Nirṛti

'''Nirṛti''' ({{Langx|sa|निर्ऋति|translit=Nirṛti}}) sometimes spelled '''Nirruti''' or '''Nirriti''', is a Hindu deity, personifying death, decay, and sorrow. In early Hindu scriptures, Nirṛti is a goddess who lives in the kingdom of the dead. In later Hinduism, Nirṛti and '''Nirṛta''' is also a male god, who is regarded as a dikpala ("guardian of the directions") of the southwest.

==Etymology==

The Sanskrit word ''Nirṛti'' means 'decay' and is derived from ''nirṛ'' (lit. 'to separate'). It can be interpreted as meaning "devoid of ''ṛta/i''", a state of disorder or chaos.<ref name = "DM" /><ref name=Witzel>Witzel, Michael. “Macrocosm, Mesocosm, and Microcosm: The Persistent Nature of 'Hindu' Beliefs and Symbolic Forms.” International Journal of Hindu Studies, vol. 1, no. 3, 1997, pp. 501–539. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20106493. Accessed 10 Mar. 2020.</ref>

The name ''{{IAST|nirṛti}}'' has the meaning of "absence of ṛta", meaning 'disorder', or 'lawlessness', specifically the guardian to the absence of divine or cosmic disorder.<ref name="Witzel" /><ref name="Chandra">{{Cite book|last=Chandra|first=Suresh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mfTE6kpz6XEC&q=Nirrti&pg=PA154|title=Encyclopaedia of Hindu Gods and Goddesses|date=1998|publisher=Sarup & Sons|isbn=978-81-7625-039-9|language=en}}</ref>

This term was used in Vedic texts to indicate a realm of non-existence and absolute darkness, which threatened to consume those who failed in their duties to sacrifice and procreate. In ''nirṛti'', there was no light, no food, and no children: none of the necessary elements of Vedic life and ritual.<ref name="Witzel" />

==Goddess== Nirṛti is mentioned in the hymns of the ''Rigveda'', mostly to seek protection from her or imploring for her during a possible departure. In one hymn (X.59), she is mentioned several times. This hymn, after summing up her nature, also asks for her departure from the sacrificial site. In the ''Atharvaveda'' (V.7.9), she is described as having golden locks. In the ''Taittiriya Brahmana'' (I.6.1.4), Nirṛtī is described as dark, dressed in dark clothes and her sacrificial shares are dark husks. In the sacred ''Shatapatha Brahmana'' (X.1.2.9), she is associated with the southwest quarter as her region. But elsewhere in the same text (V.2.3.3.) she is mentioned as living in the kingdom of the dead.<ref name="kinsley">Kinsley, David (1987, reprint 2005). ''Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition'', Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|81-208-0394-9}}, p.13</ref><ref>Bhattacharji, Sukumari (2000). ''The Indian Theogony: Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva'', New Delhi: Penguin, {{ISBN|0-14-029570-4}}, pp.80–1</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Margaret Stutley |title=A Dictionary of Hinduism |location=London |publisher=Routledge |orig-date=1977 |isbn=978-0-429-62754-5 |ol=35543927M |page=[https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofhind0000stut/page/210/mode/2up 210] |date=2019-04-09 }}</ref>

In later Hindu texts, Nirṛti was re-conceptualized as a deity. According to some texts, she is the wife of Adharma (not-''dharma'') that signifies an important component of Prakriti for the Purusha who dwell in forests and the mother of three rakshasas—Mrityu (death), Bhaya (fear) and Mahabhaya (terror)—who were collectively referred to as Nairrita.<ref name="Mani">{{Cite book|last=Mani|first=Vettam|url=http://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft|title=Puranic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature|date=1975|publisher=Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass|others=Robarts - University of Toronto|page= 540|isbn=978-0-8426-0822-0 }}</ref> Other texts portray her as the daughter of Adharma and Himsa (violence, the opposite of Ahimsa); she married her brother—Arita (not ''ṛta'') and became the mother of Naraka (personification of the hell) and Bhaya.<ref name=Witzel/><ref name = "DM" >{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2iZICgAAQBAJ&q=nir%E1%B9%9Bti+adharma&pg=PT168|title=In Praise of the Goddess: The Devimahatmya and Its Meaning|date=2003-12-01|publisher=Nicolas-Hays, Inc.|isbn=978-0-89254-616-9|language=en}}</ref> In the ''Bhagavata Purana'', he is presented as Aprajaḥ (one without children) who takes Adharma and Mṛṣā (untruth), two of Brahma's sons or creations, as adopted sons.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Śrīmad-bhāgavatam 4.8.2|url=https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/4/8/2/|access-date=2021-12-12|website=vedabase.io|language=}}</ref> Some texts identify Nirṛti with other inauspicious goddess, Jyeshtha or Alakshmi. In this context, she is described to have emerged from the Samudra Manthana (the churning of the ocean).<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Benard|first1=Elisabeth|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D50ob0i_e0MC&q=nirrti+goddess&pg=PA141|title=Goddesses Who Rule|last2=Moon|first2=Beverly|date=2000-09-21|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-535294-8|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Daniélou|first=Alain|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=glwoDwAAQBAJ&q=nir%E1%B9%9Bta+misery&pg=PT185|title=The Myths and Gods of India: The Classic Work on Hindu Polytheism from the Princeton Bollingen Series|date=1991-12-01|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-1-59477-733-2|language=en}}</ref>

