Devarshi
Devarshi · deva-ṛshi, “a ṛshi among the devas”
Grammar: masculine noun; a compound of deva and ṛshi (seer of mantras), joined by sandhi into devarshi: “a ṛshi who is a deva”, “a ṛshi among the devas”.
Meaning: a ṛshi of the class of the devas; one of the classes of ṛshis named with the brahmarshis and the rājarshis. Nārada is the devarshi above all.
In the scriptures: among the avatāras of Śrī Hari, Sūta names the third, in the creation of the ṛshis, as Nārada, the devarshi, who taught the Pañcarātra Āgama (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 1, Chapter 3). Maitreya calls him “Nārada, best of the devarshis” in the phalaśruti of his teaching to Prācīnabarhi (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 4, Chapter 29), and Devarshi Nārada, with Tumburu and the gandharvas, sang the glory of Śrī Hari at the abhisheka of Govinda (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 10, Chapter 27).
When Parīkshit sat in prāyopaveśa on the bank of the Gaṅgā, the great ṛshis came, and with them other foremost devarshis, brahmarshis and rājarshis, and kāṇḍarshis such as Aruṇa; and Śuka Maharshi, surrounded by the brahmarshis, rājarshis and devarshis, shone like the moon among the grahas and the nakshatras (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 1, Chapter 19). Brahmarshis, devarshis and the Pitṛdevatās with their wives came to Daksha‘s Bṛhaspatisava yajña, completed the auspicious rites and were honoured (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 4, Chapter 3).
When Bhagavān Rudra burned the three cities, dundubhis sounded in svarga, and the devatās, devarshis, pitṛs and the leaders of the siddhas cried “Jaya, jaya!” and showered flowers (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 7, Chapter 10). Brahmā made Vāmana the lord of the worlds and of the lokapālas, helped by the devarshis, the pitṛs, the Manus, Daksha, Bhṛgu, Aṅgiras, Sanatkumāra and Rudra (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 8, Chapter 23). After Kāmadhenu bathed Śrī Kṛshṇa with her milk, Indra, urged by Aditi and the mothers of the devas, together with the devarshis, performed his abhisheka with the waters of the Ākāśagaṅgā poured by Airāvata, and gave him the name Govinda (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 10, Chapter 27).
Related terms: Ṛshi · Brahmarshi · Rājarshi · Maharshi · Nārada
Sources
- Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 1, Chapters 3, 19; Skandha 4, Chapters 3, 29; Skandha 7, Chapter 10; Skandha 8, Chapter 23; Skandha 10, Chapter 27