Shloka 13

भार्गवसर्गः, ऋषिवंशाः, वह्नयः (अग्निवंशः), पितृसृष्टिः

Devanagari script

रजो गोत्रोर्ध्वबाहुश् च सवनश् चानघस् तथा सुतपाः शुक्र इत्य् एते सर्वे सप्तर्षयो ऽमलाः

Transliteration

rajo gotrordhvabāhuś ca savanaś cānaghas tathā sutapāḥ śukra ity ete sarve saptarṣayo 'malāḥ

Translation

Raja, Gotra, Urdhvabāhu, Savana, and the stainless Anagha, Sutapā, and Śukra—these all together are the seven immaculate seers, the Saptarṣis.

Word by Word

• रजः: Raja (name)
• रजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गोत्र-ऊर्ध्वबाहुः: Gotrordhvabāhu (name)
• गोत्र-ऊर्ध्वबाहुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊर्ध्वबाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (गोत्रे/गोत्रसम्बन्धे ऊर्ध्वबाहुः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सवनः: Savana (name)
• सवनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अनघः: Anagha (name)
• अनघः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb; likewise/also)

• सुतपाः: Sutapā (name)
• सुतपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुतपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुक्रः: Śukra (name)
• शुक्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (एते)

• सप्त-ऋषयः: the seven sages
• सप्त-ऋषयः: Pratipadyamāna (Predicate nominal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (सप्त ऋषयः)

• अमलाः: pure
• अमलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (सप्तऋषयः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Purity and disciplined wisdom qualify beings to uphold dharma across cosmic cycles as guardians of sacred order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Honor teachers and lineages, and cultivate integrity (anaghatā) and tapas as foundations for steady spiritual leadership.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic administration (ṛṣi-guardianship) is a functional mode within the Lord’s ordered body (jagat), indicating divine immanence as regulator of all roles.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Amalatva (stainless purity) and ṛṣi-guardianship of ṛta/dharma

Key Kings: Raja, Gotra, Urdhvabāhu, Savana, Anagha, Sutapā, Śukra

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Raja
• Gotra
• Ūrdhvabāhu
• Savana
• Anagha
• Sutapā
• Śukra

FAQs

What is the significance of the Saptarshis in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse identifies the seven pure seers for the given context, indicating the fixed cosmic office of Saptarṣis who preserve Vedic knowledge and uphold dharma through the Manvantara cycle under Viṣṇu’s governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Manvantara structure through such lists?

Parāśara uses enumerations—like the names of Saptarṣis—to anchor each cosmic period with its presiding sages, making the Purāṇic timeline traceable through recurring roles and sacred lineages.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Viṣṇu is not named in the verse, the Purāṇa frames these offices (Saptarṣis and their purity) as functioning within Viṣṇu’s supreme order, reflecting Him as the sustaining Reality behind cosmic administration.