Bharadwaja also spelled Bhardwaj(Sanskrit: भरद्वाज, IAST Bharadvāja) was one of the greatest Hindu Sages, being descendant of Ṛṣ Aṅgirasā, whose accomplishments are detailed in the Purāṇa. He is one of the Seven Great Sage in the present Manvantara; with others being Atri, Vasiṣṭha,Viśvāmitra, Gautama Muni, Jamadagni, Kaśyapa.
Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya is the progenitor of the Bhāradvāja family and the family is attributed as the composers of Sixth Maṇḍala of the Ṛgveda. Maṇḍala 6 is known as the Bhāradvāja Family Book as all its 75 hymns are composed by a member of this family over several centuries. He is believed to be a contemporary of King Bhārata. Maharṣi Bharadvāja and his descendants were respected and powerful priests-like ṛṣi of several clans/dynasties of the Puru tribe, such as the Bhāratas and the Pañcālas.
Sage Bharadvāja was a sage of the Vedic times. He was the son of Bṛhaspati. He attained extraordinary scholarship. He had the great power of meditation. He is also the author of Āyurveda. His Āśrama still exists at the holy Prayag (Allahabad).
Another Bharadvāja Ṛṣi, a remote descendant of the progenitor, probably a disciple of Vālmikī Muni, was father of Guru Droṇācārya and grandfather ofAśvatthāma from the epic Mahābhārata.
Maharṣi Bharadvāja was the son of Devarṣi Bṛhaspati. Devarṣi Bṛhaspati was the son of Maharṣi Aṅgirasa. These 3 Ṛṣi are called the Traya Ṛṣi, meaning The Three Ṛṣis of the Bharadvāja Gotra. Guru Droṇācārya, the royal guru to Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas in the epic Mahābhārata was the son of sage Bharadvāja. He was a master of advanced military arts, including the Devāstras. The Āśrama of Maharṣi Bharadvāja is situated at holy Prayag.
Among all the seven gotras Bharadvāja is the largest chain.
In Rāmāyaṇa, Śrī Rāma along with Sita and Lakṣmaṇa went on exile for the words of his father. Rama along with them went through many forest regions starting from crossing Saryu river with help of Guhan, head clanman and a friend of Rama's father Daśaratha. As he traveled he visited many Rishi's Ashrams and met many rishis and sages including Agastya, Gautama and Bharadvāja. Śrī Rāma and others rested in Bharadvāja's āśrama when they were crossing Prayag and accepted his offerings as great sages knew that Śrī Rāma is incarnation of Mahā Viṣṇu, Sātā Devī is goddessLakṣmī and Lakṣmaṇa is none other than Śeṣa Nāga.
In the Buddhist Vinaya Pitaka of the Mahavagga (I.245) section the Buddha pays respect to Bharadwaja by declaring that the Veda in its true form was declared to the Vedic rishis "Atthako, Vâmako, Vâmadevo, Vessâmitto, Yamataggi, Angiras, Bhâradvâjo, Vâsettho, Kassapo, and Bhagu" and because that true Veda was altered by some priests he refused to pay homage to the altered version.