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Maitri Upanishad : Creation and the Abiding Self .

‘In the beginning “Brahman ” stood alone. He had no happiness, when alone.
Meditating on himself, he created many creatures. He looked on them and saw they were, like a stone,
without understanding, and standing like a lifeless post. He had no happiness. He thought, I shall enter
within, that they may awake. Making himself like air (life breaths) he entered within. Being one, he could not do
it. Then dividing himself fivefold, he is called Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, Vyana. Now that air which
rises upwards, is Prana. That which moves downwards, is Apana. That by which these two are
supposed to be held, is Vyana. That which carries the grosser material of food to the Apana, and brings
the subtler material to each limb, has the name Samana. [After these (Prana, Apana, Samana) comes
the work of the Vyana, and between them (the Prana, Apana, and Samana on one side and the vyana
on the other) comes the rising of the Udana.] That which brings up or carries down what has been drunk
and eaten, is the Udana.
[20/09, 11:59 AM] Ram Mohan, Bumika: Saptarishi
The Saptarishi are the seven rishis of ancient India, who are extolled in the Vedas and other Sanathana literature such as the Brahmanas and Upanishads : they are regarded as the patriarchs of the Vedic religion.
The earliest list of the Seven Rishis is given by Jaiminiya Brahmana as : Agastya,Atri,Bharadwaja, Gautama, Jamadagni, Vashistha and Vishvamitra followed by Brihadaranyaka, Upanishad with a slightly different list: Atri, Bharadwaja, Gautama, Jamadagni, Kashyapa, Vashistha and Vishwamitra. The later Gopatha Brahmana has Vashistha, Vishvamitra, Jamadagni, Gautama, Bharadwaja, Gungu, Agastya and Kashyapa.
Krishna Yajurveda in the Sandhya-Vandana Mantras has it as:Angiras, Atri, Bhrigu, Gautama Maharishi,Kashyapa,Kutsa,Vasistha.. Mahabharata gives the Seven Rishis’ names:Marichi,Atri, Pulaha, Pulastya, Kratu, Vasistha,Kashyapa,etc.. Brihat Samhita gives the Seven Rishis’ names as:Marichi, Vasistha, Angiras, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha,Kratu
In post-Vedic texts, different lists appear; some of these rishis were recognized as the manasputras of Brahma, the representation of the Supreme Being as Creator. Other representations are Mahesh or Shiva as the Destroyer and Vishnu as the Preserver. These seven rishis are also among the primary eight rishis, who are considered to be the ancestors of the Gotras of Brahmins.
In ancient Indian astronomy, the asterism of the Big Dipper (part of the constellation of Ursa Major) is called saptarishi, with the seven stars representing seven rishis, namely “Vashistha”, “Marichi”, “Pulastya”, “Pulaha”, “Atri”, “Angiras” and “Kratu”. There is another star slightly visible within it, known as “Arundhati”. Arundhati and her husband Vashishtha together form the Mizar double.
A manvantara (age of Manu) is a unit of time within a kalpa (day of Brahma) time measurement, on a logarithmic scale – There are fourteen manvantaras in a kalpa, each separated by sandhyas (connecting periods). Each manvantara is ruled by a different Manu, with the current seventh one ruled by Vaivasvata Manu. Rishis and their sons are born anew in each manvantara.
In Hindu astronomy the seven stars of the Saptarshi Mandal or Big Dipper are named as Vasishtha accompanied by Arundhati, a faint companion star (Alcor/80 Ursa Majoris). The valid avatar’s clan will be named after Ashvamedh.At the end of every four ages there is a disappearance of the Vedas and it is the province of the seven Rishis to come down upon earth from heaven to give them currency again.
As per legend, the seven Rishis in the next manvantara will be Diptimat, Galava, Parashurama, Kripa, Drauni or Ashwatthama, Vyasa and Rishyasringa.
In the coming days, we will discuss a little more about the Saptharishis.
To be continued……