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Answer of the question Do Saptarishi exist in today's time? says:

Saptarshis live for a period of Manvantara. So, they are alive now.

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.

Now I have two questions:

I. Jamadagni was killed by Kartvirya Arjuna's sons (Haihayas/Yadavas), so how he is alive?

In olden days, Rama, the son of Jamadagni, in anger at the death of his father, slew with his battle axe the king of the Haihayas. (Source)

How great is the crime that they have committed, in slaying with their deadly shafts an old man like you, wholly occupied with pious cares, and engaging not in strife! Much have they to boast of to their fellows and their friends, that they have shamelessly slain a solitary hermit, incapable of contending in arms!' Thus lamenting, bitterly and repeatedly, Ráma performed his father's last obsequies, and lighted his funeral pile. He then made a vow that he would extirpate the whole Kshatriya race. (Source)

II. Who was in Saptarshis (for Vaivasvara Manvantara) instead of Viśvāmitra earlier?

Vishvamitra was a kshatriya king earlier. But when Vasishta destroys all the weapons employed by Viswamitra (including Pasupata and Brahmastra) with his Brahmadanda, Viswamitra uttered these word:

Shame Where is the might of a kshatriya? The energy of a brahmin is the real energy. The staff of Brahma has singly destroyed all my weapons. Now I have realised the reason. With clear mind and senses, I shall undertake intense penance which will earn me brahminhood. (Valmiki Ramayana 1.56.23/24)

And later he did intense penance and acquired the titles of Rajarshi (Valmiki Ramayana 1.57.5), Rishi (Valmiki Ramayana 1.63.2), Maharshi (Valmiki Ramayana 1.63.18) and Brahmarshi (Valmiki Ramayana 1.65.19).

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  • Haha I have myself wondered about the same questions! Vishwamitra and Jamdagni are related by the way. I think there was some reference that I had come across that Jamdagni had been revived by someone will share it if I find the same. No idea about who preceded Vishwamitra though.
    – Dr. Vineet Aggarwal
    Dec 21, 2017 at 7:00
  • @Dr.VineetAggarwal Saptarshi is the right word. Saptarishi is not the right word. So, t is better to create tags without any grammatical error if it is in Indian languages.
    – Sarvabhouma
    Dec 21, 2017 at 9:58
  • Well if we are not using diacritics how can rshi be better since there is no vowel to tell a person how to pronounce it? It should be rishi isn't it?
    – Dr. Vineet Aggarwal
    Dec 21, 2017 at 10:04

1 Answer 1

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As I mentioned in my comment, Jamadagni was revived by Bhrigu and the reference story comes from the Brahmanda Purana Madhya Bhaga Upodghata Pada Chapter 30 (The relevant text can be found on page 512 :

Screenshot of Brahmanda Purana with Sanskrit verses

Screenshot of English translation of Brahmanda Purana verses.

  1. On hearing it, Bhrigu who was conversant with Mantras, immediately took some water. Repeating the mantra of Sañjivani Vidya sprinkled (Jamadagni’s) body and chanted this.

  2. “If the prowess of my performance of sacrifice and Tapas (penance) is auspicious, let this (sage Jamadagni) come to life thereby. Let him get up like one who had gone to sleep”.

  3. As soon as this auspicious statement was uttered by Bhrigu of perfectly righteous activities, the son of Richika (i.e. Jamadagni) got up like another Brihaspati himself.

As regards the question about Vishwamitra, I am not able to get any scriptural references but shall update the answer if I do.

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  • Can't copy from the text unfortunately otherwise would have done it. The text mentions it as Trishantamadhyaya (Chapter 30) of the Tritiya (Third) Upodhatpada of Madhya Bhag. If you click on the link for the Sanskrit document you shall find the same on page 512.
    – Dr. Vineet Aggarwal
    Dec 21, 2017 at 8:56
  • @Dr.VineetAggarwal let me check other versions of the sources which i used in question and u used in answer..there seems some issue either interpolation or Kalpa Bhed in either one...bcz..questions says: "Ráma performed his father's last obsequies, and lighted his funeral pile" then from where body came? However no doubt in Bhrigu's ability..earlier he made his wife alive..but body was there.. if there is no body, then???
    – YDS
    Dec 21, 2017 at 9:16
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    Yes @YDS something is missing somewhere. Even I had the same doubt about Jamdagni continuing to be counted as a Saptarishi even after his death in the 19th Mahayuga and this is the only reference that makes sense if we believe him to be alive.
    – Dr. Vineet Aggarwal
    Dec 21, 2017 at 9:22
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    The same story with slight variation can be found in SB 9.16 where Jamadagni's life was brought back by Lord Parshurama himself instead of Bhrigu.. May be you would like to add this in your answer..But from SB 9.16, it seems Jamadagni became Saptrishi after that, then who was prior to him is the new Q.. :) ... @Dr.VineetAggarwal
    – YDS
    Jul 10, 2018 at 17:09
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    @YDS thanks for sharing this. It is interesting how the Bhagavatam makes Parshurama do the reviving perhaps to highlight his role as an Avatar of the Lord. BTW Jamdagni and Vishamitra were of the same age so it makes sense both would have become Saptarishis later. So now we have two questions who were the Saptarishis before they attained those titles!
    – Dr. Vineet Aggarwal
    Jul 10, 2018 at 17:27

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