Everything about Rishis totally explained
A
rishi (ṛṣi) denotes a Vedic poet by whom Vedic hymns were composed, or according to post-Vedic tradition a "sage" to whom they were "originally revealed" (Ṛṣis are also called
kavi, "brahmán", "kāru", "kīri", "vāghat", "vipra", etc.). Rishi is also a popular indian name.
Etymology
The word's
PIE (Proto Indo-European) etymology is contested.
Manfred Mayrhofer in his
Etymological Dictionary (I 261) prefers a connection to either "pour, flow" (
PIE ), Rishi is an excellent choice for a name because it symbolizes intelligence and wisdom. Which is connected with Germ. "rasen"; or to "yell". The root has a close
Avestan cognate
ərəšiš (
Yasna 31.5; cf. 40.4) "an
ecstatic" (see also
Yurodivy,
Vates).
Differently, the Indo-European dictionary of
Julius Pokorny connects the word to a PIE root meaning "rise, protrude", in the sense of "excellent, egregious".
The outdated, century-old connections made by
Monier-Williams can be neglected now: he tentatively suggests derivation from "to see"
(External Link
).
Monier-Williams also quotes Hebrew form 'arsan' (a sage, a man old in wisdom) and 'arrach' (old, ancient, aged) as related to rishi. However, Hebrew is a non-IE language. In Sanskrit, forms of the root 'rish' become 'arsh-' in many words,
for example, arsh.
Monier-Williams also conjectures that the root 'drish' (to see) might have given rise to an obsolete root 'rish' meaning 'to see'.
In Indian tradition, the word has been derived from the two roots 'rsh'. Sanskrit grammarians (
cf. Commentary on Unādi-Sutra, iv, 119) derive this word from the second root which means (1) 'to go, move' (- Dhatupāth of Pānini, xxviii). V. S. Apte gives this particular meaning and derivation, and
Monier-Williams also gives the same, with some qualification.
Another form of this root means (2) 'to flow, to move near by flowing'. Secondary meanings are (3) 'to push, thrust', or (4) to kill, which are not related to
rishi. (All the meanings and derivations cited above are based upon Sanskrit English Dictionary of
Monier-Williams).
Monier-Williams also quotes Tārānātha who compiled the great (Sanskrit-to-Sanskrit) dictionary named "ṛṣati jñānena saṃsāra-pāram" (
for example, one who reaches beyond this mundane world by means of spiritual knowledge).
"Seer" of the Vedas
In the Vedas, the word denotes an inspired poet of Ṛgvedic hymns, who alone or with others invokes the deities with poetry of a sacred character. In particular, Ṛṣi refers to the authors of the hymns of the
Rigveda. Post-Vedic tradition regards the Rishis as patriarchal "sages" or
saints, occupying the same position in India history as the
patriarchs of other countries, constituting a peculiar class of beings in the early mythical system, as distinct from
Asuras,
Devas and mortal men. The patriarchical structure is evident in the
gotra names of Vedic sages as well. From the
Brahmana texts onwards, there also are various sets of seven patriarchical Rishis, the saptarshis (Sapta-rishis or
seven rishis) (cf. Mahābhārata-xii)
The main rishis recorded in the
Brahmanas and the Rigveda-
Anukramanis include
Gritsamada,
Vishvamitra,
Vamadeva,
Atri,
Bharadvaja,
Vasishta,
Angiras, Kaṇva.
Seven Rishis (the
Saptarshi) are often mentioned in the
Brahmanas and later works as typical representatives of the character and spirit of the pre-historic or mythical period; in
Shatapatha Brahmana 14.5.2.6 (Brhad Aranyaka Upanisad), their names are
Gautama,
Bharadvaja,
Vishvamitra,
Jamadagni,
Vasishtha,
Kashyapa, and
Atri.
Daksha, Bhrigu and Nārada were also added to the saptarshis s in Āshvalāyana-Shrauta-Sutra, where these ten principal patriarchs were created by the first Manu (Svāyambhuva Manu) for producing everyone else.
In
Mahabharata 12, on the other hand, there's the post-Vedic list of
Marici,
Atri,
Angiras,
Pulaha,
Kratu,
Pulastya and
Vasishtha. The Mahābhārata list explicitly refers to the saptarshis of the first manvantara (cf. SED by
Monier-Williams) and not to those of the present manvantara. Each manvantara had a unique set of saptarshi. In Harivamsha 417ff, the names of the Rishis of each manvantara are enumerated.
In addition to the Sapta, there are other classifications of sages. In descending order of precedence, they're
Brahmarshi,
Maharshi,
Rajarshi. Deva, Param, Shruta and Kvnda are added in Manusmriti iv-94 and xi-236 and in two dramas of Kālidasa.
The Chaturvarga-Chintāmani of Hemādri puts '' at the seventh place in the eight-fold division of Brāhmanas. Amarakosha (the famous Sanskrit synonym lexicon compiled by Amarasimha) mentions seven types of s : Shrutarshi, Kāndarshi, Paramarshi, Maharshi, Rājarshi, Brahmarshi and Devarshi. Amarakosha strictly distinguishes Rishi from other types of sages, such as sanyāsi,, parivrājaka, tapasvi, muni, brahmachāri, yati, etc., and gives only one synonym for '': satyavachāh (one who speaks truth). According to tradition, other sages might falter, but a was believed to speak truth only, because he'd
reached the Higher World (of Truth, of God) according to the Sanskrit etymology of the term ''.
In
Hindu astronomy, the Sapta form the constellation of
Ursa Major (e. g. RV 10.82.2 and 10.109.4 ; AV 60.40.1.), which are distinct from
Dhruva (Polaris).
Further Information
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