अग्नि पुराण , Chapter 348 states that the letter " ऋ " means " sound ". The word " ऋषि " is derived from this root. During the period when the art of writing was not known, वेदस् , शास्त्रस् and other sacred lore were communicated through the mouth of the ऋषिस् . The voice of आऋष भारत itself is the voice of the ऋषिस् . Hindus believe that the वेदस् are the outcome of the inspiration, introspection and spiritual vision of the ऋषिस् . There is a संस्कृत stanza defining a ऋषि , which is given below:

India has given birth to numerous ऋषिस् . The word " ऋषि " may be found throughout the वेदस् . ऋषिस् born in all classes of people had lived in India. The general belief is that the number of ऋषिस् may come to about 48,000. It is not possible to know the names of all of them. In the रामायण we find that when श्री राम returned to अयोध्या after his life in the forest and took up the reign, many ऋषिस् came to अयोध्या from all parts of the country. Among them, विश्वामित्र, यवक्रीत, रैभ्य, कण्व and गर्ग came with their party of disciples from the east; दत्तात्रेय, नमुचि, प्रमुचि, वाल्मीकि, सोम, कुण्डु and अगस्त्य came with their disciples from the south; वृषङ्गु, कविष, कौम्य, रौद्रेय, नारद, वामदेव, सौभरि, अष्टावक्र, शुक, भृगु, लोमश, मौद्गल्य and others with their disciples came from the west and कश्यप, वसिष्ठ, अत्रि, गौतम, जमदग्नि, भरद्वाज, सनक and party, शरभङ्ग, दुर्वासस्, मातङ्ग, विभाण्डक, तुम्बुरु , the सप्तर्षिस् and others with their party of disciples arrived from the north, according to उत्तर रामायण . There are three classes of ऋषिस् -- ब्रह्मर्षि, राजर्षि and देवर्षि . वसिष्ठ was a ब्रह्मर्षि , विस्वामित्र , a रजर्षि and कश्यप , a देवर्षि .