Saptarṣis

अरुन्धती [न रुन्धती प्रतिरोधकारिणी]

1 A medicinal climbing plant.

-2 N. of the wife of Vasiṣṭha; अन्वासितमरुन्धत्या स्वाहयेव हविर्भुजम् R.1.56.

-3 The morning star personified as the wife of Vasiṣṭha; one of the Pleiades.

-4 N. of the daughter of प्राचेतसदक्ष, one of the 1 wives of Dharma. [In mythology Arundhatī is represented as the wife of the sage Vasiṣṭha, one of the 7 sages. She was one of the 9 daughters of Kardama Prajāpati by Devahūti. She is regarded as the highest pattern of conjugal excellence and wifely devotion and is so invoked by the bridegroom at nuptial ceremonies. Though a woman she was regarded with the same, even more, veneration as the Saptarṣis; cf. Ku.6.12; तामगौरवभेदेन मुनींश्चापश्यदीश्वरः । स्त्री पुमानि- त्यनास्थैषा वृत्तं हि महितं सताम् ॥ cf. also Janaka's remarks in U.4.1. She, like her husband, was the guide and controller of Raghu's line in her own department and acted as guardian angel to Sitā after she had been abandoned by Rāma. It is said that Arundhatī (the star) is not seen by persons whose end has approached. cf. Suśruta. न पश्यति सनक्षत्रां यस्तु देवीमरुन्धतीम् । ध्रुवमाकाशगङ्गां च तं वदन्ति गतायुषम् ॥; See H.1.66. also].

-5 The tongue (personified).

-Comp. -जानिः, -नाथः -पतिः N. of Vasiṣṭha one of the seven Ṛiṣis or stars in the Ursa Major. -दर्शनन्यायः see under न्याय.

ऋषिः [cf. Uṇ.4.119]

1 An inspired poet or sage, a singer of sacred hymns, (e. g कुत्स, वसिष्ठ, अत्रि, अगस्त्य &c.). (These Ṛiṣis form a class of beings distinct from gods, men, Asuras &c. (Av.1.1.26). They are the authors or seers of the Vedic hymns; ऋषयो मन्त्रद्रष्टारो वसिष्ठादयः; or, according to Yāska, यस्य वाक्यं स ऋषिः, i. e. they are the persons to whom the Vedic hymns were revealed. In every Sūkta the ऋषि is mentioned along with the देवता, छन्दस् and विनियोग. The later works mention seven Ṛiṣis or saptarṣis whose names, according to Śat. Br., are गौतम, भरद्वाज, विश्वामित्र, जमदग्नि, वसिष्ठ, कश्यप and अत्रि; according to Mahābhārata, मरीचि, अत्रि, अङ्गिरस्, पुलह, क्रतु, पुलस्त्य and वसिष्ठ; Manu calls these sages Prajāpatis or pro- genitors of mankind, and gives ten names, three more being added to the latter list, i. e. दक्ष or प्रचेतस्, भृगु and नारद. In astronomy the seven Ṛiṣis form the constellation of "the Great Bear"); यत्रा सप्त ऋषीन् पर एकमाहुः Rv.1.82.2.

-2 A sanctified sage, saint, an ascetic, anchorite; (there are usually three classes of these saints; देवर्षि, ब्रह्मर्षि and राजर्षि; sometimes four more are added; महर्षि, परमर्षि, श्रुतर्षि and काण्डर्षि.

-3 A ray of light.

-4 An imaginary circle.

-5 A hymn (मन्त्र) composed by a Ṛiṣi; एतद्वो$स्तु तपोयुक्तं ददामीत्यृषि- चोदितम् Mb.12.11.18;

-6 The Veda; P.III.2.186.

-7 A symbolical expression for number seven.

-8 Life; Bhāg.1.87.5.

-9 The moon.

-Comp. -ऋणम् A debt due to Ṛiṣis.

-कुल्या 1 a sacred river.

-2 N. of महानदी, N. of सरस्वती; अथ तस्योशतीं देवीमृषिकुल्यां सरस्वतीम् Bhāg. 3.16.13.

-कृत् a. making one's appearance; Rv.1.31. 16.

-गिरिः N. of a mountain in Magadha.

-चान्द्रायणम् N. of a particular observance.

-च्छन्दस् n. the metre of a Ṛiṣi,

-जाङ्गलः, -जाङ्गलिका the plant ऋक्षगन्धा, (Mar. म्हैसवेल).

-तर्पणम् libation offered to the Ṛiṣis.

-धान्यम् The grain Coix barbata (Mar. वरी).

-पञ्चमी N. of a festival or ceremony on the fifth day in the first half of Bhādrapada (observed by women).

-पुत्रकः Southern wood, Artemisia abrotanum (Mar. दवणा).

-प्रोक्ता the plant माषपर्णी (Mar. रानउडीद).

-बन्धु a. connected or related to the Ṛiṣi; Rv.8.1.6.

-मनस् a. inspired; far-seeing, enlightened; Rv.9.96.18.

-मुखम् the beginning of a Maṇḍala composed by a Ṛiṣi.

-यज्ञः a sacrifice offered to a Ṛiṣi (consisting of a prayer in low voice). Ms.4.21.

-लोकः the world of the Ṛiṣis.

-श्राद्धम् Funeral oblations for the Ṛiṣis. a figurative expression for insignificant acts which are preceded by great preparation.

-श्रेष्ठः (ष्ठम्) The pod of Helicteres isora: also the shrub of tree (Mar. मुरुड- शेंग).

-स्तोमः 1 praise of the Ṛiṣis.

-2 a particular sacrifice completed in one day.

परिवहः 1 N. of one of the seven courses of wind; it is the sixth course and bears along the Saptarṣis and the celestial Ganges; सप्तर्षिचक्रं स्वर्ङ्गगां षष्ठः परिवहस्तथा; (for the other courses of wind see under cf. the description of परिवह given by Kālidāsa:-- त्रिस्रोतसं वहति यो गगनप्रतिष्ठां ज्योतींषि वर्तयति च प्रविभक्तरश्मिः । तस्य द्वितीय- हरिविक्रमानेस्तमस्कं वायोरिमं परिवहस्य वदन्ति मार्गम् Ś.7.6).

-2 One of the seven tongues of fire.