नियमniyama1 Restraining, checking.
- 1 Restraining, checking.
- Taming, subduing.
- Confining, preventing.
- A restraint, check; वाचि नियमः Ubbayapada (Parasmaipada and Atmanepada)2.2; अधर्मानियमः Ms.8.122.
- Restriction, limitation; Mb.14.13.11.
- A rule or precept, law (in general), usage; नायमेकान्ततो नियमः Ś. B.
- Regularity; कुसुमसुकुमारमूर्तिर्दधती नियमेन तनुतरं मध्यम् Ratn. 1.2.
- Certainty, ascertainment.
- An agreement, promise, vow, engagement.
- Necessity, obligation.
- Any voluntary or self-imposed religious observance (dependent on external conditions); [The earliest explanation of this expression is the one found in the ŚB. on MS.4.2.24. Compare कोऽयं नियमः । अनियतस्य नियतता । प्रयोगाङ्गतया सर्वे देशाः प्राप्नुवन्ति, न तु समच्चयेन । यदा समो न तदा विषमः । यदा विषमो न तदा समः । स एष समः प्राप्तश्चाप्राप्तश्च । यदा न प्राप्तः स पक्षो विधिं प्रयोजयति. This is very nicely stated in the Vārttika'नियमः पाक्षिके सति']; R.1.94; Ki.5.4; (see Malli. on Śi.13.23).
- Any minor observance or lesser vow, a duty prescribed to be done, but which is not so obligatory as a यम quod vide, which see शौचमिज्या तपो दानं स्वाध्यायोपस्थनिग्रहः । व्रतमौनोपवासं च स्नानं च नियमा दशा ॥ Atri.
- Penance, devotion, religious austerities; नियमविघ्न- कारिणी Ś.1; R.15.74.
- (In Mīm. Philosophy) A rule or precept which lays down or specifies something which, in the absence of that rule, would be optional; विधिरत्यन्तमप्राप्तौ नियमः पाक्षिके सति.
- (In Yoga Philosophy) Restraint of the mind, the second of the 8 principal steps of meditation in Yoga; दशैते नियमाः प्रोक्ता योगशास्त्र- विशारदैः Tantrasāra.
- (In Rhet.) A poetical commonp lace or convention, as the description of the cuckoo in spring, peacocks in the rains etc.
- Defining, definition.
- Keeping down, lowering (as the voice).
- Keeping secret; मन्त्रस्य नियमं कुर्याः Mb.5. 141.2.
- Effort (यत्न); यथैते नियमं पौराः कुर्वन्त्यस्मिन्निवर्तने Mb.2.46.2. (नियमेन as a rule, invariably).
Derived forms and compounds
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-उपमा a simile which expressly states that something can be compared only with something else.
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-धर्मः a law prescribing restraints.
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-निष्ठा rigid observance of prescribed rites.
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-पत्रम् a written agreement.
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-विधिः a religious rite, daily ritual; नियमविधिजलानां बर्हिषां चोप- नेत्री Ku.1.6.
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-स्थ Adjective observing penance; Ku.5.13.
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-स्थितिः Feminine steady observance of religious obligations, asceticism.
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-हेतुः a regulating cause.
In the Gita·7·20
तं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियताः स्वया ॥
- नियमम्niyamamaccusative singular of the masculine noun niyama (restraining, checking, rule).
Source: ApteApte entry