Book Title: Rushibhashit Sutra
Author(s): Vinaysagar, Sagarmal Jain, Kalanath Shastri, Dineshchandra Sharma
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy
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Krishna, Dvaipayan, Aruni, Uddalak, Narayan have been popular in Vedic tradition and their teachings are intact in Upanishads, Mahabharat, and Puranas even today. The names of Dev Narad, Angiras Bharadvaj, Dvaipayan also find their mention in Sutrakritanga, Aupapatik, Antkritdasha besides Rishibhashit in Jain tradition as also in Buddhist Tripitak literature.
Similarly, Vajjiyaputra, Mahakashyap, and Sariputra are famous personalities of Buddhist tradition and are mentioned in Tripitak literature. Mankhaliputra, Ramputta, Ambad (Ambashta), Sanjaya (Velatthiputra) are names which belong to 'independent Shraman traditions and their mention can be found both in Jain and Buddhist traditions. Prof. C. S. Upasak, in his article 'Isibhasiyam and Pali Buddhist Texts: A Study' has discussed in details those Rishis of Rishibhashit who have been mentioned in Buddhist literature. This article is being published in Pt Dalsukh Malvania Abhinandan Granth. Parshwa and Vardhaman are the famous, twenty third and twenty fourth Teerthankars in Jain tradition. Ardrak is found in Sutrakritanga besides Rishibhashit. Besides these, Valkalchiri, Kurmaputra, Ketaliputra. Tetaliputra, Bhayali, Indranaag are names most of whom are mentioned in Isimandal and other Jain works. Valkalchiri and Kurmaputra etc. are also mentioned in Buddhist tradition. However, even those who are neither mentioned in Jain nor Buddhist tradition, cannot be termed as fictitious.
On looking at the complete list of Rishis of Rishibhashit we find that only Soma, Yama, Varuna, Vayu, and Viashraman are such names which may be said to be fictitious because they have been accepted only as Lokpals in the Jain, Vedic, and Buddhist traditions. But even out of these Vayu has been mentioned as a Rishi in Mahabharat. Yama has been said to be the father of Yamadagni Rishi in Aavashyak Churni. The possibility of Yama being a Rishi cannot completely be ruled out, although even Upanishads have described Yama as Lokpal. This is certain that he was a preacher, as the dialogue between Yama and Nachiketa is well known in Upanishadic tradition. Varuna and Vaishraman have also been accepted as preachers of Mantras in Vedic tradition. It is possible that till the writing
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