WRITTEN BY LONDON SWAMINATHAN

Post No. 10,716

Date uploaded in London – –    5 MARCH   2022         

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

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Who are Rishis?

Rishis are Vedic seers. They see what we don’t see. They have perspective outlook. They see inward. Scientists see outward and do research on what they see. Rishis see inward because they know the body is the microcosm and the universe is macrocosm.

The English word ‘seer’ is the mirror image of RSI; that is , you read the word backward, as you see it in a mirror.

Other examples

Hunter Valmiki can’t say Rama. So he was asked to say mara (mirror image of Rama)

English word Leo is the mirror image of Mythical Hindu animal Yali. Liya= Lion= Leo

Ratha in Sanskrit becomes Ther in Tamil.

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Seven Rishis known as Sapta Rishis are the progenitors of man kind. They created inner heat called ‘Tapas’ with which they did miracles. The more heat one creates and saves, the more powerful one becomes.

But like all miracle men, God sends temptations to test them. Many succumb to such temptations and lose their energy. Visvamitra is the best example. Each time he accumulated great energy, Indra sent him Menaka or Anger or Ego. He lost his energy in the fight with Vasistha (greedy for the divine cow Kamadhenu) , Trisnaku episode (Ego) and Menaka episode (sexual urge).

But those who do not succumb to such temptations develop ‘Urdhwaretas’ (having the semen drawn upwards), sending sexual energy upward unlike ordinary men. Loss of seed/semen meant loss of power. But yet they don’t waste it. They use it one or two times to get progeny. Kalidasa in his Raghuvamsa beautifully explained the qualities of Raghu Dynasty. One of their qualities is the kings marry women not for sex but for getting sons. This is same with the Rishis. The accumulated energy is used for creating good children. But that also goes wrong if the receiving women are bad. We know what happened when Vyasa was asked to lie down with two women. As genetics shows, a child is the product of genes from husband and wife.

Here are some details about the gift of women received by the Rishis/Saints:

Many kings gave their daughters to Rishis…

King Prasenajit gave Renuka to Jamadagni ;

King Trnabindu gave Ilvalaa to  Pulastya ;

King of Vidharba gave Lopamudra to  Agastya;

King Marutta, son of Karandhama gave his daughter to  Angiras;

King Mitrasaha Saudasa gave Madayanti to Vasistha .

Visvamitra got Madhavi and gave her to his disciple Galava and as a result Astaka was born.

Kuvera gave three Rakshasa wives to Pulastya and their names are Puspotkata, Raakaa and Maalini.

Daksa , son of Brahma, gave women to the following,

27 to Soma, the Moon;

13  to Kasyapa;

10 to Dharma

4 to Aristanemi

2 to  Angiras

2 to Krasava

The Gotra organisation shows their children and grand children and great grandchildren. Brahmins strictly follow Gotras and the Same Gotra (sahotra) marriage is banned in the community.

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Gotras in Sangam Tamil Literature

Most interesting thing about the Gotra/clan organisation is we come across different Gotras among Sangam Tamil poets. If the southern most part of India can relate so many gotras in the Chera, Choza, Pandya territories, we may guess the prevalence of different gotras in other parts.

Following are some Gotras of Brahmin poets in Sangam Tamil Literature:

Dr R Nagaswamy, World famous Tamil historian and Archaeologist , gives the list of Gotras found in Sangam literature and later inscriptions :

Kaundinya

Vatula

Kausika

Atreya

Kasyapa

 According to inscriptions, 32 Gotras lived in South India; they were

Chandilya, Bharadwaja, Gautama, Darayana,

Parasara, Kasyapa, Kanva, Vatula

Avishta, Atreya, Kausika, Vatsa, Vishnuvrdda

Rateetara, Maatra, Paurukutsa, Kaundinya

Saavarni, Mautkala, Sankrudyaayana, Maashala,

Kaamaka, Kutsa, Kapi, Harita, Lohita, Vaasistha,

Gaarga, Agnivesya, Saankarsha, Saalavatha,

Jaatakarna, Bhargava, Vaana

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Tamil  poets with Gotra names as suffix or prefix:–

Tolkapyan, Grammarian, Kavya Gotra

Kaappiyaatru Kaappiyanaar , Kavya Gotra

Paalai Gauthamanaar (Gautama Gotra)

Sellur Kosikan Kannan (Kausika )

Perum Kausikanar, Ilam Kausiknar (Kausika)

Gargyar (Gaarga )

Madurai Kavuniyan Bhutattanar (Kaundinya)

Tangaal Atreyan ( Atreya Gotra)

Kadimangalam Vaatuli  (Vaatula )

Kallil Aaththiraiayanar (Atreya)

Aamur Gotaman Sahadevan (Gauthama )

Kabilar, Paranar, Maamulan and umpteen others have not declared their Gotras. Perhaps those gotras were well known at that time.

The great commentator Nachinarkiniyar, proudly declared at the end of each commentary, that he belonged to Bhaaradvaja gotra.

–Subham —

 Tags- Women, Gifts, Rishis, Gotras, Sangam literature