Adhyaya 73 — The Uttama Manvantara: Classes of Devas, Indra Sushanti, and the Royal Lineage
स्वतेजसा हि तपसो वरिष्ठस्य महात्मनः ।
तनयाश्चान्तरे तस्मिन् सप्त सप्तर्षयोऽभवन् ॥
svatejasā hi tapaso variṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ | tanayāś cāntare tasmin sapta saptarṣayo 'bhavan ||
தவத்தில் சிறந்த அந்த மகாத்மாவின் சொந்த ஒளியால், அந்த இடைவெளியில் ஏழு புதல்வர்கள் தோன்றி, அவர்கள் ஏழு சப்தரிஷிகளாயினர்।
Spiritual authority is rooted in tapas: the sages who guide an age are portrayed as emanations of disciplined inner power rather than political force.
Manvantara: each Manu-era has its own Saptarishis; this is a standard enumerative element.
‘Seven’ functions as a completeness number (cosmic ordering principle); the Saptarishis symbolize the stabilization of dharma through sevenfold channels of insight/tradition.