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{{Short description|Sage in Hinduism}}
{{Hinduism}}

'''Avatsara''' ({{Langx|sa|अवत्सार|translit=Avatsāra}}) is a [[rishi]] (sage) featured in the [[Rig Veda|Rigveda]]. His name first appears in [[Sukta]] 44 of the Fifth 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><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>

==Work==

Avatsara is the primary author of [[Sukta]] 44 of the Fifth Mandala of the Rigveda, whose hymn addressed to the class of [[Rigvedic deities]] called the [[Visvedevas]]. He is known for the set of eight hymns of four mantras each that appear in the Rigveda 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 is stated to be the chief priest of the gods. He is described to offer Agni 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 Kashyapa ''[[Pravaras|pravara]]'' (lineage) consists of three rishi–ancestors: – [[Kashyap|Kashyapa]], 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> The lineage also belongs to two of the [[Sandilya]] variations.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ooc6AAAAIAAJ&q=avatsara&pg=PA36 |title=The Early Brahmanical System of Gotra and Pravara |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1953 |isbn=9781001403793 |page=36}}</ref> There are eight notable sages belonging to the Kashyapa family – ''Kashyapa'', ''Avatsara'', ''Nidhruva'', ''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>

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 Rigveda, he addresses [[Ishvara]] as, "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, "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) in which 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 [[Sankhyayana Brahmana|Kausitaki Brahmana]]. In 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 stated 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 Rigveda Sukta IX.53, he states that educated people extract the wisdom of the ancients from the [[Vedas]]. Further, he states in Rigveda mantra IX.60.3 that the Lord resides as knowledge and consciousness in the hearts and minds of educated people.<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>

==Genealogy==
Avatsara is described to be the son of Kashyapa, who whose lifetime was later than Vamadeva (son of [[Gautama Maharishi|Maharishi Gautama]]), but earlier than [[Atri]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Islamkotob |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yXu5PzQ4jg8C&q=avatsara&pg=PT102 |title=Rig Veda A Historical Analysis |publisher=Islamic Books |page=102}}</ref> The word, ''Avata'', denotes an artificially dug up water-source or an artificial well.<ref>{{cite book |author=Arthur Anthony Macdonell |title=Vedic Index of Names and Subjects Vol.1 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |pages=39–40}}</ref><ref name="google">{{cite book |author1=Macdonell, A.A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t6TVLlPvuMAC |title=Vedic Index of Names and Subjects |author2=Keith, A.B. |date=1995 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=9788120813328 |page=40 |access-date=2015-02-09 |issue=v. 1; v. 5}}</ref>

Apart from Kashyapa, the son of Marichi, there appears to have been a second Kashyapa who was the father of Avatsara, [[Narada Muni|Narada]] and [[Arundhati (Hinduism)|Arundhati]], the wife of [[Vasistha|Vasishtha]] and it was this second Kashyapa who was one of the [[Sapta Rishis|Saptarishi]].<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> According to the list of sages provided by the [[Matsya Purana]], Kashyapa had two sons – Avatsara and [[Rishi Asita|Asita]]; Nidhruva and Rebha were Avatsara’s son. But this list is doubted; the genealogy otherwise gives three groups among the Kashyaps, the Sandilyas, 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>

From Book IV Chapter VIII of the [[Bhagavata Purana|Srimad Bhagvatam]] it is learnt though 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>

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

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

Avatsara - Revision history

imported>HTDCourtney at 21:05, 29 May 2025