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Rishi

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For the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, seeRishi Sunak.For other uses, seeRishi (disambiguation).

A late 18th century painting ofSaptarishiand Manu fromJaipur,Rajasthan.

InIndian religions,arishi(Sanskrit:ऋषिIAST:ṛṣi) is an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mentions in variousVedic texts.Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of theVedas.The Post-Vedic tradition ofHinduismregards the rishis as "greatyogis"or" sages "who after intense meditation (tapas) realized the supreme truth and eternal knowledge, which they composed into hymns.[1]The term appears inPaliliterature as Ishi; inBuddhismthey can be eitherBuddhas,Paccekabuddhas,Arahatsor amonkof high rank.

Etymology[edit]

According to Indian tradition, the word may be derived from two different meanings of the root 'rsh' (ṛṣ). Sanskrit grammarians[2]derive this word from the second meaning: "to go, to move".[3]V. S. Apte[4]gives this particular meaning and derivation, andMonier-Williams[5]also gives the same, with some qualification.

Another form of this root means "to flow, to move near by flowing". (All the meanings and derivations cited above are based uponSanskrit English Dictionaryof Monier-Williams).[5]Monier-Williams also quotes Tārānātha who compiled the great (Sanskrit-to-Sanskrit) dictionary named "ṛṣati jñānena saṃsāra-pāram" (i.e., "one who reaches beyond this mundane world by means of spiritual knowledge" ).

Before Monier-Williams' work was published,Yāskasuggested it came from "drish" and quotes Aupamanyava to support his opinion.

However, the root has a closeAvestancognateərəšiš[6]"anecstatic"(see alsoYurodivy,Vates). Yet the Indo-European dictionary ofJulius Pokornyconnects the word to a PIE root*h3er-smeaning "rise, protrude", in the sense of "excellent" and thus cognate withṚtaandrightandAsha.In Sanskrit, forms of the rootrishbecomearsh-in many words, (e.g.,arsh)

Modern etymological explanations such as byManfred Mayrhoferin hisEtymological Dictionary[7]leave the case open, and do not prefer a connection toṛṣ"pour, flow" (PIE*h1ers), rather one with Germanrasen"to be ecstatic, be in a different state of mind" (and perhaps Lithuanianaršus).

In Hindu texts[edit]

A temple relief showing a Rishi.

In theVedas,the word denotes an inspired poet of Vedic hymns.[1]In particular, Ṛṣi refers to the authors of the hymns of theRigveda.Some of the earliest lists ofRishiare found in Jaiminiya Brahmana verse 2.218 andBrihadaranyaka Upanishadverse 2.2.4.[8]

Post-Vedic tradition regards the Rishis as "sages" orsaints,constituting a peculiar class of divine human beings in the early mythical system, as distinct fromAsuras,Devasand mortal men.Swami Vivekanandadescribed "Rishi" s asMantra-drashtasor "the seers of thought". He told— "The truth came to the Rishis of India — the Mantra-drashtâs, the seers of thought — and will come to all Rishis in the future, not to talkers, not to book-swallowers, not to scholars, not to philologists, but to seers of thought."[9]

TheRig Vedamentions female rishikas such as Romasha,Lopamudra,Apala,Kadru,Visvavara,Ghosha,Juhu,Vagambhrini, Paulomi,Yami,Indrani,SavitriandDevayani.[10]TheSama Vedaadds Nodha, Akrishtabhasha, Sikatanivavari and Gaupayana.

InMahabharata12, on the other hand, there is the post-Vedic list ofMarīci,Atri,Angiras,Pulaha,Kratu,PulastyaandVashista.The Mahābhārata list explicitly refers to the saptarshis of the firstmanvantara[5]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 Saptarṣi,there are other classifications of sages. In descending order of precedence, they areBrahmarshi,Maharshi,Rajarshi.Devarṣi,Paramrṣi,Shrutarṣiand Kāndarṣiare added in Manusmriti iv-94 and xi-236 and in two dramas of Kālidasa.

The Chaturvarga-Chintāmani of Hemādri puts 'riṣi' at the seventh place in the eightfold division of Brāhmanas.Amarakosha[11](the famous Sanskrit synonym lexicon compiled by Amarasimha) mentions seven types ofriṣis: Shrutarshi, Kāndarshi, Paramarshi, Maharshi, Rājarshi, Brahmarshi and Devarshi. Amarakosha strictly distinguishes Rishi from other types of sages, such as sanyāsi,bhikṣu,parivrājaka, tapasvi, muni, brahmachāri, yati, etc.

