fziH [ cf. Uṇ. 4. 119 ] 1 An inspired poet or sage, a singer of sacred hymns, ( e. g. kutsa, vasizWa , atri, agastya &c.). (These Ṛṣis form a class of beings distinct from gods, men, Asuras &c. They are the authors or seers of the Vedic hymns; fzayo maMtradrazwAro vasizWAdayaH ; or, according to Yāska, yasya vAkyaM sa fziH , i. e. they are the persons to whom the Vedic hymns were revealed. In every Sūkta the fzi is mentioned along with the devatA, CaMdas and viniyoga . The later works mention seven Ṛṣis or Saptarṣayas , whose names, according to Śat. Br. , are gOtama, BaradvAja , viSvAmitra, jamadagni, vasizWa, kaSyapa and atri ; according to Mahābhārata, marIci , atri, aMgiras, pulaha, kratu, pulastya and vasizWa ; Manu calls these sages Prajāpatis or progenitors of mankind, and gives ten names, three more being added to the latter list, i. e. dakza or ( pb ) pracetas, Bfgu and nArada . In astronomy the seven Ṛṣis form the constellation of “the Great Bear”). 2 A sanctified sage, saint, an ascetic, anchorite; there are usually three classes of these saints; devarzi, brahmarzi or rAjarzi ; sometimes four more are added; maharzi , paramarzi, Srutarzi and kAMqarzi . 3 A ray of light. 4 An imaginary circle. Comp. — kulyA 1 a sacred river. 2 N. of mahAnadI . — kft a. making one's appearance. — giriH N. of a mountain in Magadha. — codanaM Ved. inspiring the singer. — CaMdas n. the metre of a Ṛṣi. — jAMgalaH , — jAMgalikA the plant fkzagaMDA . — tarpaRaM libation offered to the Ṛṣis. — paMcamI N. of a festival or ceremony on the fifth day in the first half of Bhādrapada (observed by women). — proktA the plant mAzaparRI . — baMDu a. connected or related to the Ṛṣi. — manas a. inspired. — muKaM the beginning of a Maṇḍala composed by a Ṛṣi. — yajYaH a sacrifice offered to a Ṛṣi (consisting of a prayer in low voice). — lokaH the world of the Ṛṣis. — stomaH 1 praise of the Ṛṣis. 2 a particular sacrifice completed in one day.