Nisarga, Nisharga: 18 definitions
Introduction:
Nisarga 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 Nisarg.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Nisarga (निसर्ग) refers to “natural state” (i.e., the natural characteristic one is born with), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.22 (“Description of Pārvatī’s penance”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada: “O sage, listen to another surprising influence of the penance of Pārvatī, the mother of the universe. [...] Lions and cows prone to the passions of love, hatred etc. ceased to harass one another, thanks to her greatness. O excellent sage, creatures like cats, mice etc. who are born enemies [i.e., nisarga—nisargādvairiṇo] to one another did not exhibit any bad characteristics there. O excellent sage, trees bore fruits, grasses grew in plenty and flowers of variegated nature and colour blossomed there. The entire forest became comparable to Kailāsa as it were the achievement of her penance”
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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
1) Nisarga (निसर्ग) refers to “approval of de-meritorious” and is one of the twenty-four activities (kriyā) of sāmparāyika (transmigression-extending influx). Sāmparāyika is one two types of āsrava (influx) which represents the flow of karma particles towards the soul, which is due to the three activities: manoyoga ( activities of mind), kāyayoga ( activities of body) and vacanayoga (activities of speech).
Kriyā (‘activities’, such as nisarga) is a Sanskrit technical term defined in the Tattvārthasūtra (ancient authorative Jain scripture) from the 2nd century, which contains aphorisms dealing with philosophy and the nature of reality.
2) Nisarga (निसर्ग) refers to “urging” and it is one of the factors making up the 108 kinds of adhikaraṇa (‘substratum’) of the non-living beings (ajīva). This substratum (instruments of inflow) represents the foundation or the basis of an entity.
Nisarga is a Sanskrit technical term defined in the Tattvārthasūtra (ancient authorative Jain scripture) from the 2nd century, which contains aphorisms dealing with philosophy and the nature of reality.
Nisarga (निसर्ग).— What is meant by ‘urging’ (nisarga)? Inclination, to act is called ‘urging’ (nisarga). It is of three types, namely:
- intention of mind,
- intention of speech,
- intention of body.
Wicked behaviour of the mental faculty is called ‘mental urge’. Wicked behaviour of the speech faculty is called ‘speech urge’. Wicked behaviour of the body is called ‘body urge’.
Nisarga (निसर्ग, “intuition”).—What is right faith (samyagdarśana) attained by intuition (nisarga)? The right faith developed by one without the guidance or sermons of others i.e. self originated is called nisarga. What is the difference between nisarga and adhigama? Nisarga is self-originated, while the origin of adhigama is dependent on some direct cause (nimitta).
Nisarga (निसर्ग) refers to “one’s nature”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “This body is filthy in nature (nisarga-malina), reprehensible, filled with much that is impure, produced from semen and other seeds, [and] is the abode of contempt. Where is the body, which is filled with blood, flesh and fat, has a skeleton of slender bones, is bound with tendons and is of bad odour, praised?”.
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
nisarga (निसर्ग).—m S The natural state; the peculiar character or condition; nature.
nisarga (निसर्ग).—m The natural state. Nature.
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
Nisarga (निसर्ग).—
1) Bestowing, granting, presenting, giving away; न चाधेः कालसंरोधान्निसर्गोऽस्ति न विक्रयः (na cādheḥ kālasaṃrodhānnisargo'sti na vikrayaḥ) Manusmṛti 8.143.
2) A grant.
3) Evacuation, voiding excrement.
4) Abandoning, relinquishing.
5) Creation; प्रजा निसर्गाद् विप्रान् वै क्षत्रियाः पूजयन्ति ह (prajā nisargād viprān vai kṣatriyāḥ pūjayanti ha) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 14.58.5.
6) Nature, natural character, natural state or condition; निसर्ग दुर्बोधम् (nisarga durbodham) Kirātārjunīya 1.6;18.31; R.3.35; Kumārasambhava 4.16; निसर्गतः, निसर्गेण (nisargataḥ, nisargeṇa) 'by nature', or 'naturally'.
7) Exchange, barter.
Derivable forms: nisargaḥ (निसर्गः).
Nisarga (निसर्ग).—m.
(-rgaḥ) 1. The natural state, nature, peculiar character or condition. 2. Form. 3. Creation. 4. Relinquishment, abandoning. 5. Transfer, barter. 6. Voiding excrement. E. ni before, sṛj to create, or to abandon, aff. ghañ .
