Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,915

Date uploaded in London –25 June 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx 

Part 73

N words continued…………………….

Nakkirar

A controversial and challenging Tamil poet of Sangam age. His clashes with Lord Shiva and others are in the stories of Tiru Vilaiyatal Purana and Tiru Murugatruppadai in Tamil . Tiru Murugu. Is a Sangam age work, that is 2000 years old. His poems are in Purananuru in praise of Hindu Gods. His controversy was documented by Appar (600 CE) in one of his poems, and so he must have lived at least 300 or 400 years before Appar.

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Nalangu

A Tamil Post Wedding Ceremony to reduce the stress and strain of a wedding ceremony. It is full of fun and frolicks.

Both the bride and bridegroom are asked to take part in various competitive games. One example: a ring is placed in a pot full of water. When they are asked to GO, both dip their hands into the water pot; whoever takes the ring first is the winner; the winner’s family and friends jump with joy making big noise.

Both of them are asked to roll a coconut, powder a few Pappads in the air with both hands; both parties tease or mock at the other group with  some songs; they are like song caricatures of the bride or bride groom family.

An example : bride groom has Hitler moustache or pot belly; bride has a fake plait; hair is not long enough.

Nalangu is a traditional South Indian and Tamil post-wedding ceremony involving the application of sacred pastes and the playing of games to help the couple relax. As documented in ancient texts, this ritual aims to reduce stress and foster bonding between families.

In some communities it is done before the wedding. The bride and others are applied with turmeric paste. Participants also, particularly women, apply the turmeric paste on their feet and hands..

Something similar to North Indian Hindu ceremonies like Mehandi and Sangeet ceremonies.

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Naalvar – The Four

The Great Four Saivite Saints; Naalvar means The Four persons; they are Appar alias Tirunavukkarasar, Sambandar (Tiru Gnana Sambanthar), Sundarar and Manikkavasagar (maanikkavaasakar); latest research shows that the last one lived at least 100 years before Appar, a contemporary of Mahendra varman, the greatest Pallava king (600 CE).

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Namam ( naamam )

It is a symbol on the forehead of Vishnu devotees. They are three vertical lines in the shape of English letter Y or U. between the thick white lines a straight red line is drawn in the middle. Tamil Vaishnavites wear Dvaadasa Naamams on 12 places in the body that is comparable to Saivite Brahmins 12 placed Vibhuti (holy ash).

Y shaped Naamam- symbol of Tenkalai sect of Tamil Viashnavites; those who sing Tamil hymns of Alvars (Tamil Vaishnavite Saints)

U shaped Naamam- symbol of Vadakalai sect of Tamil Viashnavites; those who sing Sanskrit hymns of Vedanta Desikan.

Then= south ; Vada = north .

Even the Naamam on temple elephants will show one to which sect the temple belongs.

But when it comes to big temples like Titupati Balaji temple or Srirangam Ranganatha Temple, common devotees don’t bother about the sectorial divisions. But there are extremists in both sects who take the symbol cases up to the highest court in the country.

Vaishnavite Gurus/Acharyas called Jeeyars are very ardent followers of their respective sects and its practices.

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Nammazvaar

One of the greatest Vaishnavite saints known in Tamil as Alvars (aazvaar).

Tamil Vishnu devotees believe that he composed Vedas in Tamil; his poems are great and meaningful. He was born in Alvar Titunagari in the southern part of Tamil Nadu. Like Buddha attained wisdom under the Peepal/Bodhi tree, Nammalvar  (nammaazvaar) attained wisdom under a Tamarind tree. Like Tansen’s tamarind tree, this tamarind also attained fame and worshipped until this day.

Following Thirumangai Alvar who composed 1,361 verses, Nammalvar is the second most prolific contributor, having composed exactly 1,296 verses across four works (most notably the Tiruvaymoli). They are part of Naalayira Divya Prabandham (the canonical collection of 4,000 Alvar hymns).

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Nayanmar or Nayanar (naayanmaar or Naayanaar)

Sixty three Tamil saints and mystics are called Nayanmar or Nayanars. They were ardent followers of Lord Siva. Their stories are sung by Sekkizar in Periya Puranam in Tamil. They revived and spread Bhakti movement between fifth and ninth centuries. They belong to all castes. Of them three are women.

