Categories
Rare collection Shalakya Tantra

Who was king nimi and his contribution to shalakya tantra

How did King Nimi became Videha Nimi :-

There is a tale about King Nimi in Vishnu Purana, Shrimad Bhagwat and Linga Purana that he was the son of Suryavanshi king Ishavaku. When he saw his father’s affection towards the elder son (Kakustha). So he didn’t liked it and left Avadha. He went to tirhuta area in Maharishi Gautam’s ashrama. This place was often harmed by devils and was under the king Ravana.

Maharishi Gautam became teacher to Nimi. Rishi Yamadagni made nimi the king of tirhuta area after he defeated devil’s region. One day King Nimi organised a Yagya. He sent invitation to Rishi vashistha. But the sage was busy on that day because King of god’s Indra had invited him for yagya on the same day, but he promised to come after that and will perform the yagya.

King Nimi waited a lot but sage didn’t showed so he performed yagya with Sage Gautama (his guru). After sometime sage Vashistha showed and became angry at king nimi for not waiting for him, then out of anger he cursed him of Death. As a result of Yagya God made king Nimi alive again but Nimi refused to have a body. So god told him to stay on the eyes. ( This is the reason why opening and closing of eyes is called nimesha).

As he has no body hence called by the name videha ( without body). King Videha gave birth to King Janaka through manthan so the place is known as Mithilapuri ( place of birth of Godess Sita/ Janaki presently in Nepal ). As Nimi regernated in his child so called Janaka.

Bhagwat Purana, Ramcharitmanas labled king janaka & Nimi as Scholar.

Even at places in Sambhasa of charak samhita king videha is mentioned so this shows period more before then charak

Time period:-

As janaka was son of king Nimi the Father of Godess Sita so time period seems similar to God Rama. So time period stands around 5000 BC.

Sage Parashar ( student of Acharya Punarvasu) was Grand child of Sage Vasishta. So time period seems before the period of Agnivesha.

There are examples in Sushruta samhita mentioned them so seems before it too.

During Mahabharata time videha Nimi was called to treat Durmukha’s Son Prushat do seems time of 3360 BC ( time of Nimi Tantra)

Nimi Tantra:-

Book was written by King Videha Nimi but due to time presently book isn’t available with us but there are a lot of references in the books about it.

During 2017 Dr. Subhash waghe and Dr. Pradnya Thakre collected all the references of Nimi and wrote the book an insight to Videha Nimi Tantra. Available in both hindi and english. Person interested in Classics should read it once. Here I am sharing image of the book i purchased, available at all online sites like amazon. I am not doing promotion here just sharing it because this research effort is Appreciable.

Nimi Tantra

Contributions :-

Praise of King Nimi:-

  • Acharya in Sushruta Samhita said whatever he is writing with respect to ent in uttar tantra is based on Nimi Tantra
  • Acharya Dhalana said that Nimi is Acharya of ENT
  • During that time head transplants etc were possible that can’t be without much developed science.
  • He is attributed to the Acharya of shalakya tantra.