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>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:Hindu sages to :Category:Rishis per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy

2021-05-03T23:48:57Z

Moving Category:Hindu sages to Category:Rishis per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy

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{{Hinduism}}

'''Avatsara''' was a [[Rishi]] of the [[Rig Veda]]. His name first appears in the Fifth Mandala which is older than the Second Mandala.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Rig Veda: A Historical Analysis|author=Shrikant G.Talageri|publisher=Aditya Prakashan|url=http://www.trueindianhistory.org/ppt/History%20of%20Rigveda.pdf|access-date=2014-01-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116220825/http://www.trueindianhistory.org/ppt/History%20of%20Rigveda.pdf|archive-date=2014-01-16|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Background==

Avatsara is the main poet of [[Sukta]] 44 of the Fifth Mandala of the Rig veda which hymn addressed to the [[Rigvedic deities]], the [[Visvedevas]]. He is more known for the set of eight hymns of four mantras each appearing in the Rig Veda viz. Suktas IX.53 to IX.60, and also in the Samaveda (SV.757, SV.1717).<ref>{{cite book|title=All Four Vedas|publisher=Agniveer|pages=124–134, 326, 409–417, 734|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rU8CAgAAQBAJ&q=Avatsara&pg=RA5-PA454|date=2013-11-10}}</ref> He was the [[Hotr]] of the gods. He had delighted Agni by the six-syllable oblation – ''O Agni, enjoy the oblation'', and was set-free.<ref>{{cite book|title=Rig Veda Brahmanas:The Aitareya and Kausitaki Brahmanas of the Rig Veda|author=Arthur Barriedale Keith|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|page=419|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UDawvHc4AxgC&q=avatsara&pg=PA419|isbn=9788120813595|year=1998}}</ref> According to Satyasadha (21.3.13), the Parvaras of Kashyaps consist of three rishi – ancestors: – [[Kashyap]], Avatsara and Naidhruva.<ref>{{cite book|title=Sarautakosah:Encyclopaedia of Vedic Sacrificial Rituals|author=Dhundiraja Ganesa|page=1016|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8nMoAAAAYAAJ&q=Avatsara|year=1962}}</ref> There are eight notable rishis belonging to the Kashyap family – ''Kashyap'', ''Avatsara'', ''Nidhurva'', ''Rebha'', ''Devala'', ''Asita'', ''Bhutamsa'' and ''Vivrha''; two unnamed sons of ''Rebha'' were also authors of Rigvedic hymns.<ref>{{cite book|title=India in the Vedic Age|author=Purushottam Lal Bhargava|publisher=D.K.Print World|page=221|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5h4wAQAAIAAJ&q=avatsara|isbn=9788124601716|date=January 2001}}</ref>

==As Vedic Rishi==

Avatsara was the son of Rishi [[Kashyap]] who was later than Rishi [[Vamadeva]] but earlier than Rishi [[Atri]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Rig Veda A Historical Analysis|author=Islamkotob|publisher=Islamic Books|page=102|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yXu5PzQ4jg8C&q=avatsara&pg=PT102}}</ref> The word, ''Avata'', denotes an artificially dug up water-source or an artificial well.<ref>{{cite book|title=Vedic Index of Names and Subjects Vol.1|author=Arthur Anthony Macdonell|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|pages=39–40}}</ref><ref name="google">{{cite book|title=Vedic Index of Names and Subjects|author1=Macdonell, A.A.|author2=Keith, A.B.|date=1995|issue=v. 1; v. 5|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=9788120813328|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t6TVLlPvuMAC|page=40|access-date=2015-02-09}}</ref> Avatsara Prasravana, like his father Kashyap, was a [[Rishi]] of the [[Rig Veda]]. His name first appears in [[Sukta]] 44 of the Fifth Mandala.<ref>{{cite book|title=Class and Religion in Ancient India|author=Jayantanuja Bandopadhayaya|publisher=Anthem Press|page=13|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gwUF11NRyT4C&q=avatsara+rishi&pg=PA13|isbn=9781843313328|year=2007}}</ref>

He is more known for the Suktas 53 to 60 of the Ninth Mandala; these Suktas contain four [[mantra]]s each, all composed in the [[Gayatri]] [[Metre (poetry)|Metre]]. In the Rig Veda, he addresses [[Ishvara]] as अद्रिवः, the fully armed and endowed with many subtle and fine divine powers and destroyer of all evil forces (RV.IX.53.1). He then addresses Ishvara as शुक्रम् which means the purifier or the pure, brilliant as the [[Sun]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Illumination of Knowledge|author=Ravinder Kumar Soni|publisher=GBD Books|pages=246–247|url=https://openlibrary.org/search?author_key=OL6886704A&has_fulltext=false&publisher_facet=GBD+Books}}</ref>

