A snake born in the dynasty of Dhritarashtra. He died in Janamejaya’s sarpasatra as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 57 verse 11.

A sage – grandson of the king Agnidhra.

Antecedents: Vishnu – Brahma – Swayambhuvamanu – Priyavrata – Agnidhra – Nabhi – Rishabha.

He was born to Nabhi and his wife Meru. Rishabha’s wife was Jayanti and they had a hundred sons. Rishabha left the kingdom to his first born Bharata and went away to meditate in Pulaha’s hermitage in the jungles. He meditated there for several years and the mountain where he sat came to be known as Rishabhakuta. Since he preferred silence, he disliked people coming to the mountain and cursed that the mountain would throw stones whenever anyone tried to climb it. Once he called the winds and told them to maintain silence when they passed the mountain. He decreed that those who spoke on the mountain would be struck by lightning. Later the place became a pilgrimage spot called Nanda as per Mahabharata Aranyaparva Chapter 11.

Rishabha prayed to Shiva and became a shivayogi. Once a brahmin named Mandara and a prostitute named Pingala, who were living together, died and in their next birth, Mandara was born as Nala’s grandson Bhadrayu and Pingala was born as Sumati, wife of Vajrabahu (Amshuman). Sumati became pregnant but was poisoned by the other wives, who were jealous. She became sick, as did her child, and they were abandoned in the forest. She started living with a trader family, but the child soon died. As per Shivapurana Rishabha reached there and consoled her.

Rishabha lived according to the rules of vanaprastha and conducted many yajnas. He lost weight and the veins in his body started becoming visible. He swallowed a stone and walked through the forest, waiting for salvation as per Vishnupurana Chapter 1. The Shivapurana has a story of a Rishabha who attained salvation after he died in a forest fire.

A Chandravanshi king.

Antecedents: Vishnu – Brahma- Atri – Chandra – Budha – Pururavas – Ayus – Nahusha – Yayati – Puru – Janamejaya – Prachinvan – Namasyu – Veetabhaya – Shundu – Bahuvidha – Samyati – Rahovadi – Bhadrashwa – Matinara – Santurodha – Dushyanta – Bharata – Suhotra – Suhota – Gala – Garda – Suketu – Brihalkshetra – Hasti – Ajameedha – Riksha – Samvarana – Kuru – Sudhanva – Sugotra – Chyavana – Kriti – Uparicharavasu – Brihadratha – Kusha – Rishabha.

He fought inside a garudavyuha built by Drona as per Mahabharata Dronaparva Chapter 20 verse 12.

The son of the sage Vibhandaka.Vibhandaka was the son of Kashyapa.

Once Vibhandaka happened to see Urvashi and immediately ejaculated. It fell into a river and a deer drank from it then. The deer later gave birth to a human child with horns. Vibhandaka called him Rishyashringa and they both stayed in a hermitage. Rishyashringa had no other human contact save his father even after he reached adulthood.

During that time, Anga was ruled by Dasarath’s friend Lomapada. He once cheated a brahmin because of which all the brahmins in the land left. From then on, the kingdom suffered from drought. The king called together learned brahmins and asked them for a solution. They said that if a yajna could be conducted by a brahmin who had not seen women, it would rain. The king started making enquiries and heard about Rishyashringa. He started making plans to bring the sage to Anga. He called a few prostitutes and asked them to lure him, but they said it was impossible. Only one of them volunteered to try. As per her advice, the king sent her with many maids to the forest. They made a hermitage on a boat and stationed it on the river near to Vibhandaka’s hermitage. One of the women went to the hermitage when  Vibhandaka was not around and began a conversation with Rishyashringa, claiming to be a sage herself with a hermitage nearby. Rishyashringa became very interested in her and when she left, became morose. His father returned just then and noticed the change in him and asked him who had been there. Since Rishyashringa had never seen a woman, his description made his father think that the visitor was a rakshasa. Later, Vibhandaka searched the premises when his son wasn’t around, but found nothing. A few days later, when Vibhandaka was away on a visit to Shravanabali, the woman visited again and Rishyashringa was overjoyed.

