Nirmama, Nir-mama: 20 definitions
Introduction:
Nirmama means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Nirmam.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Nirmama (निर्मम) refers to “one who is free from sense of possession” and is used to describe Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.24 (“Śiva consents to marry Pārvatī”).—Accordingly, after Śiva spoke to Viṣṇu and others: “[...] Śiva thought within Himself His own Soul, the form that is unsullied, free from distortions, aberrations and ailments, the form which is greater than the greatest, eternal, free from sense of possession [i.e., nirmama], free from obsessions, beyond the ken of sounds and words, devoid of attributes and knowable through perfect wisdom. Thinking upon His own features thus in His meditation, the lord, the cause of great enjoyment and protection became engrossed in supreme bliss. [...]”.
Nirmama (निर्मम).—A sense of detachment takes a man of Vairāgya; with ripe experience sees all life as sorrow.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 102. 84-5.
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)
Nirmama (निर्मम) refers to “(being) free of ‘mine’”, according to the Kularatnapañcakāvatāra verse 1.16-23ab.—Accordingly, “The dispassion that is in the state of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ should (exert itself to) control fettered existence. The one called ‘spontaneous’ is free of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ (nirmama) and its attribute is insight. One who is spontaneously dispassionate is certainly not obstructed (in his quest) even though he enjoys the objects of the senses. [...]”.
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)
Nirmama (निर्मम) refers to “one who is free from his ego”, according to the section on Pāśupatayoga in the Skandapurāṇa-Ambikākhaṇḍa verse 178.7-8.—Accordingly, “Then, having formed the [hand gesture called] Yogahasta in which the right [hand is placed] on the left, [the Yogin] should have his face slightly tilted down while looking at the tip of his nose, without touching the teeth [of his upper jaw] with those [of the lower], and bringing to mind Brahma [in the form of] the syllable om, the wise [Yogin], who is free from his ego (nirmama), meditates [thus] after [having performed] breath control”.
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).
Vedanta (school of philosophy)
Nirmama (निर्मम) refers to “being free from preoccupation with ‘me’”, according to the Aṣṭāvakragītā (5th century BC), an ancient text on spirituality dealing with Advaita-Vedānta topics.—Accordingly, [as Aṣṭavakra says to Janaka]: “[...] Desire and anger are objects of the mind, but the mind is not yours, nor ever has been. You are choiceless, awareness itself and unchanging - so live happily. Recognising oneself in all beings, and all beings in oneself, be happy, free from the sense of responsibility and free from preoccupation with ‘me’ (nirmama) [vijñāya nirahaṃkāro nirmamastvaṃ sukhī bhava]. [...]”.
Vedanta (वेदान्त, vedānta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Nirmama (निर्मम) refers to “one who is free from selfishness”, according to the Pātravidhi—a manual of the Lakulīśa Pāśupata school of Śaivism dealing with purification of the initiate’s vessel (pātra) and other concerned issues.—Accordingly, “One whose mind has melted into a state devoid of passion and the like [emotions], and who has no desire for any kind of enterprise, is entitled to eat from the vessel. (56) A Yogin who does not have desires for worldly pleasures and enjoyments and is free from selfishness (nirmama) and egotism, is entitled to eat from the vessel. (57)”.
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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Nirmama (निर्मम) (Cf. Nirmamatva) refers to “(the state of) non-attachment”, according to the Jain Yogaśāstra (vol. 2, p. 839).—Accordingly, “Equanimity is attained through the state of non-attachment (nirmamatva). In order to attain that [state of non-attachment], one should cultivate the twelve themes of contemplation: on impermanence, helplessness, the cycle of transmigration, solitude, the distinction [of the Self and the body], the impurity [of the body], the influx of karmic matter, the stopping [of karmic influx], the elimination of karmic matter, the correctly expounded law, the universe, and the [difficulty of attaining] enlightenment”.
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
nirmama (निर्मम).—a S (nir & mama Mine.) Exempt from affection or concern (for anything); that regards nothing as his own or as interesting to him--a saint. Also nirmamatva n & nirmamatā f Exemption &c.
nirmama (निर्मम).—a Exempt from affection; that regards nothing as his own.
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
Nirmama (निर्मम).—a.
1) free from all connections with the outer world, who has renounced all worldly ties; संसारमिव निर्ममः (saṃsāramiva nirmamaḥ) (tatāra) R.12.6; Bhagavadgītā (Bombay) 2.71; निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः (nirāśīrnirmamo bhūtvā yudhyasva vigatajvaraḥ) 3.3.
2) unselfish, disinterested.
3) indifferent to (with loc.); निर्ममे निर्ममोऽर्थेषु मथुरां मधुराकृतिः (nirmame nirmamo'rtheṣu mathurāṃ madhurākṛtiḥ) R.15.28; प्राप्तेष्वर्थेषु निर्ममाः (prāpteṣvartheṣu nirmamāḥ) Mb.
