1. ṛṣi
ṛṣi m. (√ 2. ṛṣ Comm. on Uṇ. iv, 119 ; ṛṣatijñānenasaṃsārapāram, T. ; perhaps fr. an obsolete √ ṛṣ for √ dṛś, ‘to see ?’, cf. ṛṣikṛt), a singer of sacred hymns, an inspired poet or sage, any person who alone or with others invokes the deities in rhythmical speech or song of a sacred character ( e.g. the ancient hymn-singers Kutsa , Atri , Rebha , Agastya , Kuśika , Vasiṣṭha , Vy-aśva ), RV. ; AV. ; VS. &c.
2. ṛṣi
the Ṛṣi s were regarded by later generations as patriarchal sages or saints, occupying the same position in India history as the heroes and patriarchs of other countries, and constitute a peculiar class of beings in the early mythical system, as distinct from gods, men, Asura s, &c., AV. x, 10, 26 ; ŚBr. ; AitBr. ; KātyŚr. ; Mn. &c.
3. ṛṣi
a saint or sanctified sage in general, an ascetic, anchorite (this is a later sense; sometimes three orders of these are enumerated, viz. Devarṣi s, Brahmarṣi s, and Rājarṣi s; sometimes seven, four others being added, viz. Maharṣi s, Paramarṣi s, Śrutarṣi s, and Kāṇḍarṣi s), Mn. iv, 94 xi, 236 ; Śak. ; Ragh. &c.