{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{short description|Attribute associated to God in Sikhism}} thumb|'Baba Nanak and Nirankara (formless reality, Waheguru, or the Supreme God)', Janamsakhi painting from a Kashmiri manuscript, early 19th century {{Sikhism sidebar}}
'''Nirankar''' ({{Langx|pa|ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ|lit=formless}}<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Nesbitt |first=Eleanor |title=Sikhism: a very short introduction |date=2016 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-874557-0 |edition=2nd |location=Oxford |pages=66}}</ref>) is one of the many attributes associated to God in Sikhism and means ''The Formless One''.
== Etymology == The word has its roots in the Sanskrit word ''nirākārā'' ({{Langx|sa|ਨਿਰਾਕਾਰਾ/निराकारा}}) and is a compound of two words: ''Nir'' meaning "without" and ''Akar'' (or ''Akaar''), "shape" or "form"; hence, The Formless.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/god-in-sikhism-3|title=God in Sikhism 3|website=www.speakingtree.in|access-date=2017-12-08}}</ref>
== Meaning and usage == The term is used as one of the names of God by Sikhs.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Textual sources for the study of Sikhism |date=1990 |publisher=Univ. of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-56085-4 |editor-last=McLeod |editor-first=William H. |series=Textual sources for the study of religion |location=Chicago |pages=126}}</ref>
It finds usage in the Guru Granth Sahib:
{{Quote|text=ਸਚ ਖੰਡਿ ਵਸੈ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰੁ ॥
सच खंडि वसै निरंकारु ॥
Sacẖ kẖand vasai nirankār.
In the realm of Truth abides the Formless Lord.|sign=SGGS. Pg 8|source=}}
=== Conjunction === The words is sometime conjoined with other terms. Some examples are below:
* Nirankar Purusha<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Kumar |first=Nirmal |title=Sikh Philosophy and Religion: 11th Guru Nanak Memorial Lectures |publisher=Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. |year=2006 |isbn=9781932705683 |series=Guru Nanak memorial lecture series |pages=212}}</ref> * Nirankar Alepa<ref name=":1" />
== History == The term was first used to describe the divine by Guru Nanak.<ref name=":0" /> The name later would become the namesake of the Nirankari sect founded by Baba Dayal Singh.<ref name=":0" />
==References== {{Reflist}} {{Sikhism}}
Category:Names of God in Sikhism
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