Everywhere in the world, people use the information about the teachings and lives of sages either unconsciously or consciously. A sage is a rishi who is someone that gets knowledge and power from meditation and uses it to help mankind. Some examples of great sages are: Sage Valmiki, Sage Veda Vyasa, Sage Durvasa, Sage Agastya, and Sage Sankaracharya. They taught people then and now about the right actions and how to perform them.

Sage Valmiki was a great sage who authored the Ramayana. At first his name was Ratnakar, and he was a thief, a murderer, and a rogue. He stole from innocent travelers and murdered animals for food. One day, as he was in the process of stealing from seven sages, the sages told him to go ask his wife and child if they were willing to share the sins that he had garnered over the years. Ratnakar asked his wife and child, and they did not agree to share his sins. He went to the sages and begged for forgiveness. The sages told him to repeat "Ma-Ra". Ratnakar did so, and unconsciously kept on saying "Rama" again and again. After a long time, there was an anthill formed above Ratnakar. The sages told him to come out, and he wrote the Ramayana.

Sage Valmiki's story showed devotion towards the Lord. After seeking the correct path, he became a very wise sage. This story is very important because it shows us that we should be very devoted to the Lord, and we will become very wise people with good ethics and beliefs. Also, devotion is important to stay in touch with the Lord.

Sage Veda Vyasa was another great sage with very amazing accomplishments. He envisioned the story of the Mahabharata in his mind, and he realized that he needed someone to write it down for him. He meditated on Lord Ganesha who agreed to write the epic while Sage Veda Vyasa dictated it to him. The only condition was that the sage could never stop and Lord Ganesha had to understand each verse. The sage continuously related the epic to Lord Ganesha. Sometimes he would even tell Ganesha a very complex verse, so that he would have more time to think of the next verses. This shows that people should concentrate on their work because only then they will be able to succeed. Also, people should meditate, because by meditating, they will get peaceful and spiritual thoughts. The sages meditated and the Vedas appeared to them in their mind. That is how we have the Vedas.

Hindus around the world remember Sage Durvasa for his curses. He cursed many people. One example is when he cursed a Brahmana for not honoring him when he came to the Brahamanas' sacrifice. He cursed the Brahmana to become a horse, which would later become a man when Lord Rama touched it during the Ashwamedha sacrifice. This story inspires us today by telling us that we should help and correct people when they are doing something wrong. We should not do it with an evil mind, but rather with a helpful mind.

Sage Agastya was a great sage who is most remembered for helping the Devas to achieve their goals. One example is the Devas-Asuras war. The Asuras (demons) were hiding in the ocean, and the Devas could not see them, so they did not know where to attack. The Devas asked Agastya what to do, and he drank the ocean for them so they could fight the Asuras. This action inspires us by showing that we should do anything to defeat the evil. If the sage did not help the Asuras, the world would have been conquered by evil. Also, we should do what we think is the impossible.

Sage Sankaracharya was another great sage. While Buddhism was on the rise, he brought back Hinduism, so people who were originally Hindus would return to their religion. He did not believe in religious conversions under undue pressure because he thought that all religions were one. These actions show that we should stick to our beliefs, and we should not change anything because of negative pressure from outsiders.

In conclusion, all of the sages in the world are great for many reasons. Sage Valmiki, Sage Veda Vyasa, Sage Durvasa, Sage Agastya, and Sage Sankaracharya were just some of the greatest sages. Also, these actions are only some of the great achievements they have done. These sages have inspired all people in their work, school, and home. Their teachings and lives show us the right path, and we should always remember and follow them.