Niva, Nīvā, Nivā: 12 definitions

Introduction:

Niva means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Jainism, Prakrit, Tamil. 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.

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In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: archive.org: Bulletin of the French School of the Far East (volume 5)

Niva (निव) [?] [or Nisa, Nikusa, Nikuva ?] (in Chinese: Ni[Kiu]-so[p'o]) is the name of an ancient kingdom associated with Mṛgaśiras or Mṛgaśirasnakṣatra, as mentioned in chapter 18 of the Candragarbha: the 55th section of the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra, a large compilation of Sūtras (texts) in Mahāyāna Buddhism partly available in Sanskrit, Tibetan and Chinese.—Chapter 18 deals with geographical astrology and, in conversation with Brahmarāja and others, Buddha explains how he entrusts the Nakṣatras [e.g., Mṛgaśiras] with a group of kingdoms [e.g., Niva] for the sake of protection and prosperity.

Mahayana book cover
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Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

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India history and geography

Source: Wisdom Library: India History

Niva (or, Nīvā) refers to one of the 84 castes (gaccha) in the Jain community according to Mr. P. D. Jain. The Jain caste and sub-caste system was a comparatively later development within their community, and it may have arisen from the ancient classification of Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya and Śūdra. Before distinction of these classes (such as Niva), the society was not divided into distinct separate sections, but all were considered as different ways of life and utmost importance was attached to individual chartacter and mode of behaviour.

According to Dr. Vilas Adinath Sangava, “Jainism does not recognise castes (viz., Niva) as such and at the same time the Jaina books do not specifically obstruct the observance of caste rules by the members of the Jaina community. The attitude of Jainism towards caste is that it is one of the social practices, unconnected with religion, observed by people; and it was none of its business to regulate the working of the caste system” (source).

The legendary account of the origin of these 84 Jain castes (e.g., Niva) relate that once a rich Jain invited members of the Jain community in order to establish a vaiśya-mahāsabhā (i.e. Central Association of Traders). In response, 84 representatives came from different places, and they were later seen as the progenitors of these castes. Various sources however mention differences in the list.

India history book cover
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The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

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Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

nīva (नीव).—m The name of a tree, and n its fruit. 2 n C & m R A side of a sloping roof.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

nīva (नीव).—m The name of a tree. and n its fruit. n m A side of a sloping roof.

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.

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Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Nīva (नीव).—A species of tree.

Derivable forms: nīvaḥ (नीवः).

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

Nīva (नीव).—[masculine] a kind of tree.

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

1) Niva (निव):—[gana] brāhmaṇādi, [Kāśikā-vṛtti]

2) Nīva (नीव):—m. a species of tree, [Gobhila-śrāddha-kalpa]

[Sanskrit to German]

Niva in German

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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.

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Prakrit-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary

1) Ṇiva (णिव) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Nṛpa.

2) Ṇīva (णीव) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Nīpa.

context information

Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Nīva (ನೀವ):—[noun] = ನೀವೆ [nive].

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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Tamil dictionary

Source: DDSA: University of Madras: Tamil Lexicon

Niva (நிவ) [nivattal] 12 intransitive verb [Old Kanarese negapu.]

1. To rise; to be elevated; to become high; உயர்தல். மாக்கட னிவந்தெழுதருஞ் செஞ்ஞாயிற்றுக் கவினை [uyarthal. makkada nivanthezhutharugn sejnayirrug kavinai] (புறநானூறு [purananuru] 4).

2. To grow; வளர்தல். ஊர்க்கால் நிவந்த பொதும்பருள் [valarthal. urkkal nivantha pothumbarul] (கலித்தொகை [kalithogai] 56).

3. To spread; படர்தல். பைங்கறி நிவந்த பலவி னீழல் [padarthal. paingari nivantha palavi nizhal] (பத்துப்பாட்டு [pathuppattu] 43).

4. To be exalted, distinguished; மேலாதல். நிலமகள் கணவன் வேந் தர் குழாத்திடை நிவந்திருந்தான் [melathal. nilamagal kanavan ven thar kuzhathidai nivanthirunthan] (சீவகசிந்தாமணி [sivagasindamani] 2566).

5. To swell, overflow, inundate; மேல்வழிதல். நிவந்தது நீத்தம் [melvazhithal. nivanthathu nitham] (பரிபாடல் [paripadal] 12, 34).

6. To appear, occur, arise; தோன்றுதல். உண்ணிவந்த கருத்து முணர்ந்தனன் [thonruthal. unnivantha karuthu munarnthanan] (கம்பராமாயணம் நகர்நீங்கு. [kambaramayanam nagarningu.] 229).

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Nivā (நிவா) noun A river in naṭunāṭu; நடு நாட்டிற் செல்லும் ஒரு நதி. பெருநீர் நிவாவுந்தி [nadu nattir sellum oru nathi. perunir nivavunthi] (நாலாயிர திவ்யப்பிரபந்தம் பெரியதி. [nalayira thivyappirapandam periyathi.] 3, 2, 9).

context information

Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.

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