Saptarishi names differ from scripture to scripture. According to Jaiminiya Brahmana, which is the earliest scripture, the Saptarishi names are Agastya, Atri, Bharadwaj, Gautama, Jamadagni, Vashistha, and Vishvamitra.
Saptarishi is a group of seven sages in ancient India who laid the foundation of Hinduism. It is believed that in each manvantara, there are different Saptarishi.
Saptarishi Names per Different Hindu Scriptures:
A. Jaiminiya Brahmana (2.218-221):
1. Agastya.
2. Atri.
3. Bharadwaja.
4. Gautama.
5. Jamadagni.
6. Vashishtha.
7. Vishwamitra.
B. Shatapatha Brahmana and Brihadnayaka Upanishada 2.2.6:
1. Atri.
2. Bharadwaja.
3. Gautama.
4. Jamadagni.
5. Kashyapa.
6. Vashishtha.
7. Vishwamitra.
C. Gopatha Brahmana 1.2.8:
This text mentions the names of eight Rishis.
1. Agastya.
2. Bharadwaja.
3. Gautama.
4. Gungu.
5. Jamadagni.
6. Kashyapa
7. Vashishtha.
8. Vishwamitra.
D: Krishna-Yajurveda in the Sandhya-Vandana Mantras:
1. Angiras.
2. Atri.
3. Bhrigu.
4. Gautama.
5. Kashyapa
6. Kutsa.
7. Vashishtha.
E. Mahabharata:
1. Marichi.
2. Atri.
3. Pulaha.
4. Pulatsya.
5. Kratu.
6. Vashishtha.
7. Kashyapa.
F. Brihat Samhita:
1. Marichi.
2. Vashishtha.
3. Angiras.
4. Abhi.
5. Pulastya.
6. Pulaha.
7. Kratu.
Names of Saptarishi in each Manvantara of Present Kalpa:
Svayambhuva: Atri, Angiras, Pulaha, Pulatsya, Kratu, Marichi, and Vashishtha.
Svarocisha: Urja, Stambha, Prana, Vata, Prishava, Niraya, and Parivan.
Uttama: Kaukundihi, Kurundi, Dalaya, Sankha, Pravahita, Mita, and Sammita.
Tapasa/Tamasa: Jyotirdhama, Prithu, Kavya, Chaitra, Agni, Vanaka, and Pivara.
Raivata: Hirannyaroma, Vedasrí, Urdhabahu, Vedabahu, Sudhama, Parjanya and Mahamuni.
Chakshusha: Sumedha, Viraja, Havishman, Uttar, Madhu, Sahishnu, and Atinama.
Vaivasvata (current): Vashishta, Kashyapa, Atri, Jamadagni, Gautama, Vishvamitra, Bharadvaja.
Savarni: Diptimat, Galava, Rama, Kripa, Drauni or Ashwatthama, Vyasa, and Rishyasringa.
Daksha-savarni: Savana, Dyutimat, Bhavya, Vasu, Medhatithi, Jyotishman, and Satya.
Names of Saptarishi in Indian Astronomy:
In ancient Indian astronomy, the group of seven stars is called Saptarishi. It is a part of the Ursa Major constellation.
1. Vashishtha.
2. Marichi.
3. Pulastya.
4. Pulaha.
5. Atri.
6. Angiras.
7. Kratu.
Saptarishi Names in Jainism:
1. Surmanyu.
2. Shrimanyu.
3. Shrinichay.
4. Sarvasundar.
5. Jayvaan.
6. Vinaylaala.
7. Jaymitra.
Saptarishi Names in Sikhism:
1. Valmiki.
2. Kashyapa.
3. Sukra.
4. Baches.
5. Vyasa.
6. Khat.
7. Kalidas.
Why do the Names of Saptarishi Differ from Scripture to Scripture?
If you see the above lists, you will find that different scriptures give different Saptarishi names. In some lists, only a few of the names of the sages are different than the others. It could be due to the following reasons:
1. In each Manvantara, there are different Saptarishi. In this Kalpa only, nine Manvantars have passed. Per Hindu texts, there have been many Kalpas before.
2. Different sages documented and updated the incidents that happened.
3. Hindu texts are ancient, and they document incidents that happened over thousands of years.
Therefore, we see different Saptarishi names in different texts.
A Simple Trick to Remember the Names of Saptarishi:
Because of the different lists given in different religious texts, it is confusing to remember the names of the seven sages. But don’t worry, there is a simple trick by which you can do this.
The names of the Saptarishi in the present Manvantara are Kashapya, Vishwamitra, Vashishtha, Atri, Jamadagni, Bharadvaja, and Gautam.
What you need to do is just remember the following Hindi sentence.
“कवि वशिष्ठ आज भागो.“
“Kavi Vashishtha Aaj Bhago.”
This sentence is constructed by taking the first alphabets of the sages’ names, i.e., Ka-Kashyapa, Vi-Vishwamitra, then the full name of Vashishtha, Aa-Atri, Ja-Jamadagni, Bha-Bharadwaja, and Go-Gautama.
In English, it means “Poet Vashishtha, run today”.
By remembering this simple line, you won’t need to memorize the names of Saptarishi.