Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c6.46

c6.46

Similar remarks hold good with regard to the rishis celebrated in the Rigveda and in the epics and Purāṇas, though the difference is naturally not so wide, because the latter in praising them approximate to Vedic matter. Great rishis mentioned in the latter were Ṛcīka, Jamadagni and his son Rāma among the Bhārgavas; the Vasiṣṭhas of Triśaṅku and Hariścandra, of Sagara and of Kalmāṣapāda, all of Ayodhyā, and also Parāśara; Datta and Durvāsas of the Ātreyas; Bṛhaspati, Saṃvarta, Dīrghatamas and Bharadvāja among the Āṅgirasas; the first and great Viśvāmitra and Agastya: yet no hymns are attributed to some of them, and the portions attributed to others are meagre. Dīrghatamas, Parāśara, Bharadvāja, Agastya, Viśvāmitra, Atri and Vasiṣṭha are credited with many hymns, yet these names appear to be merely gotra and not personal names except the first two. On the other hand many rishis, to whom numerous hymns are ascribed, such as Madhucchandas, Kaṇva, Medhātithi, Kakṣīvant, Gṛtsamada, Vāmadeva and Asita, are mentioned in the epics and Purāṇas, though little definite is said about them. The majority of reputed authors are unknown to those works.