In Buddhist texts[edit]

The term Rishi found mentions throughout theBuddhist texts.InPali,they are known as "Isi" s. A Rishi can also be called a Buddha, Paccekabuddha, Arhat or monk of high rank. InBuddhist Pali literature,Buddhais called many times as "Mahesi" (Pali; Sanskrit: Maharṣi; meaning the greatest sage).[12]The Isigili Sutta inPali Canon,mentions the name of Five hundred Rishis (Paccekabuddhas). The Buddhist text,Mahamayuri Tantra,written during 1–3rd centuries CE, mentions Rishis throughoutJambudvipa(modern dayIndia,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Bangladesh,Nepal) and invokes them for the protection of theBuddhadharma.[13]

ManyJatakasalso mentions various Rishis. The Naḷinikā Jātaka (Jā 526) introduces apast life of the Buddha,a Rishi(Isi), living alone in the Himālayas. His son, who was also a Rishi, was namedIsisiṅga(Pali;Sanskrit:Ṛṣyaśṛṅga). The Agastya Jataka (Sanskrit; Pali: Akitta Jataka) story, mentionsBodhisattva,named Agastya(Sanskrit; Pali: Akkhata) as Rishi.

Rishi in Indonesia[edit]

Most medieval eraHindu temples of Java,Indonesiashow RishiAgastyastatues or reliefs, usually guarding the southern side ofShaivitetemples.[8]Some examples includeCandi Sambisariand the Prambanan temple nearYogyakarta.[14]

Ruesi in Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Laos[edit]

A statue of a Ruesi at Wat Suan Tan inNan, Thailand

Ruesi(Sanskrit:ṛṣi,Khmer:តាឥសី,Thai:ฤๅษี,Lao:ລືສີ) is ahermitsage,the equivalent of Rishi inIndia.InMyanmar,there are some known as ရေသ့Rase.[citation needed]Rishi Akkhata(Pali; Sanskrit: Agastya), known as Phra Reusi Akkhot inThailand,is an important Ruesi inSoutheast Asia,as in theBuddhist Jataka scriptures,this Ruesi is mentioned as thebodhisattaand practiced his ascetism inSri LankaandSoutheast Asia.[8]Veneration of Ruesis is a notable practice inSoutheast Asian Buddhism.The name "Rishi" (pronounced "ruesi" ) is also the basis of one of the letters of theThai Alpha bet,so reu-si(Thai:ษ ฤๅษี).

Other uses[edit]

Rishi is also amale given name,and less commonly a Brahmin last name.

InCarnatic music,"Rishi" is the seventhchakra(group) ofMelakartaragas.The names ofchakrasare based on the numbers associated with each name. In this case, there areseven rishisand hence the 7thchakrais "Rishi".[15][16]

The descendant families of these Rishis, refer to their ancestral lineage through their family "gotra".This is a common practice among the Brahmin sects of the current Hindu society.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^abHartmut Scharfe (2002), Handbook of Oriental Studies, BRILL Academic,ISBN978-9004125568,pp. 13–15.
  2. ^cf.Commentary onUnadi-Sutra,[author missing][year needed]iv, 119
  3. ^Dhātupāṭha of Pānini, xxviii). V. S. Apte
  4. ^V. S. Apte (Sanskrit-Hindi Kosh, 1890, reprint 1997 by Motilāl Banārasidās Publishers, Delhi)
  5. ^abcMonier-Williams, Monier(1899),A Sanskrit-English Dictionary,Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, p. 226
  6. ^Yasna31.5; cf. 40.4
  7. ^Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen,Heidelberg 1986, I 261
  8. ^abcJustin McDaniel (2013), This Hindu holy man is a Thai Buddhist, South East Asia Research, Volume 21, Number 2, page 309, 303-321
  9. ^"Swami Vivekananda on Rishis".Swami Vivekananda Quotes. Archived fromthe originalon 19 June 2017.Retrieved12 April2014.
  10. ^"Rshikäs of the Rgveda Blog by Swamini Atmaprajnananda Saraswati".10 August 2015. Archived fromthe originalon 10 August 2015.Retrieved14 February2024.
  11. ^Amarakosha (2.7.41–42)
  12. ^wisdomlib.org (3 August 2014)."Maheshi, Mahesi, Māheśī, Maheśī: 4 definitions".wisdomlib.org.Retrieved12 April2021.
  13. ^Translated into English by Cheng Yew Chung based on Amoghavajra’s Chinese Translation (Taisho Volume 19, Number 982)
  14. ^Maud Girard-Geslan et al (1997), Art of Southeast Asia, Harry Abrams, Paris, page 350
  15. ^South Indian MusicBook III, by Prof. P Sambamoorthy, Published 1973, The Indian Music Publishing House
  16. ^Ragas in Carnatic musicby Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications

References[edit]

  • Apte, Vaman Shivram (1965),The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary(Fourth Revised and Enlarged ed.), New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass,ISBN978-81-208-0567-5
  • Apte, Vaman Shivram (1966),Sanskrit-HindiKoṣa(Reprint 1997 ed.), New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass
  • Chopra, Deepak (2006),Life After Death: The Burden of Proof(first ed.), Boston: Harmony Books
  • Kosambi, D. D. (1956),An Introduction to the Study of Indian History(Second ed.), Bombay: Popular Prakashan Pvt Ltd, 35c Tardeo Road, Popular Press Bldg, Bombay-400034
  • Śāstri, Hargovind (1978),Amarkoṣawith Hindi commentary,Vārānasi: Chowkhambā Sanskrit Series Office

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

  • The dictionary definition ofrishiat Wiktionary
  • Media related toRishiat Wikimedia Commons
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