# नियम (niyama)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/niyama

नियम (niyama) is a Sanskrit word meaning restraining, checking, or controlling, keeping down or lowering, limitation, restriction, reduction or restriction, determination, definition, any fixed rule, law, necessity, or obligation, agreement, contract, promise, vow. Its 30 recorded definitions are grouped into 9 contexts, among them Proper Noun (Figure, Clan, Name), Restraint or Control, Agreement or Promise.

- **Etymology:** E. नि before, यम् to refrain, affix घञ् वा ह्रस्वः । — E. ni before, yam to refrain, affix ghañ vā hrasvaḥ
- **SLP1:** `niyama`  **IAST:** niyama  **Devanagari:** नियम
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/niyama/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** नियाम (niyāma)

## Meanings by context

### Proper Noun (Figure, Clan, Name) (7 definitions)
- an epithet of Vishnu  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of Viṣṇu, MBh. [ ID=109144 ]
- Necessity or Law personified as a son of Dharma and Dhriti  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > Necessity or Law personified as a son of Dharma and Dhṛti, Pur. [ ID=109145 ]
- 1. Shiva. 2. Vishnu.  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > नियम (niyama) [Printed book page 522-1 ] Niyama 1 = Mahāpuruṣa (Mahāpuruṣastava).—Do. 2 = Śiva (1000 names 2 ).—Do. 2 = Viṣṇu (1000 names). [ ID=7764 ]
- a son of Dhriti  
  *The Purana Index*
  > नियम (niyama) [Printed book page 2-243 ] Niyama (I) — a son of Dhṛti. Br. II. 9. 59. 10. 34. [ ID=7171 ]
- a god of the Abhutaraya group  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Niyama (II) — a god of Ābhūtaraya group. Br. II. 36. 55. [ ID=7172 ]
- a chief clan  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Niyama (III) — a mukhya clan. Vā. 100. 19. [ ID=7173 ]
- a Sukha God  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Niyama (IV) — a Sukha God. Br. IV. 1. 19. [ ID=7174 ]

### Restraint or Control (6 definitions)
- restraining, checking, or controlling  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 552,1] नि - (ni-) ° यम (°yama) m. restraining, checking, holding back, preventing, controlling, Mn.; MBh. &c. [ ID=109132 ]
- keeping down or lowering  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > keeping down, lowering (as the voice), RPrāt. [ ID=109133 ]
- 1. Restraint, limitation, or restriction. 2. A fixed rule, certainty, or absolute necessity. 3. A contract, promise, or vow. 4. A self-imposed religious observance or minor duty.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नियम (niyama) [Printed book page 141-2 ] नियम (niyama) ni-yama, m. restraint, limitation; restriction to ( lc. or prati with ac. ); fixed rule, certainty, absolute necessity ( in a particular case ); contract, promise; vow; self-imposed ( -religious ) observance, minor ( occasional ) duty: ab. necessarily, certainly; in. id.; with certain limitations; -yamana, n. restraining, subduing; restriction; -yama-vat, a. practising religious observances; -yamya, fp. to Page141-3 be restrained, — subdued; — limited; — restricted; -yā́na, n. going in, entry; -yānaka, a. ( ikā ) restraining, checking; restricting. [ ID=10616 ]
- 1. Restraint or checking. 2. Restriction or limitation. 3. A rule or precept. 4. Certainty or ascertainment. 5. An agreement, vow, or promise. 6. A mandatory rule replacing an optional one. 7. A self-imposed religious observance. 8. Secondary religious duties such as purity, austerity, and study. 9. The second step of yoga involving mental restraint. 10. A poetic convention.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नियम (yama) (niyama) [Printed book page 382-01 ] नियम (yama) (niyama) m. 1. Restraining, checking, restraint, M. viii.122; 2. restriction, limitation; 3. rule, precept; 4. certainty, ascertainment; 5. agreement, engagement, vow, promise; 6. a rule or precept which enjoins what would, in its absence, be only optional (in Mīmānsa phil.); See परिसंख्या (parisaṃkhyā) and विधि (vidhi); 7. any self-imposed religious observance, R. i.94; 8. duties prescribed to Brāhmaṇas but not so obligatory as यम (yama); (they are thus given by Atri- शौचमिज्या तपो दानं स्वाध्यायोपस्थनिग्रहः । व्रतमौनोपवासं च स्नानं च नियम (yama) (niyama) ा दश (śaucamijyā tapo dānaṃ svādhyāyopasthanigrahaḥ. vratamaunopavāsaṃ ca snānaṃ ca niyamā daśa) ); 9. the second of the eight steps of meditation in Yoga, the restraint of the mind; 10. a common place in poetry, a poetic convention, (e.g. the peacock’s cry in the rains). ( नियम (yama) (niyama) ेन (niyamena) ‘as a rule, invariably.’) [ ID=19528 ]
- 1. Restraining or preventing. 2. Restriction. 3. Certainty. 4. A voluntary religious observance such as fasting or pilgrimage.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नियम (niyama) [Printed book page 0476-a ] नियम (niyama) ni-yam + a, m. 1. Restrain- ing, preventing, Man. 8, 122. 2. Re- striction, MBh. 1, 6452. 3. Certainty, Pañc. ii. d. 53. 4. Any religious observance voluntarily practised, as fasting, pilgrimage, Man. 4, 204. — Comp. Sa-, adj. being engaged in a religious observance, Kir. 5, 40. [ ID=7517 ]
- 1. Restraining, check, or control. 2. Restriction or limitation. 3. A fixed rule, law, or obligation. 4. Certainty or ascertainment. 5. An agreement, contract, promise, or vow. 6. A self-imposed religious observance or voluntary penance. 7. A minor vow. 8. A conventional expression or commonplace in poetry.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > नियम (niyama) [Printed book page 0490-c ] Ni-yama, as, m. restraining, holding back, check- ing, keeping back; taming, subduing, preventing, confining; restraint, restriction, restriction to (with loc.); limitation; fixing, defining, definition; keeping down, lowering (as the tone of the voice); fixed rule or law, necessity, obligation; rule, precept (e. g. strīṇām Prākṛta-bhāṣaṇam eva niyamaḥ, the usage of women is to speak only Prākṛt); certainty, ascertainment; agreement, contract, engagement, assent, promise, vow; any self-imposed restraint or religious observance voluntarily practised, as fast- ing, watching, pilgrimage, praying, &c. voluntary penance, meritorious or supererogatory piety; a lesser vow, minor observance (as opposed to yama, a greater vow which must always be observed); (in rhetoric) a common-place in poetry, any conventional expres- sion or usual comparison (as notice of the birch in describing the Himālaya, of the sandal tree in de- scribing the Malaya mountains, of the peacock's cry in the rains, of the koïl in spring, &c.); Necessity or Fixed Law personified as a son of Dharma by Dhṛti; ( ena or āt ), ind. by a fixed rule, necessarily, surely, certainly. —Niyama-niṣṭhā, f. rigid ob- servance of prescribed rites. —Niyama-pattra, am, n. a written agreement or stipulation. —Niyama- para, as, ā, am, observing fixed rules; relating to or corroborative of a rule. —Niyama-pāla, as, m. ‘observer of vows,’ N. of a sage from whom the Nepalese derive the name of their country, (properly Nipāl.) —Niyama-bhaṅga, as, m. breach of a stipulation or contract. —Niyama-vat, ān, atī, at, practising or observing religious observances; ( atī ), f. (a woman) having the monthly courses. —Niyama- sthiti, is, f. a state of self-restraint, steady observance of religious obligations, asceticism. [ ID=24872 ]

### Agreement or Promise (4 definitions)
- agreement, contract, promise, vow  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > agreement, contract, promise, vow, R.; Kathās. [ ID=109137 ]
- 1. An agreement, contract, or promise. 2. A voluntary religious observance, penance, or piety. 3. A general religious obligation. 4. Certainty. 5. A rule or precept. 6. A usage or practice. 7. A conventional poetic expression.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नि (ni) यम (yama) (niyama) [Printed book page 470 ] नि (ni) यम (yama) (niyama) m. ( - मः (-maḥ) ) 1 Agreement, contract, engagement, assent, promise. 2 Any religious observance voluntarily practised, as fasting, watching, pilgrimage, praying, &c.; voluntary penance, meritorious or supererogatory piety. 3 A religious observance or obligation in general. 4 Certainty, ascertainment. 5 Rule, precept. 6 Usage, practice. 7 Common places in poetry, conventional expression, as notice of the Birch in describing the Himālaya, of the Sandal tree in describing the Malaya mountain, the whiteness of vesture, blackness of hair, the cry of the peacock in the rains, of the Koïl in spring, &c. E. नि (ni) before यम (yama) to refrain, affix अच् (ac). [ ID=21818 ]
- 1. Agreement or covenant. 2. Religious observance. 3. Certainty. 4. Precept. 5. Practice.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नियम (niyama) [Printed book page 419-b ] नि - यम (ni-yama) ( मः ) ((maḥ)) 1. m. Agreement, covenant; religious observance; certainty; precept; practice. [ ID=21296 ]
- 1. An agreement, contract, or promise. 2. A voluntary religious observance or penance. 3. A general religious obligation. 4. Certainty. 5. A rule or precept. 6. A usage or practice. 7. A conventional expression or poetic convention.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नि (ni) यम (niyama) [Printed book page 392-b ] नि (ni) यम (niyama) m. ( - मः (-maḥ) ) 1. Agreement, contract, engagement, assent, promise. 2. Any religious observance voluntarily practised, as fasting, watching, pilgrimage, praying, &c. voluntary penance, meritorious or supererogatory piety. 3. A religious observance or obligation in general. 4. Certainty, ascertainment. 5. Rule, precept. 6. Usage, practice. 7. Common places in poetry, conventional expression, as notice of the Birch in describing the Himālaya, of the Sandal tree in describing the Malaya mountain, the whiteness of vesture, blackness of hair, the cry of the peacock in the rains, of the kokila in spring, &c, E. नि (ni) before, यम् (yam) to refrain, affix घञ् वा ह्रस्वः । (ghañ vā hrasvaḥ.) [ ID=21805 ]

### Limitation or Restriction (4 definitions)
- limitation, restriction  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > limitation, restriction ( ° मेन (°mena) ind. with restrictions i.e. under certain conditions, Car. ) [ ID=109134 ]
- reduction or restriction, determination, definition  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > reduction or restriction to (with loc. or प्रति (prati) ), determination, definition, GṛŚrS.; Prāt.; MBh.; Rājat. [ ID=109135 ]
- under certain conditions  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3C) [Printed book page 552,1] नि - (ni-) ° यमेन (°yamena) ind., with restrictions i.e. under certain conditions, Car. [ ID=109145.1 ]
- 1. Limitation or restriction. 2. Definition or statement. 3. Fixed rule or law. 4. Promise or vow. 5. Voluntary restraint or minor duty. 6. A commonplace.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नियम (niyama) [Printed book page 272 ] नियम (niyama) m. = prec. + limitation, restriction to ( loc. or प्रति (prati) ); definition, statement; fixed rule or law, strict necessity; promise, vow; voluntary restraint, minor duty ( (r.) ); common-place ( (rh.) ). Instr. & abl. necessarily, absolutely, by all means. [ ID=16505 ]

### Religious Observance or Spiritual Discipline (3 definitions)
- any act of voluntary penance or meritorious piety  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > any act of voluntary penance or meritorious piety ( esp. a lesser vow or minor observance dependent on external conditions and not so obligatory as यम (yama), q.v. ), TĀr.; Mn.; MBh.; Kāv. &c. [ ID=109138 ]
- restraint of the mind  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > restraint of the mind (the 2nd of the 8 steps of meditation in Yoga) [ ID=109142 ]
- performing five positive duties  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > performing five positive duties, Monier-Williams’ Buddhism in its connexion with Brāhmaṇism and Hindūism: and in its contrast with Christianity (Title) 239 [ ID=109143 ]

### Certainty or Necessity (2 definitions)
- as a rule, necessarily, invariably, surely  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > नि - (ni-) ° यमेन (°yamena) ind., as a rule, necessarily, invariably, surely [ ID=109145.15 ]
- as a rule, necessarily, invariably, surely  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3C) [Printed book page 552,1] नि - (ni-) ° यमात् (°yamāt) ind., as a rule, necessarily, invariably, surely [ ID=109145.2 ]

### Specialized Technical Meanings (2 definitions)
- a specific process applied to minerals, especially quicksilver  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a partic. process applied to minerals ( esp. to quicksilver w.r. ° याम (°yāma) ), Cat. [ ID=109139 ]
- a rule or precept specifying something otherwise optional  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (in Mīmāṃsā phil. ) a rule or precept (laying down or specifying something otherwise optional) [ ID=109141 ]

### Poetic or Rhetorical Convention (1 definition)
- a common-place or conventional expression  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (in rhet. ) a common-place, any conventional expression or usual comparison [ ID=109140 ]

### Rule, Law, or Established Practice (1 definition)
- Any fixed rule, law, necessity, or obligation  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > any fixed rule or law, necessity, obligation ( ° मेन (°mena) ind. and ° मात् (°māt) ind. as a rule, necessarily, invariably, surely), Var.; R.; Suśr. &c. [ ID=109136 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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