== Dikpala == thumb|A painting of Nirṛta riding a man and accompanied by servants, c. 1820. According to some scholars and authors, the goddess Nirṛti transformed into a male in later Hindu mythology and became a ''dikpala''. Nirṛti is regarded as the guardian of the southwest direction.<ref name="Chandra1998">{{Cite book|last=Chandra|first=Suresh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mfTE6kpz6XEC&q=Nirrti&pg=PA154|title=Encyclopaedia of Hindu Gods and Goddesses|date=1998|publisher=Sarup & Sons|isbn=978-81-7625-039-9|page=238|language=en}}</ref>

Nirṛti is sometimes included as one of the rudras and described as the son of Sthanu.<ref name="Dalal10">{{Cite book|last=Dalal|first=Roshen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&q=Nirriti|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|date=2010|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|page=283|language=en}}</ref><ref name="A">{{Cite book|last=Daniélou|first=Alain|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1HMXN9h6WX0C&q=Nirrta+misery&pg=RA1-PA260|title=The Myths and Gods of India: The Classic Work on Hindu Polytheism from the Princeton Bollingen Series|publisher=Inner Traditions / Bear & Co|year=1991|isbn=978-0-89281-354-4|language=en}}</ref><ref name="PI">{{Cite book|last=Dikshitar|first=V. R. Ramachandra|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z7bFwZhfSOsC&q=Nirrti|title=The Purana Index|date=1996-01-31|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers|isbn=978-81-208-1273-4|page=246|language=en}}</ref> Varying descriptions of the god Nirṛti are found in different scriptures.<ref name="B">{{Cite book|last=Rao|first=Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8YrrAAAAMAAJ&q=nirrti+corpse|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Iconography: Hinduism - Buddhism - Jainism|date=2003|publisher=Sri Satguru Publications|isbn=978-81-7030-763-1|language=en}}</ref> According to the Agamas, Nirrti is dark-skinned with a large body and draped in yellow garments. His vahana is either a man or a lion.<ref name="T">{{Cite book|last=Gopinatha Rao|first=T. A.|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.459780/page/n185|title=Elements Of Hindu Iconography, Vol. II Part II|date=1916|pages=527–529}}</ref><ref name="EA">{{Cite book|last=Rodrigues|first=E. A.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ugcoAAAAYAAJ&q=Nyroothey|title=The Complete Hindoo Pantheon, Comprising the Principal Deities Worshipped by the Natives of British India Throughout Hindoostan: Being a Collection of the Gods and Goddesses Accompanied by a Succinct History and Descriptive of the Idols|date=1842|publisher=E.A. Rodrigues|language=en}}</ref> The ''Vishnudharmottara Purana'' states that Nirṛti has a terrific appearance with ill-looking eyes, gaping mouth, and exposed teeth. The same scripture also gives a varying account that Nirṛti's vahana is a donkey and he holds a ''danda'' (a large staff) in his hands. ''The Vishnudharmottara Purana'' also mentions that Nirṛti has four consorts named Devi, Krishnangi, Krishavandana and Krishnapasha.<ref name = "T" /> According to the scripture ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana'', Nirṛti resides in a city named Krishnajana, which is located in the southwestern part of Mount Meru. The city is said to have an area of 2500 ''yojanas''.<ref name="Mani2">{{Cite book|last=Mani|first=Vettam|url=http://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft|title=Puranic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature|date=1975|publisher=Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass|others=Robarts - University of Toronto|pages=62, 540|isbn=978-0-8426-0822-0 }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==Sources== *{{cite book|last=Dallapiccola|first=Anna L.|title=Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend|date=December 2002|publisher=Thames & Hudson|location=New York, NY|isbn=0-500-51088-1|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofhind0000dall}} {{commons category|Nirṛti}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nirrti}} Category:Hindu goddesses Category:Death goddesses Category:Hindu gods Category:Lokapala Category:Rigvedic deities