Devarishi (
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
: देवर्षि) means – 'the celestial sage'; it is one of the three categories of
Rishis, the other two being – ''
Brahmarishi
In Hinduism, a Brahmarshi (Sanskrit ', a tatpurusha compound of ' and ') is a member of the highest class of Rishis ("seers" or "sages").
A Brahmarshi is a sage who has attained enlightenment ( Kaivalya or Moksha) and became a Jivanmukta by compl ...
'' (ब्रह्मर्षि) and ''
Rajarishi'' (राजर्षि). ''Rajarishis'' were those
Kshatriya
Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the con ...
kings who gained the status of Rishi; the difference between a ''Rishi'' and a ''Brahmarishi'' was that of the degree of penance and accomplishment, and their life-span.
Vāyu Purāņa (LXI.79-92) tells us that the root - ऋष, from which the word ऋषि (''
Rishi'') is derived, is used in the sense of motion (Knowledge), hearing truth and austerity, and gives the marks of a ''Devarishi''. It states that seers living in the celestial regions should be known as the blessed ''Devarishis'', and also those who are distinguished by their knowledge of the past, present and future and strict adherence to truth; they are the revealers of ''
Mantra
A mantra ( Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ...
'' and by virtue of their ''
Siddhis'' ('supernatural powers') have unrestricted access everywhere. The same text earlier states that:-
:देवर्षी धर्मपुत्रौ तु नरनारायणावुभौ ,
:वालखिल्याः क्रतोः पुत्राः कर्दमः पुलहस्य तु , ,
:पर्वतो नारदश्चैव कश्यपस्यात्मजावुभौ ,
:ऋषन्ति देवान् यस्मात्ते तस्माद्देवर्षयः स्मृताः , ,
the two sons of Dharma,
Nara and Nārāyaņa;
Kratu
Kratu ( sa, क्रतु, lit=strength) is described as one of the manasaputras, the mind-born children of the creator deity, Brahma, in Hinduism. He is also a rishi, who appears in two different ages.
He is considered to be one among the s ...
’s sons, collectively known as Vālakhilyas; Kardama, son of Pulaha; Parvata,
Nārada
Narada ( sa, नारद, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage divinity, famous in Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of mind-created children of Brahma, the creator god. He ...
and the two sons of
Kaśyapa, Asita and Vatsara, are called ''Devarishis'' because they can exercise control even over the celestials.
References
Vedanta
Sanskrit words and phrases
Hindu philosophical concepts
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