We know the date of Sambandar, the greatest of the 63 saints. He lived around 650 CE. Kannappa Nayanar who was a hunter gave his eye to Lord Siva and attained Mukti/liberation. Woman saint Karaikkal Ammaiyar became famous and worshipped in southeast Asian countries too. Of the Four Great Saivite Saints, Manikkaavasagar is left out and not included in the list of 63. This problem has been debated until this day without a definite conclusion. But his poems are included in the Saivite Tirumurais (Scriptures or Hymns on Lord Siva). Indirect references show that he lived before 600 CE.

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Narada

A great rishi who undertook frequent trips between heaven and earth.

Narada Muni is portrayed as the quintessential traveller, a supreme devotee of Vishnu, and the “first investigative journalist” of the cosmos. He was a messenger of divine wisdom, an Inter Galactic Traveller. He delivered essential philosophical lessons and stories of devotion to many.

He visited the Pandavas a number of times specially during the period of their banishment in the forest and gave them good advice. About righteous conduct and harmonious living. He illustrated his points by appropriate anecdotes  from past history/puranas. He also tried to persuade Dhritarashtra  to keep his son Duryodhana  in check and make peace with the Pandavas.

Nārada (नारद) was one of the twelve, who knew the dharma ordained by Hari; a celibate; an attendant of Hari; was taught the bhāgavata by the father; and he gave it in his turn to Vyāsa. Wherever he  goes he will create a problem and that will bring something good; end justifies means was his policy.

He was in the company of Bharata when he recited the Nāṭyaveda, according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 35.

He was a celebrated Devarṣi (deified saint or divine sage). He is one of the ten mind-born sons of Brahmā, being supposed to have sprung from his thigh (Manusmṛti 1. 35). He is represented as a messenger from the gods to men and vice versa and as being very fond of promoting discords among gods and men; hence his epithet of Kalipriya or kalahapriya. He is said to have been the inventor of the lute or Vīṇā. He is also the author of a code of laws which goes by his name.

In Tamil literature, he was referred to in Tamil epic Silppadikaram as Naradar Veenai (Veena of Narada). He always travelled with his Veena singing the glory of Vishnu.

Many people born later also had his name. So we find many books in his name. But the original Narada is attributed with one famous book, Narada Bhakti Sutra.

Narada Bhakti Sutra has 84 aphorisms on the nature of Bhakti and the condition of Bhaktas/devotees. Swami Vivekananda has explained it in good English. (see my blogs for more details).

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Narakasura

Asura killed by Lord Krishna and that day is celebrated as Deepavali (Diwali) in Tamil Nadu.

Narakasura was the son of Goddess earth, (referred to as Dharthi), by Lord Vishnu himself during his Varaha (boar) avatar. It was foretold that he would be destroyed by a later incarnation of Vishnu. His mother, the earth, sought the boon from Vishnu that her son should have a long life, and that he should be all powerful. Vishnu readily granted these boons.

Narakasura became evil, in association with another Asura named Bana. Drunk with power, as he knew himself to be unrivalled in prowess, he brought all the kingdoms on earth under his control. Next he turned his eyes towards Swargaloka/ heaven. Even the mighty Indra could not withstand the assault of this son of Vishnu and had to flee the heavens. Now Narakasura had become the overlord of both the heavens and earth. His reign of oppression was in full swing. His capital was in modern Assam

Once granted immense power, he built a seemingly impregnable fortress, terrorized the three worlds, stole divine treasures (such as the earrings of Aditi), and imprisoned 16,000 celestial princesses

Divine Intervention: The tormented devas sought the help of Lord Krishna to defeat Narakasura.

The Battle: Accompanied by his wife Satyabhama—who was the earthly incarnation of Bhudevi—Lord Krishna rode to Pragjyotishapura to confront the demon.

The Final Blow: Because of the boon that only his mother could kill him, Satyabhama took the bow and struck the decisive blow, paving the way for Krishna to sever Narakasura’s head with his Sudarshana chakra.

Liberation: Following Narakasura’s defeat, Krishna liberated the 16,000 captive women and married them to restore their societal honour.

Festival of Lights: The triumph of good over evil that day is spiritually commemorated as Deepavali (Diwali), specifically the day of Naraka Chaturdashi

Sanskrit phrase 60,000 0r 16,000 means a lot, uncountable, innumerable. Even in English we use a million dollar question etc

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Nikhumba

Several rakshasas had this name. one of them is referred to in Ramayana .

