Saptrishi-Seven sages
Seven sages in the Vedic scriptures are collectively referred to as Sapt rishi (Devanagari: सप्तर्षि) ISO15919: saptarṣi). The Sapta rishi are commended several times in the Vedas and Hindu literature for their tremendous contributions to the world.
They are also called manasputtra of the creator Brahma. They possess immortal position and they live for one manvantar using their extra ordinary yogmaya power. They serve as the representatives of Lord Brahma - the creator.
All the seven sages are endowed with the position of Brahmarishi - the highest title of a sage. Their place is far greater than celestial devi-devatas of svarga. These sages are self - complacent and endowed with the knowledge of Brahm.
They are not bound by the rules of birth and death. After each manvantar they are replaced with new rishi of same caliber and the previous ones merge into the being of Brahm-The Supreme Lord.
For the present manvantar these are the sages who were saved by Matsyavatar.
1. Atri (Devanagari: अत्रि ISO15919: atri) is son of Creator Lord Brahma. Sage Atri is honored as the great discoverer of sacred Mantras.
He is the author of two scriptures Atri Samhita and Atri Smriti.
He is a great ascetic. He wanted the three governors of the brahmand namely Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shankar to be his sons. He performed great penance in Kula Mountains to have his wish fulfilled.
His intense penance generated a lot of heat. It set the whole world on fire. The Trinity were pleased by his devotion and took birth as his sons named Dattatreya, Chandraartri and Krishnantri. His wife was Anusuiya, who was universally famous for chastity and fidelity towards her husband.
2. Rishi Gautam (Devanagari: गौतम ISO15919: gautama) was one among of the seven sages in the Vedic Era. He is famous for his discovery of Sanskrit hymns of the Vedas. He was the son of Rahugana. He was married to Ahilya and had two sons Vamdev and Nodhas. The mantras Rig and Sama Vedic are authored by Sage Gautama.
He was one of the earliest writers on Law. He also authored Gautama Dharma Sutra. His sons were also famous for discovering the meanings of the Veda mantras.
Ramayan was written in Treta Yug and Mahabharata was written in Dvapar Yug. Both of these scriptures have references to Sage Gautam as he lived during these two yugs. He is the progenitor of the Gautama gotra.
3. Jamdagni - Sage Jamdagni (Devanagari: जमदग्नि ISO15919: jamadagni) was born in a respectable dynasty of Saint Bhrigu in seventh (current) manvantar.
He is famous for his talents and devotion. Sage Jamdagni was born to sage Richika and Satyawati. Jamdagni had five sons including the most famous one named Parashuram, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Jamdagni was an excellent scholar of the scriptures and art of weaponry.
During Parashuram's time the earth was ruled by the most tyrant and unreligious dynasty of Haihayas. Kartavirya Arjun, a treacherous king of Haihayas dynasty, approached Jamdagni and forced him to hand over his kamdhenu (a wish fulfilling celestial cow). Jamdagni refused to do so. The treacherous king forcibly brought the kamdhenu to his kingdom.
Parashuram, one of the sons of Jamdagni was outraged at this act covetousness. He killed Karavirya Arjun to punish Karavirya Arjun for transgressing his powers as a ruler. Later, three sons of the king avenged their father’s death by killing Jamdagni. They first stabbed Jamdagni twenty-one times and then beheaded him. They departed with the chopped off head.
This again enraged Parashurama. He killed all the three brothers and retrieved the head of his father for cremation. Since, Jamdagani was stabbed twenty-one times by kshatriya, Parashuram killed twenty-one generations of kshatriya throughout the world.
4. Kashyap (Devanagari: कश्यप ISO15919: kaśyapa) is the son of sage Marichi and grandson of Lord Brahma - the creator. He was the father of Devas, Nagas, Garudas, Vamana, Agni, Adityas, Daityas, Aryaman, Mitra, Pusan, Varuna and all humanity.
He was author of Kashyap Samhita which is classical reference book in field of Ayurvedic Pediatrics, Gynecology, and Obstetrics.
Before Mahabharat, before serpent Takshaka approached the king Parikshit to bite, Sage Kashyapa intercepted him with an intention to stop it from biting a virtuous king. Venom of Takshaka serpent it very potent. Sage Kashyap challenged Takshaka. To prove its potency to Kashyap, Takshaka bit a tree. The tree instantly turned into ashes. Kashyap restored the tree with his yogic powers. The serpent was defeated.
Then, Takshaka narrated the story of how Parikshit had been cursed by a Brahmin boy and the curse has to come to fruition. Kashyap understood the inevitability of king’s death. He accepted reverential offerings from Takshaka and left the place.
Soon, he realized that it was not right for the Brahmin boy to curse such a good king. So he went to holy land of Tirupati to atone for his sin.
5. Bharadvaj (Devanagari: भारद्वाज ISO15919: bhāradvāja) He is one of the greatest sage of Vedic times. He was descendant of sage Angirasa.
His father is Devarshi Brihaspati. Sage Bharadvaj is author of Ayurveda. He is the father of Guru Dronacharya.
He was a master of advanced military arts. In addition to being proficient in human art of warfare he had mastery over weaponry of celestial beings (devi-devatas) as well. Their weaponry is far superior to that of humans. It is called the art of Devastras.
His wife was Susheela. He also had a daughter named Devavarnini and son Garga.
Dronacharya is well known in history for he was the Guru of Pandavas and Kauravas.
According to some of the Puranas, Bharadvaj was found on banks of river Ganga and was adopted by king Bharat. He had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge of Vedas and in addition meditated on Indra, Lord Shiva and Parvathi for more Vedic Knowledge.
6. Vashishtha (Devanagari: वशिष्ठ ISO15919: vaśiṣṭha) is one of the famous sapt rishis of present mavantar. He has been glorified in Rig Veda. He was created by Brahma to bring forth spiritual knowledge to the mankind to awaken them from the sleep of ignorance.
He is the author of Vashishtha Samhitha and astrology.
He asked Brahma the reason of being entrapped by Maya and the method to be released from it. Brahma delivered spiritual knowledge to his son Vashishtha with an instruction to pass on this knowledge to the world.
He was married to Arundhati. He was the raj Guru (Guru of the royal lineage) of Suryavansh. This is the clan in which Lord Ram had descended. Vashishtha was the spiritual master of Lord Ram and Lakshman.
7. Vishvamitra (Devanagari: विश्वामित्र ISO15919: viśvāmitra): He was very famous amongst the seven sages for he perfected the Gayatri Mantra of Rigveda, Samveda and Yajurveda.
As per spiritual law, one cannot accomplish the position of Brahmarishi on his own merit, yet sage Vishwamitra is an example, who attained this distinguished denomination on his own merit.
He wanted to attain the highest position as a sage. In order to attain the status he engaged in battles with Sage Vashishtha, but always lost at the hands of Sage Vashishtha.
This continuous defeat greatly disappointed him, to the extent that he decided to kill sage Vashishtha. While he was hiding behind Vashishtha’s cottage, he overheard sage Vashishtha praising him. His arch rival praising him behind his back!
The greatness of Vashishtha overwhelmed him and he surrendered to Vashishtha. Sage Vashishtha pardoned him. It inspired Vishwamitra to worship God.
After austerity of thousands of years Lord Brahma was pleased with him. With the consent of Sage Vashishtha Lord Bharhma conferred the title of Brahmarshi upon him.
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