4) an epithet of Śiva.
Nirmama is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms nir and mama (मम).
Nirmama (निर्मम).—i. e. nis-mama (gen. sing. of asmad), adj., f. mā, Indifferent, Mahābhārata 13, 5358; 6749.
Nirmama (निर्मम).—[adjective] unselfish, disinterested, careless about ([locative]); [abstract] tā [feminine], tva [neuter]
1) Nirmama (निर्मम):—[=nir-mama] [from nir > niḥ] mf(ā)n. unselfish, disinterested, ([especially]) free from all worldly connections, [Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] regardless of, indifferent to ([locative case]), [ib.]
3) [v.s. ...] m. (with Jainas) Name of 15th Arhat of the future Ut-sarpiṇī
4) [v.s. ...] Name of Śiva, [Śivagītā, ascribed to the padma-purāṇa]
Nirmama (निर्मम):—[nir-mama] (maḥ-mā-maṃ) a. Disinterested.
Nirmama (निर्मम):—(nis + mama, gen. zu aham ich)
1) adj. f. ā der sich nicht kümmert um, gleichgültig gegen (loc.): atīteṣvanapekṣā ye prāpteṣvartheṣu nirmamāḥ [Mahābhārata 13, 5358.] parasve [6633.] artheṣu [Raghuvaṃśa 15, 28.] Gewöhnlich ohne obj. der sich um Nichts kümmert, gleichgültig gegen Alles, frei von allen Beziehungen zur Aussenwelt [Bhagavadgītā 2, 71. 3, 30.] [Mahābhārata 3, 15484. 7, 9066. 13, 2025. 5353. 6749. 14, 954.] [Raghuvaṃśa 12, 60.] [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 2, 8.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 1, 15, 40. 3, 32, 6.] [Vāyupurāṇa] bei [MUIR, Sanskrit Texts, I, 31, Nalopākhyāna 56, Z. 7.] [Mārkāṇḍeyapurāṇa 26, 3.] (sutam) bodhamanayannirmamātmakam 1. Als Beiname Śiva’s [Śivanāmasahasra] —
2) m. bei den Jaina Nomen proprium des 15ten Arhant's der zukünftigen Utsarpiṇī [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 55.]
Nirmama (निर्मम):——
1) Adj. (f. ā) der sich nicht kümmert um , gleichgültig gegen (Loc.). Ohne Ergänzung der sich um Nichts kümmert , gleichgültig gegen Alle , frei von allen Beziehungen zur Aussenwelt. —
2) *m. Nomen proprium des 15ten Arhant’s der zukünftigen Utsarpiṇī.
Nirmama (निर्मम) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Ṇimmama, Ṇīmama.
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
Nirmama (निर्मम) [Also spelled nirmam]:—(a) cruel, heartless, ruthless; dry; unfeeling; ~[tā] cruelty, heartlessness, ruthlessness.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Nirmama (ನಿರ್ಮಮ):—
1) [noun] absence of egoism, selfishness; unselfish concern for the welfare of others; unselfishness; altruism.
2) [noun] the act or instance of relinquishing, abandoning, repudiating or sacrificing worldly possessions; renunciation.
3) [noun] a man who has renounced worldly possessions or he who is unselfish and altruistic.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Nirmama (निर्मम):—adj. 1. cruel; brutal; 2. disinterested; indifferent;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Nirmamakara, Nirmamata, Nirmamate, Nirmamatva.
Full-text: Nirmamata, Nirmamatva, Nirmam, Nirmamakara, Nimmama, Nimama, Maruti, Nirmamo, Nirmamate, Vairagya, Maya, Samaloshtashmakancana.
Relevant text
Search found 31 books and stories containing Nirmama, Nir-mama, Nirmamas; (plurals include: Nirmamas, mamas, Nirmamases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Taittiriya Upanishad Bhashya Vartika (by R. Balasubramanian)
Verse 2.597 < [Book 2 - Brahmavallī]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 353 < [Bengali-Hindi-English, Volume 1]
Page 108 < [Hindi-Bengali-English Volume 2]
Page 111 < [Hindi-Bengali-English Volume 2]
Bhagavad-gita (with Vaishnava commentaries) (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verse 2.71 < [Chapter 2 - Sāṅkhya-yoga (Yoga through distinguishing the Soul from the Body)]
Verse 3.30 < [Chapter 3 - Karma-yoga (Yoga through the Path of Action)]
Verses 18.51-53 < [Chapter 18 - Mokṣa-yoga (the Yoga of Liberation)]
Brahmanda Purana (by G.V. Tagare)
Chapter 4 - Pronunciation of a curse on Jayas < [Section 3 - Upodghāta-pāda]
Pauranika-Sukti < [Purana, Volume 11, Part 2 (1969)]
The Story of Suka in the Mahabharata and the Puranas < [Purana, Volume 7, Part 1 (1965)]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)