[Advaita-l] Brahmarishi

[Ramesh Murthy]

> 
> Brahmarshi (vocalic r in a compound becomes ar in Sanskrit) just means a
> Rishi who was a Brahmana.
> Similiarly, Rajarshi is a Rishi of Kshatriya stock.

** I doubt if this is true. To my knowledge, a Brahmarshi is simply a
rishi who has realized Brahman. A rajarshi is a king who became a
rishi (such as Visvamitra). Any king would be considered a kshatriya
(i.e. by karma and not by janma). The usage of the word "stock"
appears to indicate heredity, which I believe is a misinterpretation.

While this may not be a proper example, the freedom fighter
Purushottam Das Tandon is often referred to as a "Rajarshi". By
hereditary caste (jaati) he would be a brahmin. But being a
politician, his varna, on the basis of his karma,  would be that of a
kshatriya. Hence the term Rajarshi.

Regards
Ramesh