The Saptarshi ( sapta i a Sanskrit dvigu meaning "seven sages") are

the seven rishis who are extolled at many places in the Vedas and other Hindu
literature. The Vedas never actually enumerate these rishis y name! though
later texts do so. They are regarded in the Vedas as the patriarchs o" the Vedic
religion. The #ig $ipper is also named as Saptarshi.
Some o" these rishis were recogni%ed as the mind orn sons o" #rahma!
considered to e the representation o" the Supreme Being as Creator in post&
Vedic religion (later re&coined as Hindu religion). The other considered
representations are 'ahesh or Shiva as the Destroyer and Vishnu as the
Preserver. Since these seven rishis were also among the primary eight rishis!
who were considered as the re"erence mark in the process o" classi"ication o"
#rahmins! it seems that the concept o" divine irth o" these rishis was! there"ore!
mythici%ed.
'any o" the rishis listed elow are the ancestors o" the (otras.
[edit] Names of the Saptarshis
There are many contradictory lists o" the names o" the Saptarshis. These usually
include )tri! *ashyapa and Vasishta! ut the other "our are varying. +ne such list
is used in the Sandhyavandanam, )tri! #righu! *utsa! Vasishtha! (autam!
*ashyapa and )ngirasa. +ther lists include Vishwamitra and -amadagni. The
exact list o" saptarishis are not per"ectly known as the astral links to the
Hierarchy were lost in medieval .ndia due to the e""ects o" *aliyuga.
.n Hindu astronomy the seven stars o" the Saptarshi 'andal or #ig $ipper or
/rsa 'a0or are named as
Indian
Name
Bayer
Desig
Western
Name
Kratu UMa Dubhe
Pulaha UMa Merak
Pulastya UMa Phecda
Atri UMa Megrez
Angira UMa Alioth
Vasishtha UMa Mizar
!righu " UMa Alkaid
Vasishtha is accompanied y his wi"e the "aint companion star )rundhati
()lcor123 /rsa 'a0oris).
[edit] Saptarshis given in major Hindu texts
4. The Satapata Brahmana and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (2.2.4) acknowledge
the names o" seven rishis (or Saptarshis) as,
Atri
!harad#a$a
%auta&
'a&adagni
Kashya(a
Vasishta
Vish)a&itra
5. *rishna 6a0urveda in the Sandhya&Vandana 'antras has it as,
Angirasa
Atri
!hrigu
%auta&
Kasya(a
Kutsa
Vasishtha
7. 'ahaharata gives the Seven 8ishis9 names,
Agastya
Atri
Kutsa
Vasishtha
etc.
:. V. S. )pte9s Sanskrit&;nglish dictionary says,
Angirasa
Atri
Kratu
Marichi
Pulaha
Pulastya
Vasishtha
<. #rihat Samhita gives the Seven 8ishis9 names as,
Marichi
Vasishtha
Angirasa
Atri
Pulastya
Pulaha
Kratu
=.)ccording to scriptures
Vish)a&itra
Vasishta
'a&adagni
Atri
!hrigu
Parasara
Dur#asa
>.)ccording to The ?ath o" Saptarishis the present Saptarishis are,
!hrigu
Atri
Angirasa
Vasishta
Pulastya
Pulaha
Kratu
The reason "or the di""erences in the mentioned list is that there are seven 8ishis
who govern the "unctioning o" the @osmos in #atches and all the aove
mentioned 8ishis have had the post o" a ASaptarishiA at some point in time. Hence
the present atch who are currently holding the post are the onces mentiones in
Sl Bo >