Alternative spellings of this word include Nirachara.

In Hinduism

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Kubjikāmata-tantra

Nirācāra (निराचार):—First of the nine padas, or ‘fields of authority or qualification’ representing one of the nine groups of Dūtīs in the Dūtīchakra, according to the Kubjikāmata-tantra. The first group of Dūtīs is presided over by the Bhairava named Kapāla.

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions

1) Nirācāra (निराचार) refers to a “state of meditative concentration”, according to the Brahmayāmala-tantra (or Picumata), an early 7th century Śaiva text consisting of twelve-thousand verses.—Virtually all ritual begins with the instruction to enter into a state of meditative concentration, called nirācāra, and to take on a body of śakti, called the avadhūtatanu. Śiva is the nirācārapada, “the state beyond regulated conduct”, while the Goddess is avadhūtā, “the stainless/unblemished one”.

2) Nirācāra (निराचार) refers to “freedom from conventional practices”, according to the 13th-century Matsyendrasaṃhitā: a Kubjikā-Tripurā oriented Tantric Yoga text of the Ṣaḍanvayaśāmbhava tradition from South India.—Verses 40.1–28, stands somewhat apart from the rest of the chapter and does not discuss sexual rituals. Nevertheless, a short analysis of it may be useful here. The text starts (1-6ab) with the proclamation of its topic: the rituals of Kula/Kaula conduct (kulācāravidhi) characterised by “the great non-dualist practice” (mahādvaita) and “freedom from conventional practices” (nirācāra), both familiar terms from earlier Śaiva Tantras such as the Brahmayāmala-tantra.

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

1) Nirācāra (निराचार) refers to “stillness” (viz., of the universe), according to Tantric texts such as the Kubjikāmata-tantra, the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, as the Goddess (i.e., Kubjikā) said to Kāmeśvarī: “There will be a wheel of energies (kalācakra) that comes forth from my body and it will know the supreme (transcendent) and lower (immanent) division. [...] That is located in the middle place (madhyadeśa). It is close to me, (the goddess). There will be an incarnation (avatāraka) accompanied by Siddhas and guardians. The entire universe is Stillness (nirācāra) and is devoid of Stillness and by means of the Yoga of Stillness they will make it tranquil”.

Note: Stillness (nirācāra) is the condition of transcendental being which is the source, ground and ultimate nature of the moving universe. Thus the Kubjikāmatatantra declares that: “the entire universe is stillness and (yet) is devoid of stillness”. The lineage of accomplished adepts (siddhakrama) and the path they teach are all established in the Stillness of the 'motionless' flow of vitality in the emptiness of the supreme state which is this stillness itself.

Accordingly to the Śrīmatottara, “By the practice of the Yoga of Stillness [i.e., nirācārayoga], one obtains the fruit. She whose nature is movement (cara) moves, (and her movement is) divided into (downward) motion (cāra) and upward motion (uccāra). That should be known as Stillness (nirācāra). Stillness is not other (than this). (This is) where actions (cāra) cease along with the activities (karman) of speech, mind, and body. When a pure (nirmala) state arises, that is said to be Stillness”.

2) Nirācārā (निराचारा) refers to one of the eight Kaula consorts (dūtī-aṣṭaka) associated with Candrapīṭha (or Candrapīṭhapura), according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—[...] The eight Kaula consorts (dūtyaṣṭaka): Anaṅgā, Anaṅgadūtī, Vidyādūtī, Nādadūtī, Nirācārā, Mālinī, Samayā, Śaktidūtī

context information

Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

nirācāra (निराचार).—a S Who have not the ordinances of the Vedas, i. e. barbarian, uncivilized, savage.

context information

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Nirācāra (निराचार).—a. without approved customs or usages, lawless, barbarian.

Nirācāra is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms nir and ācāra (आचार).

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Nīracara (नीरचर).—a. Loitering in water, aquatic; नीरे नीरचरैः समं स भगवान्निद्राति नारायणः (nīre nīracaraiḥ samaṃ sa bhagavānnidrāti nārāyaṇaḥ) Bv.

Nīracara is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms nīra and cara (चर).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Nirācāra (निराचार).—mfn.

(-raḥ-rā-raṃ) Lawless, corrupt, barbarian, depraved. E. nir not, ācāra moral ordinances: it is especially applied to those people who have not the ordinances of the Vedas or distinction of Casts, &c. and comprises all, therefore, except Hindus.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Nirācāra (निराचार):—[=nir-ācāra] [from nir > niḥ] mfn. without approved usages or customs, lawless, barbarian, [Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi]

2) Nīracara (नीरचर):—[=nīra-cara] [from nīra] m. ‘moving in w°’, a fish or any aquatic animal, [Bhāminī-vilāsa]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Nirācāra (निराचार):—[nirā+cāra] (raḥ-rā-raṃ) a. Lawless, corrupt, depraved; barbarian.

[Sanskrit to German]

Niracara in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Nir, Nira, Cara, Acara.

Starts with: Niracaram, Niracarapada, Niracarayoga.

Full-text (+28): Niracaram, Nirgama, Yogeshi, Pranashakti, Prasuptabhujaga, Niracarayoga, Prasupta, Veshtayitva, Avicarata, Bhujaga, Hridbindu, Bhujagakriti, Niracarin, Avicara, Mantrin, Catushpitha, Pithacatushtaya, Avadhuta, Niracarapada, Khakala.

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Search found 3 books and stories containing Niracara, Nirācāra, Nir-acara, Nir-ācāra, Nīracara, Nira-cara, Nīra-cara; (plurals include: Niracaras, Nirācāras, acaras, ācāras, Nīracaras, caras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

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Chapter 4.8a - The eighth: Parādṛṣṭi (parā-dṛṣṭi)—Introduction < [Chapter 4 - The Eight Yogadṛṣṭis and the nature of a Liberated Soul]

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Shaiva Tantra: A way of Self-awareness (by L. N. Sharma)

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