Rajarshi () is a title in

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

and Hindu mythology, referring to a sage who hails from a royal background.

Description

A rajarshi may be described to be a king (raja) who adopted a path of devotion, thereby becoming a royal sage (rishi). A rajarshi does not have to leave the kingship to become rishi'','' as in the example of Vishvamitra (who later becomes a '' Brahmarishi''), but could attain the status of a sage through self-realisation during his reign. A rajarshi still performs the duties of their kshatriya class, and remain similar to most rishis, maharishis, and brahmarishis descendants in their level of spiritual knowledge. Another example of Rajarshi is King

Janaka Janaka (, IAST: ''Janaka'') is the King of Videha who ruled from Mithila (region), Mithila, in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. Janaka was married to Sunayana (Ramayana), Sunayana. He is the father of Sita and Urmila in the epic. The term Janaka ...

, who is said to have attained self-Knowledge from the ascetic sage Astavakra. They belong to the four types of rishis mentioned in Hinduism and Vedas. # Rajarshi # Maharishi # Brahmarshi # Devarishi

Literature

In the

Ramayana The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...

, Brahma proclaims Vishvamitra to be a rajarshi in response to the sage performing austerities for a thousand years.

References

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Description

Literature

References

See also