13

Learn our Sampradayam the easy way?
Grade I- Lesson 13: ?The Great Sages (Maharishis)
(Based on the original in Tamil ?sampradAya pADa thiTTam? by
Sri Seva Swamigal, Founder, maNi manDapam and Editor, Sri Desika Seva.
(Translation by Anbil Ramaswamy).
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It is very important to know about the Sages called ?Rishis?. These Rishis had imbibed parts of the Vedas through their vision and passed them on to posterity. These visionaries are also called ?Mantra drishTas? though they actually ?heard? (hence, Vedas are also called ?Sruti?). Those who had such superior visions are called ?Maharishis?. Sometimes the two terms are used interchangeably. There is a saying ? ?mArgadarsee maharishi? which means that these Maharishis are the guides and torch bearers of society.

We come across terms like ?Muni? and ?Tapasvi? while referring to Maharishis. ?Muni? is derived from the word ?mounam?(i.e.) those who kept silent all the time meditating on the Lord. ?Tapas? means penance. Those who did severe penance are known as ?Tapsvis?.

Some Maharishis founded lineages called ?GOtras?. They are called ?GOtra pravartakas?- Progenitors of GOtras. We learn from ItihAsas and PurANas that there were a few like ShaDamarshanar, BharadwAjar, Kousikar, Hareethar, Srivatsar, Atri, KAsyapar, and others who founded such lineages.


Rishis are classified into 3 categories in a different way:
1. Deva Rishis like Naarada
2. Maharishis like VyAsa, VAlmiki, and ParAsara
3. Brahma Rishis like VasishTa and ViswAmitra

Some Rishis are called ? Smriti pravartakas? ? those who bequeathed ?Smritis? which means, ?transmitted through remembrance? like Manu, Yajnavalkya and others.

We come across Maharishis like Atri, Brighu, Kutsa, VasishTa, Gouthama, KAsyapa, Aangeerasa, ViswAmitra, SAndheepani, VAmadeva, Meruprishta - mentioned in Sandhya Vandanam ? which means prayers offered at the junction (sandhya) of night and day (in the morning) and day and night (in the evening).

There are innumerable other Maharishis like Agasthiyar, Sudheekshanar, Sarabhangar, Sounakar and others. We collectively offer our obeisance to all of them through the invocation ?Parama RishibhyO namah? and ?Sarva RishibhyO namah?.

Those who learn to recite the Vedas will have the opportunity to become familiar with several Rishis and Maharishis.

Maharishis acquired immense foresight through intense penance. It is these Maharishis who have nurtured, protected and passed on the Vedic traditions known as Vaidheeka matham?

QUESTIONS
1. What is the meaning of the word ?Maharishi??
2. What do you understand by the word ?Sandya Vandanam??
3. Name some of the Maharishis whose names occur during ?Sandhya Vandanam?
4. State the categories into which Rishis have been classified?
5. Learn and note down the ?gOtra pravartakas? relating to yourself.