Nirashraya, Nirāśraya, Nir-ashraya: 16 definitions
Introduction:
Nirashraya means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
The Sanskrit term Nirāśraya can be transliterated into English as Nirasraya or Nirashraya, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Nirasray.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationNirāśraya (निराश्रय) refers to “one having no support” and is used to describe Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.11.—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated: “[...] Staying there, Śiva of full self-control, started His activities of penance. With full concentration and alertness He thought on His own Self, the cause of mental knowledge, the eternal, the luminous, free from affliction, identical with the universe, consciousness and Bliss, without a second and having no support [i.e., nirāśraya]. When Śiva began His meditation, the Pramathas also began their meditation as well as some Gaṇas, Nandin, Bhṛṅgi etc. Some of the Gaṇas rendered service to Śiva, the Supreme Self. Some of them became His gatekeepers. They observed silence and did not shout. [...]”.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramNirāśraya (निराश्रय) refers to the “unsupported (void)”, according to the Kularatnoddyota, one of the earliest Kubjikā Tantras.—Accordingly, “[...] You have a third form which is present (in the Transmission of) the Youth and ends with (that of) the Aged. [...] (This form of the goddess) breaks through the Wheels by means of (her) great mass of rays that are to the side, above and below. Issuing forth from the Door of Brahmā, she has become one in the supreme, pure and unsupported Void [i.e., nirāśraya—nirāśraye pare vyomni śuddhe samarasīgatā]. O Kubjeśī, you should be contemplated in this way residing in the Transmission of the Youth”.
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.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason BirchNirāśraya (निराश्रय) refers to “(that state which is) supportless”, according to the Sarvajñānottara verse 20.34-39.—Accordingly, while discussing the culmination of detachment (for the process of attaining the no-mind state): “[...] Having established his state in that which is free of all states, he makes his state supportless (nirāśraya). Having made the mind no-mind, he thinks of nothing whatsoever. He should meditate on the self [as] neither conceivable nor inconceivable and [as] both. He knows the self to be free from all partialities. [...]”.
Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarynirāśraya (निराश्रय).—a (S) pop. nirāśrayī a Devoid of shelter or protection, lit. fig.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishnirāśraya (निराश्रय).—a pop. nirāśrayī a Devoid of shelter or protection.
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 dictionaryNirāśraya (निराश्रय).—a.
1) without a prop or support, supportless, unsupported; न तिष्ठति निराश्रयं लिङ्गम् (na tiṣṭhati nirāśrayaṃ liṅgam) Sāṃkhyakārikā 41.
2) friendless, destitute, alone, without shelter or refuge; निराश्रयाधुना वत्सलता (nirāśrayādhunā vatsalatā).
3) not deep (as a wound).
Nirāśraya is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms nir and āśraya (आश्रय).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryNirāśraya (निराश्रय).—mfn.
(-yaḥ-yā-yaṃ) Without refuge, destitute. E. nir, and āśraya an asylum.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryNirāśraya (निराश्रय).—adj., f. yā, having no support, Mahābhārata 8, 1905.
Nirāśraya is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms nis and āśraya (आश्रय).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryNirāśraya (निराश्रय).—[adjective] without (i.e. not having or offering) shelter, refuge, or support.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Nirāśraya (निराश्रय):—[=nir-āśraya] [from nir > niḥ] mfn. shelterless, [Rāmāyaṇa]
2) [v.s. ...] supportless, having or offering no prop or stay, destitute, alone, [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.
3) [v.s. ...] not deep ([varia lectio] śaya), lying open, [Suśruta]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryNirāśraya (निराश्रय):—[nirā+śraya] (yaḥ-yā-yaṃ) a. Without a refuge.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Nirāśraya (निराश्रय) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Ṇirāsaya.
[Sanskrit to German]
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.
Hindi dictionary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionaryNirāśraya (निराश्रय) [Also spelled nirasray]:—(a) destitute, shelterless, forlorn, helpless; hence ~[tā] (nf).
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Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusNirāśraya (ನಿರಾಶ್ರಯ):—[adjective] not supported; supportless.
--- OR ---
Nirāśraya (ನಿರಾಶ್ರಯ):—
1) [noun] the condition or fact of being supportless or shelterless.
2) [noun] he who does not have support or shelter.
3) [noun] the Supreme Being who does not require any support or shelter.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Ashraya, Nir, Nish.
Full-text: Supportless, Nirasaya, Nirasray, Anatha, Support, Durgrahya, Kashta, Ashraya.
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Search found 12 books and stories containing Nirashraya, Nirāśraya, Nirasraya, Nir-ashraya, Nir-āśraya, Nir-asraya, Nis-ashraya, Nis-āśraya, Nis-asraya; (plurals include: Nirashrayas, Nirāśrayas, Nirasrayas, ashrayas, āśrayas, asrayas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Shrimad Bhagavad-gita (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verse 4.20 < [Chapter 4 - Jñāna-Yoga (Yoga through Transcendental Knowledge)]
Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)
Verse 2.5.111 < [Chapter 5 - Lord Nityānanda’s Vyāsa-pūjā Ceremony and His Darśana of the Lord’s Six-armed Form]
Kavyamimamsa of Rajasekhara (Study) (by Debabrata Barai)
Part 8.1 - Rājaśekhara’s concepts of the Universe < [Chapter 5 - Analyasis and Interpretations of the Kāvyamīmāṃsā]
Sahitya-kaumudi by Baladeva Vidyabhushana (by Gaurapada Dāsa)
Text 10.56 < [Chapter 10 - Ornaments of Meaning]
The backdrop of the Srikanthacarita and the Mankhakosa (by Dhrubajit Sarma)
Part 9 - Commentary on the poem [Śrīkaṇṭhacarita] < [Chapter III - Literary Assessment Of The Śrīkaṇṭhacarita]
Consciousness in Gaudapada’s Mandukya-karika (by V. Sujata Raju)