नियमः [niyamḥ] 1 Restraining, checking.
Taming, subduing.
Confining, preventing.
A restraint, check; वाचि नियमः
[U.2.2;] अधर्मानियमः
[Ms.8.122.] Restriction, limitation;
[Mb.14.13.11.] A rule or precept, law (in general), usage; नायमेकान्ततो नियमः Ś. B.
Regularity; कुसुमसुकुमारमूर्तिर्दधती नियमेन तनुतरं मध्यम्
[Ratn. 1.2.] Certainty, ascertainment.
An agreement, promise, vow, engagement.
Necessity, obligation.
Any voluntary or self-imposed religious observance (dependent on external conditions); [The earliest explanation of this expression is the one found in the ŚB. on
[MS.4.2.24.] cf. कोऽयं नियमः । अनियतस्य नियतता । प्रयोगाङ्गतया सर्वे देशाः प्राप्नुवन्ति, न तु समच्चयेन । यदा समो न तदा विषमः । यदा विषमो न तदा समः । स एष समः प्राप्तश्चाप्राप्तश्च । यदा न प्राप्तः स पक्षो विधिं प्रयोजयति. This is very nicely stated in the Vārttika'नियमः पाक्षिके सति'];
[R.1.94;] [Ki.5.4;] (see Malli. on
[Śi.13.23] ).
Any minor observance or lesser vow, a duty prescribed to be done, but which is not so obligatory as a यम q. v. शौचमिज्या तपो दानं स्वाध्यायोपस्थनिग्रहः । व्रतमौनोपवासं च स्नानं च नियमा दशा ॥ Atri.
Penance, devotion, religious austerities; नियमविघ्न- कारिणी
[Ś.1;] [R.15.74.] (In Mīm. phil.) A rule or precept which lays down or specifies something which, in the absence of that rule, would be optional; विधिरत्यन्तमप्राप्तौ नियमः पाक्षिके सति.
(In Yoga phil.) Restraint of the mind, the second of the 8 principal steps of meditation in Yoga; दशैते नियमाः प्रोक्ता योगशास्त्र- विशारदैः Tantrasāra.
(In Rhet.) A poetical commonp lace or convention, as the description of the cuckoo in spring, peacocks in the rains &c.
Defining, definition.
Keeping down, lowering (as the voice).
Keeping secret; मन्त्रस्य नियमं कुर्याः
[Mb.5.] 141.2.
Effort (यत्न); यथैते नियमं पौराः कुर्वन्त्यस्मिन्निवर्तने
[Mb.2.46.2.] (नियमेन as a rule, invariably). -Comp.
-उपमा a simile which expressly states that something can be compared only with something else.
-धर्मः a law prescribing restraints.
-निष्ठा rigid observance of prescribed rites.
-पत्रम् a written agreement.
-विधिः a religious rite, daily ritual; नियमविधिजलानां बर्हिषां चोप- नेत्री
[Ku.1.6.] -स्थ a. a. observing penance;
[Ku.5.13.] ितिः f. steady observance of religious obligations, asceticism.
-हेतुः a regulating cause.