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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 of rajas and maharajas belonging to great lineages such as Surya (Ikshvaku). Vashishta was the Kulaguru to Ikshvaku dynasty to which Raja Rama belonged. Some of these rshis are recognized as the Brahma manasaputras. We see that the list of Saptarshis and their origin is highly diverse and varied in different texts and Puranas.

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 of rajas and maharajas belonging to great lineages such as Surya (Ikshvaku). Vasishta was the Kulaguru to Ikshvaku dynasty to which Raja Rama belonged. Some of these rshis are recognized as the Brahma manasaputras. We see that the list of Saptarshis and their origin is highly diverse and varied in different texts and Puranas.

== 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. 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" />

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 Vasishta. 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.  

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.  

|स्वायम्भुवमनुः ॥ Svayambhuva Manu  

|स्वायम्भुवमनुः ॥ Svayambhuva Manu  

|स्वायम्भुवमन्वन्तरे मरीचिः । अत्रिः । अङ्गिराः । पुलस्त्यः । पुलहः । क्रतुः । वशिष्ठः ।

|स्वायम्भुवमन्वन्तरे मरीचिः । अत्रिः । अङ्गिराः । पुलस्त्यः । पुलहः । क्रतुः । वशिष्ठः ।

Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and Vashishta

Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and Vasishta

|Harivamsha (7.8) यथा हरिवंशे । ७ । ८ ।

|Harivamsha (7.8) यथा हरिवंशे । ७ । ८ ।