According to Mahabharata, Nikhumba was the father of demons Sunda and Upasunda who killed each other in an intoxicated fight to get hold of apsara

Tilottama . he was a descendent of Hiranyakasipu.

According to Ramayana,

Nikumbha (निकुम्भ).—A very mighty Rākṣasa. Son of Kumbhakarṇa (Rāvaṇa’s brother) by his wife Vajramālā. He had an elder brother called Kumbha.

When Kumbha was killed in the Rāma-Rāvaṇa war Nikumbha rushed to the front line and fought fiercely, and he was killed by Hanūmān. (Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Canto 77).

Nikumbha (निकुम्‍भ): One of Ravana’s generals who led the rakshasas against the host of monkeys and was slain

When Indrajit, son of Ravana tried to do an all powerful Yaga to destroy Rama, timely intervention of Lakshmana spoiled it

According to Puranas

the “dreadful cave of Shatpura” is a foreboding site of deception and imprisonment famously linked to the powerful being Nikumbha.

According to ancient texts, Nikumbha—a powerful figure and lord of the Pisacas—used this cave to harbour captives. Its mythological significance centres around a few key details:

The Standoff: Nikumbha emerged from the dreadful cave wielding a thorn-covered club.

The Conflict: Upon stepping out, he was confronted in combat by Dhananjaya (Arjuna), who shot arrows from his Gandiva bow to block the thoroughfare.

Symbolism: The cave serves as an ominous backdrop for themes of entrapment and trickery during pivotal battles.

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Nimi

Son of Dattatreya. He grieved greatly at the death of his son Shrimana and then he undertook various ritual for the eternal good of his son. It is said that this constituted the beginning of thee “Shraddha” ceremonies relating to death.

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Nivatakavacha, Nivātakavacha

These innumerable Danavas/demons occupied a city which previously belonged  to Devas. Not being able to defeat the Nivatakavacha danavas, Indra sought the help of Brahma who said that Indra himself in another form would be able to defeat them. Thus it was when Arjuna  had come to the end of his five years stay in Swarga/heaven and was preparing to return to earth, Indra asked as a parting gift he should get rid of his enemies the Nivatkvachas.  Arjuna went to the abode of the Danavas with Matali as his charioteer and using various divine weapons obtained from heaven he defeated the  Nivatkvacha demons.

More  details

The nivatakavachas (Sanskrit: निवातकवच, romanized: Nivātakavaca, lit. ‘the impenetrable armoured ones’) are a sect of daityas, the children of Kashyapa and Diti, classified under the race of asuras in Hindu mythology. They are best known for their battles against Ravana and Arjuna, the latter of which caused their annihilation.[1]

Thirty million nivatakavachas were born in the daitya clan. Allied with the kalakeyas, they triumphed over the devas in battle. They are described to have been skilled in magic and warfare, wielding powerful weapons to defeat their foes.

From Ramayana

The nivatakavachas are said to have terrorised the world, living deep beneath the ocean, and residing in the city of Maṇimatī after securing boons from Brahma. In the Ramayana, Ravaṇa with his sons Meghanada, Atikaya, and with his army attacked these daityas, but found himself unable to defeat the sect after centuries of battle. The two sides finally formed an alliance after Brahma intervened.

From Mahabharata

In the Mahabharata, Indra sought the destruction of the nivatakavachas from his son, Arjuna, as his dakshina (honorarium). Describing the sect as his foes, he stated that the nivatakavachas lived in a fortress under the ocean, numbered thirty million, and were alike in shape, size, and prowess. To achieve this task, Indra sent his own charioteer, Matali, to drive Arjuna to the location of his foes. The devas offered Arjuna a conch named Devadatta, and Matali offered him ornaments that resembled his own. When the two reached the city of the daityas, they closed their gates, fearing that Indra himself had appeared to slay them. When Arjuna blew his conch, the nivatakavachas attacked him, loosing tridents, spears, and arrows upon him. Arjuna released arrows from his Gandiva, slaying the daityas in the thousands. The nivatakavachas rendered themselves invisible, and showered elemental attacks on Arjuna. The prince grew disheartened when he realised that he was unable to manoeuvre their attacks due to the intensity of their barrage.

