Saptarshi

The Saptarshi 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 Upanisads 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. While not a "Family Book", Mandala 8 is mostly attributed to Kaṇva, who could be considered the 7th prototypical Saptarishi.
The earliest formal list of the seven rishis is given by Jaiminiya Brahmana 2.218–221: Agastya, Atri, Bhardwaja, Gautama, Jamadagni, Vashistha, and Vishvamitra followed by Brihadaranyaka Upanisad 2.2.6 with a slightly different list: Atri, Bharadvaja, Gautama, Jamadagni, Kashyapa, Vashistha, and Vishvamitra. The late Gopatha Brahmana 1.2.8 has Vashistha, Vishvamitra, Jamadagni, Gautama, Bharadvaja, Gungu, Agastya, and Kashyapa.
In post-Vedic texts, different lists appear; some of these rishis were recognized as the 'mind-born sons' of Brahma, the representation of the Supreme Being as Creator. Other representations are Maheshvara or 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 birth of these rishis was mythicized.
According to legend, the seven rishis in the next manvantara will be Diptimat, Galava, Parashurama, Kripa, Drauni or Ashwatthama, Vyasa, and Rishyasringa.

Names

A manvantara is a unit of time within a kalpa. There are fourteen manvantaras in a kalpa, each separated by sandhyas. 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.
Image:HinduMeasurements.svg|thumb|250px|right|Manvantara in Hindu units of time measurement, on a logarithmic scale.

Manu	Saptarishis
Svayambhuva	Atri, Angiras, Pulaha, Pulastya, Kratu, Marichi, Vashishta.
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	Bhrigu, Kashyapa, Agastya, Jamadagni, Gautama, Vishvamitra, Bharadvaja
Savarni	Diptimat, Galava, Parashurama, Kripa, Drauni or Ashwatthama, Vyasa, and Rishyasringa
Daksha-savarni	Savana, Dyutimat, Bhavya, Vasu, Medhatithi, Jyotishman, and Satya
Brahma-savarni	Havishman, Sukriti, Satya, Apammurtti, Nabhaga, Apratimaujas, and Satyaketu
Dharma-savarni	Nischara, Agnitejas, Vapushman, Vishnu, Aruni, Havishman, and Anagha
Rudra-savarni	Tapaswi, Sutapas, Tapomurti, Taporati, Tapodhriti, Tapodyuti, and Tapodhana
Deva-savarni	Nirmoha, Tatwadersin, Nishprakampa, Nirutsuka, Dhritimat, Avyaya, and Sutapas
Indra-savarni	Agnibshu, Suchi, Aukra, Magadha, Gridhra, Yukta and Ajita

Lists

1. The Shatapatha Brahmana and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad acknowledge the names of seven rishis as:

Atri
Bharadvaja
Gautama Maharishi
Jamadagni
Kashyapa
Vasistha
Vishvamitra

2. The Krishna Yajurveda in the Sandhya-Vandana Mantras has it as:

Angiras
Atri
Bhrigu
Gautama Maharishi
Kashyapa
Kutsa
Vasistha

3. The Mahabharata and Brihat Samhita offer the seven rishis' names as:

Angiras
Atri
Kratu
Marichi
Pulaha
Pulastya
Vasistha
Jainism

In Jainism it is stated that, "Once at Mathura situated in Uttar Pradesh seven Riddhidhari Digamber saints having 'Aakaashgamini Vidhya' came during the rainy season for chaturmaas whose names were 1.) Surmanyu, 2.) Shrimanyu, 3.) Shrinichay, 4.) Sarvasundar, 5.) Jayvaan, 6.) Vinaylaala and 7.) Jaymitra. They all were sons of King Shri Nandan of Prabhapurnagar and queen Dharini. Shri Nandan king took diksha becoming shishya of Omniscient Pritinkar Muniraaj and attained salvation. Because of great tapcharan of these seven digamber munis the 'Mahamaari' disease stopped its evil effect and they all gained the name as 'Saptrishi'. Many idols of these seven munis were made after that event by King Shatrughna in all four directions of the city."

Sikhism

In the Dasam Granth, a text which is traditionally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh, mentions the biographies of the seven rishis, that is, Valmiki, Kashyapa, Sukra, Baches, Vyas, Khat and Kalidas. These are described under the composition Brahm Avtar.

Astronomy

In ancient Indian astronomy, the pattern of stars known in the West as the Big Dipper is called Saptarshi, with the seven stars representing seven rishis: Vashistha, 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 Hindu astronomy, the seven stars of the Saptarshi Mandala, or Big Dipper are called:

Indian Name	Bayer Designation	Western Name
Kratu	α UMa	Dubhe
Pulaha	β UMa	Merak
Pulastya	γ UMa	Phecda
Atri	δ UMa	Megrez
Angiras	ε UMa	Alioth
Vasistha	ζ UMa	Mizar
Marichi	η UMa	Alkaid

Vasishtha is accompanied by Arundhati, a faint companion star.