम्भवति य एवं वेद - १४.५.२.[६] (Shata. Brah. 14.5.2.6)</blockquote>

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

|+Saptarshis in Vedas

|+Saptarshis in Vedas

!Source

!Source

!Saptarshis Mentioned

!Saptarshis Mentioned

|-

|-

|Sandhyavandana mantras of Krishna Yaurveda

|Sandhyavandana mantras of Krishna Yaurveda

|-

|-

|Gopatha Brahmana (1.2.8)<ref>Gopatha Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A5_%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7_(%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%83)/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8 Purvabhaga Prapathaka 2])</ref> associated with Atharvaveda

|Gopatha Brahmana (1.2.8)<ref>Gopatha Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A5_%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7_(%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%83)/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8 Purvabhaga Prapathaka 2])</ref> associated with Atharvaveda

|Vasiṣṭha (वसिष्ठः), Visvamitra (विश्वामित्र), Jamadagni (जमदग्नी), Gatama (गौतम), Bharadvaja (भरद्वाजः), Gungur (गुंगुर्), Agastya (अगस्त्यः), and Kasyapa (कश्यपः). Atri (अत्रिः) More than 7 rshis mentioned here

|Vasiṣṭha (वसिष्ठः), Visvamitra (विश्वामित्र), Jamadagni (जमदग्नी), Gautama (गौतम), Bharadvaja (भरद्वाजः), Gungur (गुंगुर्), Agastya (अगस्त्यः), and Kasyapa (कश्यपः). Atri (अत्रिः) More than 7 rshis are mentioned here.

|}

|}

As per the ''sandhyā'' practice followed in the tradition of ''Yajurveda'', the ''ṛṣi''‑s of the seven ''vyāhṛti''‑s (“utterances”) ''bhūḥ'', ''bhuvaḥ'', ''svaḥ'', ''mahaḥ'', ''janaḥ'', ''tapaḥ'', and ''satyam'' are Viśvāmitra, Jamadagni, Bharadvāja, Gotama, Atri, Vasiṣṭha, and Kaśyapa, respectively.   

As per the ''sandhyā'' practice followed in the tradition of ''Yajurveda'', the ''ṛṣi''‑s of the seven ''vyāhṛti''‑s (“utterances”) ''bhūḥ'', ''bhuvaḥ'', ''svaḥ'', ''mahaḥ'', ''janaḥ'', ''tapaḥ'', and ''satyam'' are Viśvāmitra, Jamadagni, Bharadvāja, Gotama, Atri, Vasiṣṭha, and Kaśyapa, respectively.   

== In Puranas and Itihasa ==

== In Puranas and Itihasa ==

Vishnu Purana speaks of the Saptarshis as follows       

Vishnu Purana lists the Saptarshis as follows      <blockquote>वशिष्ठः काश्यपोथात्रिर्जमदग्निः सगौतमः । विश्वामित्रभरद्वाजौ सप्त सप्तर्षयोऽभवन् ॥ ३,१.३२ ॥ (Vish. Pura. 3.1.32)<ref>Vishnu Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B6%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 Amsha 3 Adhyaya 32])</ref></blockquote>Vasishta, Kashyapa, Atri, Jamadagni along with Gautama, Vishvamitra and Bharadvaja became the Saptarshi's.

The Mahabharata presents them as Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya andVasishta.   

The Mahabharata presents them as Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya andVasishta.