Matali urged him to employ the thunderbolt missiles he had brought with him, which devastated the daityas, and defeated them. The daitya women sought shelter in their houses as Arjuna entered Maṇimatī, thinking that it looked better than the city of the devas. The charioteer explained that the city had previously belonged to the devas, but had been captured by the daityas following a boon granted to them by Brahma. Brahma assured Indra that the latter himself, in another form, would defeat the daityas, which had just transpired. He encouraged Arjuna to also lay waste to Hiranyapura, a neighbouring city of the danavas who opposed his father as well, which the prince achieved.

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Nara Narayana

Nara-Narayana are twin sages and a twin-brother avatar of Lord Vishnu in Hinduism, representing the eternal connection between humanity (Nara) and divinity (Narayana). Together, they represent human effort and divine grace working in harmony to uphold righteousness (dharma

The Name: In Sanskrit, Nara means “human being” or “eternal spirit,” while Narayana refers to the Supreme Being (Vishnu).

Divine Origins: They were born as the sons of Dharma (the god of righteousness) and Murti (the daughter of Daksha).

Life of Penance: The twins famously traveled to the Badari hermitage (modern-day Badrinath) in the Himalayas. They engaged in severe austerities and deep meditation to defeat evil and preserve world order.

Mahabharata Connection: Hindus believe Nara and Narayana reincarnated as the heroes Arjuna (human) and Krishna (divine guide) during the events of the Mahabharata.

Iconography: In traditional art, Nara is usually depicted with two hands and wearing deer skin, while Narayana is portrayed with four hands, holding a mace, discus, conch, and lotus.

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Narasimha

Narasimha is the fourth, half-man and half-lion avatar of Lord Vishnu, manifesting in the Satya Yuga to protect the devotee Prahlada by destroying the demon king Hiranyakashipu. By overcoming Hiranyakashipu’s invincibility boon at twilight on a threshold, this form symbolizes divine intervention that transcends conventional limitations to uphold dharma.

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Nalanda

Nalanda was an acclaimed university, a large Buddhist monastery in the ancient kingdom of Magadha (modern-day Bihar) in India. The site is located about 95 kilometres southeast of Patna near the town of Bihar Sharif, and was a centre of learning from the fifth century CE to1200 CE. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 The highly formalized methods of Vedic learning helped inspire the establishment of large teaching institutions such as Taxila, Nalanda, and Vikramashila which are often characterised as India’s early universities. Nalanda flourished under the patronage of the Gupta Empire in the 5th and 6th centuries and later under Harsha, the emperor of Kannauj.The liberal cultural traditions inherited from the Gupta age resulted in a period of growth and prosperity until the ninth century. 

Muslims burnt the library

Historical consensus and primary records attribute the final destruction and burning of the Nalanda Mahavihara to a Turko-Afghan military general Bakhtiyar Khilji of the Delhi Sultanate in the late 12th century.

The Sacking (c. 1200 CE): During his conquests in northern and eastern India, Khilji famously led a marauding army that attacked and plundered several major Buddhist centers, including Nalanda, Vikramashila, and Odantapuri.

The Library Burning: Nalanda boasted a colossal collection of manuscripts housed in multi-story libraries known as Ratnasagara, Ratnadadhi, and Ratnaranjaka. The attackers set fire to the institution, with historical accounts stating the massive fires burned for three months.

While Khilji is widely cited for the fatal sacking and mass slaughter of the monks, historians and researchers point out that the destruction was not a one-time total evaporation:

Eyewitness Accounts: Tibetan monk Dharmasvamin visited the site in 1234 CE, nearly 40 years after Khilji’s campaign. He found the institution heavily ruined but still functioning, with a small fraction of about 70 monks being taught by a 90-year-old abbot.

Continuous Raids: Surviving monks and local patrons attempted to revive the university, but persistent raids by subsequent groups of Turkish soldiers over the following decades ultimately forced the permanent abandonment of the site

Tags- Nakkirar, Nalangu, Namam, Nalanda, Narasimha, Nivatakavacha, Narakasura, HINDU DICTIONARY IN ENGLISH AND TAMIL 73; இந்து மத கலைச்சொல் அகராதி- 73

To be continued……………………