A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism Klaus K Klostermaie

Nimbärka 128
Nimbärka, also Nimäditya,
Niyamänanda (1125–62)
Telugu brahmin, founder of the
(VAIÆŒAVA) Sanakädi (or Haƒsa)
saƒpradäya, in which the role of the
GURU becomes all important. His teaching
is known as Dvaitädvaitaväda, a
combination of ADVAITA and DVAITA.
His commentary on the BRAHMASÜTRA
is known as Vedäntaparijätasaurabha.
For Nimbärka brahman is identical
with Kø•æa, who is omniscient, omnipotent
and all-pervading.
nime•a (‘twinkling of an eye’)
A moment.
nir-guæa (‘without qualities’)
This expression is used with reference to
the ‘higher brahman’ by ŸA¢KARA (2),
rejected by RÄMÄNUJA.
niøøti (‘death’, ‘decay’, ‘devolution’)
Sometimes personified as a goddess
(DEVÏ).
Nirukta
One of the VEDÄŒGAS; an etymological
glossary to the Vedas, ascribed to Yäska.
It consists of three parts: (1) Naighaæfluka
(a list of synonyms); (2) Naigama (list of
words used only in the Vedas); (3)
Daivata (words relating to deities and
rituals) with Yäska’s commentary.
Ni•äda (1)
A forest tribe living in the Vindhya
mountains, the Bhïls.
Ni•äda (2)
Outcastes, the children of a Brähmana
father and a Ÿüdra mother.
ni•-kala (‘without parts’)
Undivided, whole; a characteristic of
BRAHMAN.
ni•-käma (‘without desire’)
Ni•käma karma: a desireless action
does not result in karma, according to
the Bhagavadgïta.
nïti
Polity, ‘ethics’, the art of living.
Nïti ÿästra
Didactic works on the wisdom of life,
usually in the form of animal fables and
parables, interspersed with verses to
remember, such as the famous PAÑCA-
TANTRA and the Hitopadeÿa.
nitya (‘eternal’, ‘permanent’)
Nitya karma: rituals that have to be performed
daily until the end of one’s life.
ni-vøtti (‘contraction’)
The opposite of and counterpart to
pravøtti (‘creation’, ‘expansion’). In a
cosmological context it designates the
phase in which the universe contracts
and disappears. In a personal sense it
signifies renunciation, abstinence and
self-mortification.
niyama (‘restraint’)
A self-imposed or minor observance. In
the YOGA SÜTRAS these are given as the
complement to YAMA as a precondition
for meditation, and are enumerated as
purity (ÿauca), contentment (saƒto•a),
self-mortification (tapas), scripture
study (svädhyäya), self-surrender to the
Lord (ïÿvara praæidhäna).
non-violence
See AHIßSÄ.
nyäsa (‘placing’, ‘putting down’)
Assigning different parts of the body to specific
deities in worship by touching them
and uttering appropriate MANTRAS (3).