Before Vibhandaka returned, she took him to the hermitage on the boat and from there returned to Lomapada’s kingdom. There, the king got Rishyashringa married to his daughter Shanta. He also sent Vibhandaka several presents to pacify him. When Vibhandaka returned, he saw the king’s attendants at his door, with the presents. Ignoring them, the sage proceeded to Champanagar, the capital city of Anga. As per the royal command, the citizens there began appealing to Vibhandaka. When the sage realised that the entire kingdom now belonged to his son, his anger subsided. He instructed Rishyashringa to return to the forest after a son was born to him. Rishyashringa conducted the yajna and it rained in Anga, ending the drought. After a son was born to him, Rishyashringa returned to the forest according to his father’s instructions, as per Mahabharata Aranyaparva Chapter 110 verse 3.

Dasarath had been childless for a long time. His minister Sumantra opined that if Rishyashringa conducted a yajna, the king would have children. Lomapada sent the sage to Ayodhya as per dasarath’s request. There, he conducted the putrakameshti yajna, and from the fire rose a dark spirit who brought with him an offering, which the king accepted. He gave a half each to his queens Kausalya and Kaikeyi, and they shared their portions with Sumitra. Kausalya and Kaikeyi had a son each and Sumitra had two. Kausalya’s son was Rama, Kaikeyi’s Bharata and Sumitra’s Lakshmana and Shatrughna as per Ramayana Balakanda Sarga 14-17.

A mountain. The sage Markandeya met Rama and Lakshmana her as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 25 verse 9. The brothers also met Sugriva here. The Pampa is believed to flow around Rishyamuka as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 279 verse 44.

A son of Jamadagni. Richika’s son Jamadagni married Renuka, who belonged to the Ikshvaku dynasty. They stayed near the Narmada and there, Renuka gave birth to Rimanwa, Suhotra, Vasu, Vishwavasu. Later Parashurama was born to them as per Brahmandapurana Chapter 58.

A group of ganadevas. They became devas by meditation. As per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 137 verse 25, they were revered by even the other devas.

Angiras, son of Brahma, had a son named Sudhanva. Sudhanva had 3 sons – Ribhu, Vidwa, Vaja. Their group was named Ribhus as per Rigveda Mandala 1 Anuvaka 16 Sukta 111.

Once a brahmin’s cow died, and its calf began to cry. The brahmin prayed to the Ribhus who created a cow, gave it the dead cow’s skin and brought it near the calf. The calf believed it to be its mother.  As per Rigveda Mandala 1 Anuvaka 16 Sukta 11, the Ribhus transformed pious old people into young men and women. The Rigveda also mentions that the Ribhus created the Ashwinis’ chariot, Brihaspati’s cow and Indra’s horses.

A sage, who was the son of Brahma. He was supremely knowledgeable, and became the guru of Nidakha, son of Pulastya and grandson of Brahma. He taught Nidakha everything – scriptures to weaponry, but realised he was not interested in Advaita, and was disappointed. Pulastya built a beautiful city on the banks of the river Devika named Viranagara, and that was where Nidakha lived. After Nidakha had lived there for a thousand years, his guru visited him. He stood on the steps so that Nidakha would see him when he came out to greet his guests. Nidakha greeted him warmly and after taking him inside, washed his feet, and invited him to eat. Ribhu said he preferred something sweet and Nidakha’s wife promptly prepared it. After the meal, Nidakha asked Ribhu  whether the meal was satisfying and where he was going. Ribhu replied that only a hungry man could be satisfied and that he wasn’t hungry. He also said that the question on destination was irrelevant since man never stayed anywhere nor did he leave. The body was made of the five elements and when they left, it would cease to exist. Nidakha became a believer in God then.

After another thousand years, Ribhu visited again and found Nidakha outside the city, as a sage, and they both stood aside  as the king’s procession passed. Then the following conversation happened

Nidakha: The king is entering his city, hence the huge procession.

Ribhu: Who is the king among these people, and who are the subjects?

Nidakha: The man who sits atop the mighty elephant is king, and the rest are his subjects.

Ribhu: You pointed to the king and the elephant. Which is the elephant and which, the king? What are their distinguishing features?

Nidakha: The creature at the bottom is the elephant, the other is the king.

Ribhu: What is bottom, and what is up?

Nidakha quickly climbed on Ribha and said, “Where I sit is ‘up’ and you’re at the bottom”

Ribhu: If you’re like the king and I’m like the elephant, who am I and who are you?

Nidakha recognised his guru and bowed to the advaita knowledge. Ribhu left and Nidakha became a believer of advaita. From then on, he considered all creatures no different from him. He later attained moksha as per Vishnupurana Ansh 2 Chapters 15-16.

A great snake, who was killed by Garuda as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 160 verse 15.

Varuna’s wife as per Mahabharata Udyogaparva Chapter 117 verse 9.