Do Saptarishi exist in today's time?

Question

We heard about saptarishi in almost every purana. They are always present in every story. As per my knowledge Saptarishi is a kind of post/designation in which candidates change from time to time.

In this page of wiki different saptarishis at different time have been shown. But I want to know if Saptarishi is even present in today's time (current kali yuga) also? If yes, then where are they possibly be living?

I heard about seven/eight immortals in hinduism (Hanuman, Parshurama, Vibhishan etc) But Saptarishis are not present in that list of immortals. This simply means Saptarishis are not immortal I guess. Does that mean Saptarishis don't exist in Kali yuga? Because how long possibly a human can live if he is not immortal..

Why in other yugas Saptarishis were there but not in current yuga? So Saptarishis really exist in current Kali yuga or not? If yes then where and if no then why?

Answer 1

Saptarshis live for a period of Manvantara. So, they are alive now. They live on seven stars (Sapta Rishi Mandala) which revolve around Pole Star.

Srimad Bhagavatam 8.13.5 gives names of seven sages for Vaivasvara Manvantara.

कश्यपोऽत्रिर्वसिष्ठश्च विश्वामित्रोऽथ गौतमः|
जमदग्निर्भरद्वाज इति सप्तर्षयः स्मृताः ॥ ८.१३.५ ॥

Kaśyapa, Atri, Vasiṣṭha, Viśvāmitra, Gautama, Jamadagni and Bharadvāja are known as the seven sages.

It also mentions names of Sapta rishis of Savarni Manvantara which is next Manvantara.

गालवो दीप्तिमान्रामो द्रोणपुत्रः कृपस्तथा|
ऋष्यशृङ्गः पितास्माकं भगवान्बादरायणः ॥ ८.१३.१५ ॥

इमे सप्तर्षयस्तत्र भविष्यन्ति स्वयोगतः|
इदानीमासते राजन्स्वे स्व आश्रममण्डले ॥ ८.१३.१६ ॥

O King, during the eighth manvantara, the great personalities Gālava, Dīptimān, Paraśurāma, Aśvatthāmā, Kṛpācārya, Ṛṣyaśṛṅga and our father, Vyāsadeva, the incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, will be the seven sages. For the present, they are all residing in their respective āśramas.

During onset of every Satya Yuga, Sapta Rishis come to earth and recount Dharma that is lost (by end of Kali Yuga all Dharma [hindu principles] will be lost). This is mentioned in Chapter 31 Anusanga of Brahmanda Purana.

103-106. Owing to the power of the inevitable future, the Krta Yuga set in. When the holy Krta Yuga began to function, the subjects pertaining to the Krta Yuga were born of those who survived from the Kali Yuga. Those Siddhas who remained then, began to move about invisibly. They established themselves there along with the seven sages. The Brähmanas, the Ksatriyas, the Vaisyas and the Südras were those, who were remembered as seeds. (They were intended to be the nucleus for the succeeding generation). At that time they became identical with those who were born in ( the closing stages of) Kali. They were devoid of any difference. The seven sages recounted Dharma to them as well as to others.

107.That ( Dharma) is equipped with the conduct of life of the different varnas and stages. It is of two types : Srauta (as laid down in the Vedas) and the Smarta (as laid down in the Smrtis). The object in the Krta age remained thus as remained till the close of the Yuga for the sake of establishing Dharma.

109-110. The sages remain in authority over the whole of the Manvantara.