Nisarga (निसर्ग).—i. e. ni-sṛj + a, m. 1. Evacuation of excrements, Mahābhārata 12, 7951. 2. Giving away, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 8, 143. 3. Grant, [Harivaṃśa, (ed. Calc.)] 10033. 4. Creation, [Harivaṃśa, (ed. Calc.)] 543. 5. The natural state, peculiar character, [Kathāsaritsāgara, (ed. Brockhaus.)] 20, 31.
Nisarga (निसर्ग).—[masculine] evacuation, discharging ([especially] of the body); giving forth, ceding, granting, bestowing; dismission, creation; natural state or character, nature; °—, [instrumental], & [ablative] by nature, originally.
1) Niṣarga (निषर्ग):—[=ni-ṣarga] [wrong reading] for ni-sarga.
2) Nisarga (निसर्ग):—[=ni-sarga] m. (√sṛj) evacuation, voiding excrement, [Mahābhārata]
3) [v.s. ...] giving away, granting, bestowing, a favour or grant, [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc.
4) [v.s. ...] relinquishing, abandoning, [Horace H. Wilson]
5) [v.s. ...] creation, [Mahābhārata; Harivaṃśa]
6) [v.s. ...] natural state or condition or form or character, nature (nisarga [in the beginning of a compound], geṇa ind., gāt ind., or ga-tas ind. by nature, naturally, spontaneously), [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature etc.]
Nisarga (निसर्ग):—[ni-sarga] (rgaḥ) 1. m. Natural state or condition, nature; form; creation; leaving; barter.
Niṣarga (निषर्ग):—s. u. niṣaṅga .
--- OR ---
Nisarga (निसर्ग):—m.
1) Leibesentleerung: nisarge pāyurindriyam [Mahābhārata 12, 7951.] —
2) das Fortgeben, aus-den-Händen-Lassen, Verschenken: na cādheḥ kālasaṃrodhānnisargo sti na vikrayaḥ [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 8, 143.] —
3) Schenkung, Verleihung, Gnadenerweisung: pitāmahanisargeṇa tuṣṭā [Sāvitryupākhyāna 1, 15.] devyā varanisargeṇa tasyā bhartā vinirmitaḥ [Harivaṃśa 10033.] nisargādbrahmaṇaścāpi varuṇo yādasāṃ patiḥ . jagrāha vai bhṛguṃ pūrvamapatyaṃ sūryavarcasam .. [Mahābhārata 13, 4140.] —
4) Schöpfung [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha 3, 124.] [Medinīkoṣa g. 38.] prajā [Mahābhārata 6, 3040. 14, 1694.] tasya te kīrtayiṣyāmi manorvaivasvatasya vai . nisargam [Harivaṃśa 543.] —
5) das angeborene, ursprüngliche Wesen, Natur, Naturell [Amarakoṣa 1, 1, 7, 38.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 1376.] [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha] [Medinīkoṣa] nisargaḥ sa hi dhīrāṇāṃ yadāpadyadhikaṃ dṛḍhāḥ [Kathāsaritsāgara 20, 31.] nisargeṇa balātkṛtaḥ [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 5, 10, 5.] krūra [7, 10, 29.] āśramāṇāṃ nisargajñāḥ [Harivaṃśa 4138.] bhāvena [VARĀH.] [LAGHUJ. 2, 12.] nisargeṇa von Haus aus, von Natur: abadhyo balināṃ śreṣṭho nisargeṇa tapobalāt [Harivaṃśa 7553.] vrāhmaṇānāṃ nisargeṇa dharmanirṇayavādinām [Rāmāyaṇa Gorresio 2, 29, 19.] tasmādāhāralobhena nisargeṇa ca vānarāḥ . ā yojanaśatātsāgrātpaśyāmo vayamāmiṣam .. [4, 58, 34.] asmākaṃ viditā dṛṣṭirnisargeṇa vidūrataḥ 35. nisargāt dass.: striyo hi nāma khalvetā nisargādeva paṇḍitāḥ [Mṛcchakaṭikā 64, 4.] [Śākuntala 26, 10.] nisargatas dass. [Harivaṃśa 7020.] [Suśruta 1, 288, 13.] [] zu [Bṛhadāranyakopaniṣad] [?S. 4. Rājataraṅgiṇī 6, 316. Bhāgavatapurāṇa 1, 12, 32.] Am Anfange eines comp. in der adv. Bed. ohne Casuszeichen: rāgo nalinyāṃ hi nisargasiddhaḥ [Bhartṛhari 1, 78. 3, 91.] [Raghuvaṃśa 3, 35. 6, 29.] [Kumārasaṃbhava 4, 16.] [Mālavikāgnimitra 28, 23. 51, 7.] [Kathāsaritsāgara 19, 28.] [Rājataraṅgiṇī 1, 232.] [Prabodhacandrodaja 4, 10.] [Sāhityadarpana 78, 7.] — Der Form nach von sarj mit ni, der Bedeutung nach von sarj mit nis .
