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ṚṢI Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 348 states that the letter “Ṛ” means “sound”. The word “Ṛṣi” is derived from this root. During the period when the art of writing was not known, Vedas, Śāstras and other sacred lore were communicated through the mouth of the Ṛṣis. The voice of Āṛṣa Bhārata itself is the voice of the Ṛṣis. Hindus believe that the Vedas are the outcome of the inspiration, introspection and spiritual vision of the Ṛṣis. There is a Saṁskṛta stanza defining a Ṛṣi, which is given below: Ūrdhvaretāstapasyāgaḥ Niyatāśī ca saṁyamī / Śāpānugrahayoḥ śaktaḥ Satyasandho bhavedṛṣiḥ // India has given birth to numerous Ṛṣis. The word “Ṛṣi” may be found throughout the Vedas. Ṛṣis born in all classes of people had lived in India. The general belief is that the number of Ṛṣis may come to about 48,000. It is not possible to know the names of all of them. In the Rāmāyaṇa we find that when Śrī Rāma returned to Ayodhyā after his life in the forest and took up the reign, many Ṛṣis came to Ayodhyā from all parts of the country. Among them, Viśvāmitra, Yavakrīta, Raibhya, Kaṇva and Garga came with their party of disciples from the east; Dattātreya, Namuci, Pramuci, Vālmīki, Soma, Kuṇḍu and Agastya came with their disciples from the south; Vṛṣaṅgu, Kaviṣa, Kaumya, Raudreya, Nārada, Vāmadeva, Saubhari, Aṣṭāvakra, Śuka, Bhṛgu, Lomaśa, Maudgalya and others with their disciples came from the west and Kaśyapa, Vasiṣṭha, Atri, Gautama, Jamadagni, Bharadvāja, Sanaka and party, Śarabhaṅga, Durvāsas, Mātaṅga, Vibhāṇḍaka, Tumburu, the Saptarṣis and others with their party of disciples arrived from the north, according to Uttara Rāmāyaṇa. There are three classes of Ṛṣis--Brahmarṣi, Rājarṣi and Devarṣi. Vasiṣṭha was a Brahmarṣi, Visvāmitra, a Rajarṣi and Kaśyapa, a Devarṣi.
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