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Colonel James Todd (British East India Company) said of India “Where else can we look for sages like those whose systems of philosophy were prototypes to whose works Plato, Thales & Pythagorus were disciples? Where do I find astronomers whose knowledge of planetary systems yet excites wonder in Europe as well as the architects and sculptors whose works claim our admiration, and the musicians who could make the mind oscillate from joy to sorrow, from tears to smile with the change of modes and varied intonation?“
Indian culture and nationalism have been evolved and fostered over the millenia by India’s ancient rishis, who at the banks of holy rivers of Saptasindhu and Saraswati had composed the Vedic literature – the very foundation of Indian civilization. The term “rishi” or “rsi” originally denoted the composers and singers of Vedic hymns. However, the rishi is also a ‘sage’ to whom the Gods revealed the Vedas (knowledge of the eternal truths about the Creator, His creation and means to preserve it).
The 3 chief classes of Rishi are the Brahmarishi, born of the mind of Brahma, the Devarishi and Rajarishi or kings who became Rishis through their knowledge and austerities, such as Janaka, Ritaparna, etc. The Shrutarishi are authors of shastras as Sushruta. The Kandarishi are of the karmakanda, such as Jaimini. Sapta rishis are two Sanskrit words meaning “seven sages”. Some of the great Rishis (sages) of India are:
Indian culture and nationalism have been evolved and fostered over the millenia by India’s ancient rishis, who at the banks of holy rivers of Saptasindhu and Saraswati had composed the Vedic literature – the very foundation of Indian civilization. The term “rishi” or “rsi” originally denoted the composers and singers of Vedic hymns. However, the rishi is also a ‘sage’ to whom the Gods revealed the Vedas (knowledge of the eternal truths about the Creator, His creation and means to preserve it).
The 3 chief classes of Rishi are the Brahmarishi, born of the mind of Brahma, the Devarishi and Rajarishi or kings who became Rishis through their knowledge and austerities, such as Janaka, Ritaparna, etc. The Shrutarishi are authors of shastras as Sushruta. The Kandarishi are of the karmakanda, such as Jaimini. Sapta rishis are two Sanskrit words meaning “seven sages”. Some of the great Rishis (sages) of India are:
- Astika (the son of Manasa and Jaratkaru, the Vyasa of the twenty-seventh Dwapara)
- Atri (A legendary scholar and a son of Brahma – a Sapta Rishi)
- Bhrigu (One of the Saptarishis and one of the Prajapatis (and Maanasa Putra – a brain child) that Brahma created as facilitators of creation)
- Kraustuki (Markandeya’s disciple)
- Kripacharya (an important character in the Mahabharata; one of the Chiranjivin (the “immortals”).
- Marichi (The son of Brahma and also one of the Saptarishis)
- Narada (A divine sage (son of Brahma) in the Vaishnava tradition)
- Parashara (A Rigvedic Maharishi and author of many ancient Indian texts. He was the grandson of Vasishtha and the author of some verses in the Rig Veda)
- Prahlada (amahajana – that is, a “great devotee”, in the Puranic Vaishnava traditions).
- Pulatsya (One of the ten Prajapatis – sons of Brahma, and one of the Saptarishis. He was the spiritual vibration through the power of which some texts of the Puranas were written)
- Shukra (son of Bhrigu)
- Vaishampayana (the original teacher of the Black Yajur-Veda)
- Yajnavalkya (A legendary ancient sage, a pupil of Vaishampayana)