What is the difference between Rishis & Munis

As I was told in class 8th by my Hindi teacher: ?Muni( ???? ) is derived from Manan( ???? ), Sanskrit root/verb (???? ). Manan means to think. Muni is someone who does introspection ( ??????????? ) or who is thoughtful. According to Shrimad Bhagwatam: Muni is one who is expert in mental speculation or in thinking(remember ???? ) or feeling. According to Shrimad Bhagwad Gita(2.56): Muni is one who can agitate his mind in various ways for mental speculation without coming to a factual description. And where does this mental speculation come from? Introspection( ??????????? ) Maunam acarati iti muni ( ???? ????? ??? ????? )- One who maintains the vow of silence to prevent distraction during his penance (tapas.)

?Rishi( ??? )- In Vedas, the word denotes an inspired poet of vedic hymns, who alone or with others invokes the deities with poetry. Rishi is a title which is given to the one who knows everything about Shashtras and the science( ??????? ) behind it. This is the reason why ???? ?????( sentences spoken by Rishis) are considered to be utmost true. One can call rishis as ancient scientists who developed shashtras like kundalini yoga and others. Rishir darshanat( ???????????? )- Rishi is one who has seen the spiritual truth. Now, there are others: ?Maharshi(a rishi who is very great in his spirituality), ?Rajarshi( a king who is so spiritual that he is also like a rishi ), ?Devarshi( a deva who is also a rishi) eg: narada, ?Brahmarshi( a rishi who has seen the supreme Spiritual Truth) eg: Vasistha, Vishwamitra.

Let me take it a little bit further. ?Sadhu- The one with righteous behavior, who is noble and humble. In general a good person. ?Sant- It refers to a person who has done a lot of penance( ?????? ) and is eligible to give knowledge to social people. ?Sanyasi- ?? + ?????? (complete renouncer). The one who has given up everything materialistic for the purpose of attaining god. ?Bhakti-Yogis: Those who render actual service to the Lord. Rishi means a sage, one who is practicing the life of simplicity and renunciation whereas Muni means a thinker, it is said that one can not be Muni unless his opinion is different than others.

Muni is someone who does introspection or who's thoughtful, the one who is expert in mental speculation or feeling, Muni is the one who kept agitate his mind in various ways for mental speculation without coming to description, he is the one who maintains the vows of silence to prevent distraction during his penance. Rishi in vedas the word denotes an inspired poet of vedic hymns who alone or with others invokes the deities with poetry or with literature, Rishi is a title which is given to the one who knows everything about shastras and science behind it, this is the reason why Rishi's are considered to be the utmost true, one can call Rishi's as ancient scientists who develop shastras, they are the one who has seen the spiritual truth.

There are types of Rishi's : Maharishi - Rishi who is very great in his spirituality

Rajarishi - Rishi who is so spiritual equal to a king

Devrishi - Deva who is also a rishi for eg. Narada

Brahmarishi - Rishi who has seen the supreme spiritual truth for eg. Vasistha, Vishwamitra

But Sanskrit writers were super conscious of using the right metaphor (upma) for the right person. Janak (Sita’s father) is a Rajarshi because he was a king. He can also be called a Maharshi. Parashuram cannot be called a Brahmarshi because how can an avatar of Vishnu be like Brahma. Parashuram can also not be called a Rajarshi because he was not a raja. Brahaspati, the guru of Devas, is not called Devarshi because he is not a Dev. A Dev is someone who was born of Aditi and Maharshi Kashyap. Vishwamitra is a Rajarshi because he was a raja (he was a Chandravanshi king of Kanyakubj). He is also a Maharshi, and a Brahmarshi.

In Tamil, Muni is a person who gives up all his worldly considerations related to pride and prejudice, whims and fancies, friends and relations, land and culture, etc. They know that they are explainable as universal citizens and their love is like a cosmic force. Their only object was who are they, what are their purpose, how they should fit into the world they were manned by the Creator. Their aims were three, Be Hungry, Be Awake, Be Alone. These three are tricky words. Be Hungry - Always seek food for your thought and be hungry. For, an fruit fallen from a tree is not a miracle for hundreds of thousands of years but for the one with thought hunger, it is gravitation force, the charm of earth to support millions of living beings.

Be Awake - Always keep waiting for an answer, from somewhere, through someone, by somehow, to the questions of your Spirit and be Awake; otherwise you may, due to lack of alertness, miss an answer for which you may not get an opportunity again. Be Alone - Always be single in the crowed that claims to be your society. For, they are born for living - eating and sleeping - but you are the chosen one by the God his Highness to under the strategy he maintains for the survival of this Mother Earth, the tactics he plays to share his works through humans, the children whom he most believe, the scenarios he maintains to constantly charm the life on earth, the secrets he buries in the bosom of his beloved maid, the Mother Earth, to be unveiled by man like you to the other ignorant lives on earth. Thus according to my understanding, Muni=Rishi, MaaMuni=MahaRishi, Deva=Long lived (without body), Siddha=Immortal (with redefined body), and so on.

Intellect is illusory. All the knowledge acquired through the intellect is illusory. It is based on dualism (World and Self)and is tantamount to ignorance. It may serve to score debating points;such debates also promote discord. The knowledge that transcends all controversies and is related to the eternal verities is the Aathma-Jnaanam (Knowledge of the Self). Both Jainism, and Buddhism were fragmented. Vyas Muni sent his son Suka muni to take Raja Rishi Raja Janak as his Guru. Janaka surrendered to Astavakra for Atamgyan- wisdom of Soul. Purity of consciousness is possible in samadhi.

Once off from Samadhi or Meditation in to open world, Mind assumes its natural form namely the six internal enemies (arishadvarga), eight kinds of mada(pride), and the two qualities of rajas (restlessness) and th\amas (inertia). One must also give up kartrithva and bhoktrithva (the sense of doership and enjoyership). They commit mistakes; Parasar Rishi did Tapas for 1000 years then compelled a young fisher girl for sex. Kapil Rishi burned King Sagars 1000 sons in a fit of rage. Durvas Rishi cursed Krishna's family of Yadhva's 52 crors to die. Shringi Rishi married a prostitute after he made his body like a log thru austerities. Vishwamitra Rishi tried to kill Sage Vasistha. Sant: There fore Kabir Sahib brought a new Bhakti Path of Sant, Worship of Satguru, and Said such Guru is higher then God. Krishna Ji also says : seek, surrender and serve a Satguru ( SBG. 2.16 & 4.34) Knower of Truth. Jay Shri Krishna