--- OR ---
Nisarga (निसर्ग):—
5) jāyate tannisargeṇa von selbst [Hemacandra] [Yogaśāstra 1, 17.]
Niṣarga (निषर्ग):—[Mahābhārata 12,7606] fehlerhaft für nisarga.
--- OR ---
Nisarga (निसर्ग):—m. —
1) Leibesentleerung. —
2) das Fortgeben , aus den Händen Lassen , Verschenken. —
3) Schenkung , Verleihung , Gnadenerzeigung. —
4) Schöpfung. —
5) das angeborene , ursprüngliche Wesen , Natur , Naturell. kaina kāryanisargeṇa wohl durch welche ursprüngliche , eigentliche Veranlassung. [Mahābhārata 12,209,3.] geṇa , gāt , gatas und ga von Natur , von Haus aus. rgena auch so v.a. von selbst.
Nisarga (निसर्ग) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Ṇisagga.
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
Nisarga (निसर्ग) [Also spelled nisarg]:—(nm) nature; ~[ja] natural; innate, inborn; spontaneous; ~[ta]: spontaneously, naturally; ~[siddha] natural; spontaneous; innate, inborn.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Nisarga (ನಿಸರ್ಗ):—
1) [noun] the act or an instance of giving, donating, presenting.
2) [noun] that which is given as a gift; a present.
3) [noun] the act fact or an instance of leaving, abandoning.
4) [noun] a creating or being created; creation.
5) [noun] quality or qualities that make something what it is; nature.
6) [noun] what is regarded as normal or acceptable behaviour; nature.
7) [noun] the sum total of all things in time and space; the entire physical universe; the nature.
8) [noun] (jain.) the tendency or inclination to commit wrongdoings or to affirmatively support such deeds.
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 (+0): Sarga, Mi, Ni.
Starts with (+3): Nisargabhava, Nisargabhinna, Nisargabhiru, Nisargadatta, Nisargaja, Nisargam, Nisargamalina, Nisarganipuna, Nisargapadva, Nisargasamudacara, Nisargasauhrida, Nisargashalina, Nisargasiddha, Nisargat, Nisargatas, Nisargatatva, Nisargatatvavada, Nisargatatvavadi, Nisargavada, Nisargavadi.
Full-text (+29): Nisargaja, Nisarganipuna, Anisarga, Nisargashalina, Nisargasauhrida, Nisargavinita, Nisargabhinna, Nisargasiddha, Nisargam, Naisargika, Nisargabhava, Samnisarga, Nisargatas, Nisargapadva, Sanisarga, Pratinihsarga, Shrinisarga, Nisargavada, Nisargavadi, Nisargabhiru.
Relevant text
Search found 32 books and stories containing Nisarga, Ni-ṣarga, Ni-sarga, Ni-sharga, Niṣarga, Niśarga, Nisharga; (plurals include: Nisargas, ṣargas, sargas, shargas, Niṣargas, Niśargas, Nishargas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 1.3.22 < [Part 3 - Devotional Service in Ecstasy (bhāva-bhakti)]
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References to section [D] < [Chapter 9 - The distinctive features of the Devalasmriti]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 401 < [Hindi-Marathi-English Volume 1]
Page 183 < [Hindi-English-Nepali (1 volume)]
Page 382 < [English-Gujarati-Hindi (1 volume)]
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Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary) (by Vijay K. Jain)
Verse 6.9 - The non-living substratum (ajīva-adhikaraṇa) < [Chapter 6 - Influx of Karmas]
Verse 1.3 - Attainment of right faith < [Chapter 1 - Right Faith and Knowledge]
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