^Inhabitants of the Worlds （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆） Mahanirvana Tantra, translated by Arthur Avalon, (Sir John Woodroffe（英语：John Woodroffe）), 1913, Introduction and Preface. The Ṛṣis are seers who know, and by their knowledge are the makers of shastra and "see" all mantras. The word comes from the root rish Rishati-prāpnoti sarvaṃ mantraṃ jñānena paśyati saṃsaraparaṃva, etc. The seven great Ṛṣis or Saptarṣis of the first manvantara are Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya, and Vashishtha. In other manvantara there are other sapta-rshi. In the present manvantara the seven are Kashyapa, Atri, Vashishtha, Vishvamitra, Gotama, Jamadagni, Bharadvaja. Gautama was married to Ahalya.To the Ṛṣis the Vedas were revealed. Vyasa taught the Rigveda so revealed to Paila, the Yajurveda to Vaishampayana, the Samaveda to Jaimini, Atharvaveda to Samantu, and Itihasa and Purana to Suta. The three chief classes of Ṛṣis are the Brahmarshi, born of the mind of Brahma, the Devarshi of lower rank, and Rajarshi or Kings who became Ṛṣis through their knowledge and austerities, such as Janaka, Ritaparna, etc. Thc Shrutarshi are makers of Shastras, as Suśruta. The Kandarshi are of the Karmakanda, such as Jaimini.