His name appears in the [[Yajurveda]], (Y.V.III.i & III.xviii) where he prays to [[Agni]],<ref>{{cite book|title=All Four Vedas|author=Agniveer|publisher=Agniveer|page=46|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rU8CAgAAQBAJ&q=avatsara+rishi&pg=RA4-PA46 |date=2013-11-10}}</ref> and in the [[Aitareya Brahmana]] and the [[Kausitaki Brahmana]]. From the verses of the Aitareya Brahmana (A.B. ii.24) and Kausitaki Brahmana (K.B.viii.6), both pertaining to the Sacrifice of the Five Oblations, it is learnt that Avatsara had reached the home of [[Agni]] and had conquered the highest world.<ref>{{cite book|title=Rig Veda Brahmanas:The Aitareya and Kausitaki Brahmanas of the Rig Veda|author=Arthur Barriedale Keith|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|page=153|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UDawvHc4AxgC&q=avatsara&pg=PA419|isbn=9788120813595|year=1998}}</ref>

In [[Rig Veda]] Sukta IX.53, he reminds us that the learned people extract the wisdom of the ancients from the [[Vedas]] which are enlightening, and in [[Rig Veda]] mantra IX.60.3 he tells us -
: अति वारन्यवमानो असिष्यद्त्कल्शां अभि धावति |
: इन्द्रस्य हार्द्याविशन् ||
that the Lord, in the form of knowledge and consciousness, resides in the cleansed mind and heart of the learned people and in the mind and heart of all those who know the Lord fully without being aware of knowing Him.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Illumination of Knowledge|author=Ravinder Kumar Soni|publisher=GBD Books|pages=247–248|url=https://openlibrary.org/search?author_key=OL6886704A&has_fulltext=false&publisher_facet=GBD+Books}}</ref>

==Kashyaps==

Apart from Kashyap Marichi there appears to have been a second Kashyap who was the father of Avatsara, [[Narada Muni|Narada]] and [[Arundhati (Hinduism)|Arundhati]], the wife of Rishi [[Vasistha]] and it was this second Kashyap who was one of the [[Sapta Rishis]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Chronology of Ancient India|author=Sita Nath Pradhan|publisher=Bhartiya Publishing House|page=90|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wEIhAAAAMAAJ&q=avatsara|year=1927}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Praci-jyoti|publisher=Kurukshetra University|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q785AQAAIAAJ&q=avatsara|year=1973}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World Vol.3|author=Ganga Ram Garg|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|page=839|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0U2QRpDv2KMC&q=avatsara&pg=PA839|isbn=9788170223764|year=1992}}</ref>
And, according to the list of Rishis provided by the [[Matsya Purana]], Kashyap had two sons – Avatsara and Asita; Nidhruva and Rebha were Avatsara’s son. But this list is doubted; the genealogy otherwise gives three groups among the Kashyaps, the Sandliyas, Naidhruvas and Raibhyas.<ref>{{cite book|title=Ancient Indian Historical Tradition|author=F.E.Pargiter|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|page=231|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2BRjkE385ScC&q=vatsara&pg=PA231|isbn=9788120814875|year=1997}}</ref> The Pravaras of these gotras have Rishi Devala who was the son of one of the eight Vasus. Thus this second Kashyapa (Naidhruva, Sandilya, etc. Gotras) descends from one of the eight Vasus and not Marichi Kashyapa.

From Book IV Chapter VIII of the [[Bhagavata Purana|Srimad Bhagvatam]] it is learnt though Lord Maitreya that [[Dhruva]], the son of Uttanapada through Suruti, and the grandson of [[Manu (Hinduism)|Svyambhuva Manu]], had by his first wife Brahmi, two sons, Vatsara and Kalmavatsara or Kalpa.<ref>{{cite book|title=On the chronology of the Hindus Asiatic Researches Vol. 5|author=Francis Wilford|publisher=New Jersey College Library|page=253|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jPNYAAAAYAAJ&q=vatsara&pg=PA253|year=1799}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Concise Srimad Bhagvatam|author=Swami Venkatesananda|publisher=Suny Press|page=86,90|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zLkrkjn1Yv0C&q=vatsara&pg=PA90|isbn=9781438422831}}</ref>

==Gotra==

Avatsara is a [[Pravaras|pravara]] of Kashyap Gotra and also belonging to the two of the [[Sandilya]] variations.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Early Brahmanical System of Gotra and Pravara|publisher=Cambridge University Press|page=36|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ooc6AAAAIAAJ&q=avatsara&pg=PA36 |isbn=9781001403793|year=1953}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{Rishis of Hindu mythology}}

[[Category:Rishis]]
[[Category:Gotras]]

Avatsara - Revision history

imported>HTDCourtney: quick update

>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:Hindu sages to :Category:Rishis per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy