Introduction
Shri Nimbarkacharya comes in the line of the Kumara Sampradaya. He was a great saint who lived in the 10th-11th century and propagated the Vaishnava theology of Dvaitadvaita which means duality in unity.
Vaishnavism is focused on followers of Vishnu, and they worship Vishnu and his ten incarnations. They are generally dualistic, non-ascetic, monastic and devoted to chanting and meditation. Their practice of Bhakti Yoga is based on scriptural texts like Puranas, Vedas, and Upanishads. They follow a process of initiation or diksha given by a Guru under whom they are trained to understand and follow Vaishnava practices.
Early Life
Born in the modern Murgarapattam in the southern Dravidian province, he was the son of Aruna Muni and Jayanti Devi, a pious Brahmin. ‘Niyamanand’ was the early name of ‘Nimbarkacharya’ given by the Brahmins at the name ceremony. Aruna Muni and Jayanti Devi performed their son’s ‘Upnayan’ ceremony and sent him to Rishikul for learning the Ved, Vedang, Darshan etc.
Niyamananda mastered the scriptures in a short time. He was a mighty genius. His popularity started spreading in the country and people from all parts of India began to visit him.
Story of Getting the name ‘NIMBARK’
He did rigorous austerities at Neem-gram and had Darshan of Lord Krishna in that place. In that village Nimbarka had exhibited his miracle when Brahma came for Bhiksha as a Sannyasi. When Niyamanand was in his teens, ‘Brahma’, the Creator, came to the Ashram of Aruna Muni in the disguise of a Sannyasi. The sun was about to set, and Muni was not in the ashram.
The Sannyasi asked to wife of the Muni for something to eat. The food was finished. The Muni’s wife remained silent. The Sannyasi was about to leave the Ashram. Niyamanand said to his mother, “Dear mother! A Sannyasi should not be sent away without food. We will have to suffer for violating Atithi Dharma”. The mother said, “Dear son, your father has gone out. I have neither fruits nor roots. Moreover, there is no time for me to prepare any food. It is sunset. Sannyasi do not take their meals after sunset”.
Niyamanand said to the Sannyasi, “I shall bring quickly roots and fruits from the forest. I guarantee that the sun will not set till you finish your meal”. Niyamanand placed his Sudarshan Chakra on a Neem tree in the Ashram where it appeared like the sun. Brahma, who was in the guise of the Sannyasin, was struck with amazement. In a few minutes Nimbarka returned with roots and fruits and gave them to his mother, who served them to the Sannyasin with intense devotion. As soon as the Sannyasin finished his meals, Nimbarka removed the Sudarshana Chakra from the Neem tree. It was at once pitch dark. One quarter of the night had passed.
The Sannyasin, who was Brahma, conferred on the boy the name ‘Nimbarka’ (Nim—Neem tree; Arka—Surya or the sun). Since then he has been called Sri Nimbarkacharya.
SETTING UP OF NIMBARKACHARYA PEETH AT SALEMABAD
Around 500 years ago, near Pushkar Teerth, a devil ‘Masting Shah’ captured that place. ‘Masting Shah’ was always torturing the pushkar going devotees.
When Nimbarkacharya ‘Sri Haridev Vyas’ got to know this, he sent ‘Sri Parshuramdevacharya’ to defeat ‘Masting Shah’ and propogate vashnavism. Sri Parshuramdevacharya defeated Masting Shah and ran away, and he later turned into Nimbark’s devotee. Sri Parshuramdevacharya established the Nimbarkacharya Peeth at ‘Salemabad’
Site for Panorama of Shri Nimbarkacharya
Site for Panorama of Shri Nimbarkacharya is located in Salemabad, Kihangarh, Ajmer.
