Manvantaras, Indras, Saptarṣis, and the Seven Sustaining Manifestations; Vyāsa as Nārāyaṇa
वसिष्ठः कश्यपश्चात्रिर्जमदग्निश्च गौतमः / विश्वामित्रो भरद्वाजः सप्त सप्तर्षयो ऽभवन्
vasiṣṭhaḥ kaśyapaścātrirjamadagniśca gautamaḥ / viśvāmitro bharadvājaḥ sapta saptarṣayo 'bhavan
วสิษฐะ กัศยปะ อตริ ชมทัคนี โคตมะ วิศวามิตร และภรทวาชะ—ทั้งเจ็ดนี้เป็นมหาฤๅษีผู้ได้ชื่อว่า “สัปตฤๅษี”
Sūta (narrator) recounting the Purāṇic tradition of the Saptarṣis within the Kurma Purana’s cosmological-genealogical context
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
This verse does not directly define Ātman; it establishes the authoritative seer-lineage (Saptarṣis) through whom Vedic and Purāṇic knowledge—often including teachings on Ātman and dharma—is preserved and transmitted.
No specific yoga technique is taught in this line; its relevance to yoga-shāstra is indirect—by naming the Saptarṣis, it points to the traditional custodians of mantra, tapas, and disciplined spiritual practice that ground later teachings (including Pāśupata-oriented themes in the Kurma Purana).
The verse is genealogical and does not explicitly discuss Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; however, within the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis, the Saptarṣis function as shared authorities across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava streams, legitimizing teachings attributed to both.