A diagram of the Big Dipper constellation, with the seven stars identified with the names of another variation of the Saptarshi, in accordance with traditional Hindu astronomy
The Saptarshi (Sanskrit: सप्तर्षि, lit.'Seven sages'IAST: Saptarṣi) are the seven seers of ancient India who are extolled in the Vedas, and other Hindu literature such as the Skanda Purana. The Vedic Samhitas never enumerate these rishis by name, although later Vedic texts such as the Brahmanas and Upanishads do, so these constellations are easily recognizable.
Hindu sacred text
An early prototype of the "Saptarishi" concept may stem from the six families associated with the six "Family Books" in the Rigveda Samhita (Mandalas 2–7 in ascending order: Gṛtsamāda, Viśvāmitra, Vāmadeva, Atri, Bharadvaja, Vasiṣṭha). While not a "Family Book", Mandala 8 is mostly attributed to Kaṇva, who could be considered the 7th prototypical Saptarishi.
In post-Vedic texts, different lists appear; some of these rishis were recognized as the 'mind-born sons' (Sanskrit: मानसपुत्र, manasaputra) of Brahma, the representation of the Supreme Being as Creator. Other representations of the Supreme Being are Shiva as the Destroyer and Vishnu as the Preserver. Since these seven rishis were also among the primary eight rishis, who were considered to be the ancestors of the Gotras of Brahmins, the births of these rishis was mythicized.
A manvantara (age of Manu) is a unit of time within a kalpa (day of Brahma). There are fourteen manvantaras in a kalpa, each separated by sandhyas (connecting periods). Each manvantara is ruled by a different Manu, with the current seventh one ruled by Vaivasvata Manu. Rishis and their sons are born anew in each manvantara.
In Jainism it is stated that, "Once at Mathura situated in Uttar Pradesh, seven Riddhidhari Digambara saints having 'Akashgamini Vidya' came during the rainy season for the Chaturmasa season and whose names were: 1.) Surmanyu, 2.) Srimanyu, 3.) Srinjaya, 4.) Sarvasundara, 5.) Jayvana, 6.) Vinayalala and 7.) Jayamitra. They all were sons of King Srinandana of Prabhapuranagara and Queen Dharini. Srinandana the King and Queen Dharini took Diksha, thus becoming the Shishya of the Omniscient Pritinkara Muniraja and attained salvation. Because of great tapacharana of these seven Digambara Munis, the 'Mahamari' disease stopped its evil effect and they all gained the name as 'Saptarishis'. Many idols of these seven Munis were made after that event by King Shatrughna in all four directions of the city."
In ancient Indian astronomy, the pattern of stars known in North America as the Big Dipper and elsewhere in the West as the Plough, or the Great Wagon, (part of the larger constellation of Ursa Major) is called Saptarshi, with the seven stars representing seven rishis: Vasishtha, Marichi, Pulastya, Pulaha, Atri, Angiras and Kratu. A faint companion star near Vashistha, known as Arundhati, is identified with Vashistha’s wife. Together, Vashistha and Arundhati correspond to the double star system Mizar and Alcor.
In Indian astronomy, the seven stars of the Saptarshi Mandala, or Big Dipper are called:
↑Doniger, Wendy; Hawley, John Stratton, eds. (1999). "Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions". Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. p.691 (Manu). ISBN0877790442. a day in the life of Brahma is divided into 14 periods called manvantaras ("Manu intervals"), each of which lasts for 306,720,000 years. In every second cycle [(new kalpa after pralaya)] the world is recreated, and a new Manu appears to become the father of the next human race. The present age is considered to be the seventh Manu cycle.
↑Gupta, S. V. (2010). "Ch. 1.2.4 Time Measurements". In Hull, Robert; Osgood, Richard M. Jr.; Parisi, Jurgen; Warlimont, Hans (eds.). Units of Measurement: Past, Present and Future. International System of Units. Springer Series in Materials Science: 122. Springer. pp.7–8. ISBN9783642007378. Paraphrased: Mahayuga equals 12,000 Deva (divine) years (4,320,000 solar years). Manvantara equals 71 Mahayugas (306,720,000 solar years). Kalpa (day of Brahma) equals an Adi Sandhya, 14 Manvantaras, and 14 Sandhya Kalas, where 1st Manvantara preceded by Adi Sandhya and each Manvantara followed by Sandhya Kala, each Sandhya lasting same duration as Satya yuga (1,728,000 solar years), during which the entire earth is submerged in water. Day of Brahma equals 1,000 Mahayugas, the same length for a night of Brahma (Bhagavad-gita 8.17). Brahma lifespan (311.04 trillion solar years) equals 100 360-day years, each 12 months. Parardha is 50 Brahma years and we are in the 2nd half of his life. After 100 years of Brahma, the universe starts with a new Brahma. We are currently in the 28th Kali yuga of the first day of the 51st year of the second Parardha in the reign of the 7th (Vaivasvata) Manu.
↑Krishnamurthy, V. (2019). "Ch. 20: The Cosmic Flow of Time as per Scriptures". Meet the Ancient Scriptures of Hinduism. Notion Press. ISBN9781684669387. Each manvantara is preceded and followed by a period of 1,728,000 (= 4K) years when the entire earthly universe (bhu-loka) will submerge under water. The period of this deluge is known as manvantara-sandhya (sandhya meaning, twilight).
↑Wilkins, William Joseph (1913) [1882]. Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Purānic (3rded.). Calcutta: London Missionary Society. p.365. In each Manvantara (period of a Manu), seven Rishis, certain deities, an Indra and a Manu, and the kings, his sons, are created and perish.
↑Shankar, P.N (1 January 1985). A guide to the night sky(PDF). Bangalore: Karnataka Rajya Vignana Parishat. Archived(PDF) from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
