Niladevi

Niladevi (Sanskrit: नीलदेवी, romanized: Nīladevī, lit. 'blue goddess'),^[2] also rendered as Neela Devi or Nappinnai, is a Hindu goddess, and a consort of the preserver deity Vishnu, along with Sridevi and Bhudevi.^[3][4] Niladevi is primarily revered in South India, particularly in Tamil culture, as one of Vishnu's consorts.^[5][6] In Sri Vaishnava tradition, all three consorts of Vishnu are regarded as aspects of Mahalakshmi.^[7]

Niladevi
Goddess of Bliss[1]
Shrine of Niladevi (left to the image of Vishnu) in Thirukkadigai
Other names	Nappinnai
Venerated in	Sri Vaishnavism
Affiliation	Devi, aspect of Lakshmi, Nagnajiti
Abode	Vaikuntha
Consort	Vishnu

In Vishnu's avatar as Krishna, Niladevi is either regarded as Nagnajiti, the consort of Krishna in Dvārakā^[8] or in some accounts, as southern counterpart of Radha, the gopi consort of Krishna in North Indian traditions.^[9]

Legend

According to regional traditions, Niladevi took the incarnation of Nagnajiti, a wife of Krishna. In Sri Vaishnavism, Nagnajiti is also called Nappinnai (Pinnai, a favourite gopi of Krishna in Tamil tradition).^[10][5]

Niladevi appears in the Vaikhanasa Agama text.^[10][11][6] Some texts mention that Vishnu's iccha shakti takes three forms: Sridevi, Bhudevi, and Niladevi, representing the three gunas; The Sita Upanishad mentions that these three forms as those of goddess Sita; Niladevi is associated with tamas.^[5] Niladevi, besides tamas, is associated with the sun, the moon and fire.^[5] She appears as Krishna's Gopi in Cherusseri Namboothiri's Krishnagatha.^[5]

According to a dhyana mantra of Vishnu, in his Param aspect, he is depicted seated on the serpent Shesha with Sridevi on his right and Bhudevi and Niladevi on his left.^[12] Niladevi may be also depicted standing behind Vishnu with his two co-wives.^[11] In a depiction in the British Museum, Vishnu as Vaikuntha-Natha ("Lord of Vaikuntha") is seated on Shesha between Sridevi and Bhudevi, while his foot is supported by Niladevi.^[11]

The Alvar Andal is sometimes considered by the Sri Vaishnava denomination as an aspect of Niladevi.^[12][13]

Forms

Niladevi's aspect of Nappinnai is mainly limited to Tamilakam. The name Nappinnai is found in the Divya Prabandham of the Alvars and Silappadikaram.^[14] According to these texts, Andal (one of the Alvars) wanted to offer her devotion to her patron deity Krishna just as the Braj gopis did in Dvapara Yuga. In her Tiruppavai, Andal wakes up Nappinai before waking up Krishna. As per Sri Vaishnavism, complete surrender to God is performed through his consort, and in the case of Krishna specifically, it is performed through Nappinai.^[14]

Niladevi took the avatar of Nappinnai, the daughter of Kumbagan (the brother of Yashoda). Krishna won Nappinnai's hand after conquering the seven ferocious bulls of her father. Nappinnai's brother is Sudama. Parasara Bhattar describes Krishna, intoxicated by her beauty, with the epithet "Neela thunga sthana giri thati suptham" (lit. "He who rests on the breasts of Nappinnai").^[15]

S. M. Srinivasa Chari states that Andal, singing Nachiyar Tirumoli as a gopika in Thiruppavai, she mentioned Nappinnai. This stands for the identification of Nappinnai as Radha.^[16][17] Alvar mentions the three nachiyars (consorts) as Ponmangai (Sridevi), Nilamangai (Bhudevi) and Pulamangai (Niladevi). Niladevi is mentioned to be the goddess of senses. It is Niladevi who keeps mind stable by offering him her bliss.^[18]

References

1. www.wisdomlib.org (2015-11-22). "Niladevi, Nīlādevī, Nila-devi: 1 definition". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-06-28.
2. "An Eclectic Appraisal of the Success or Failure of Constructivist Instruction", Constructivist Instruction, Routledge, pp. 347–362, 2009-05-28, doi:10.4324/9780203878842-27, ISBN 978-0-203-87884-2, retrieved 2022-06-28
3. M., Ramanan (1989). "Āndāl's "Tirupāvai"". Journal of South Asian Literature. 24 (2): 51–64. JSTOR 40873090. Retrieved 11 January 2021 – via JSTOR.
4. Āṇṭāḷ (1974). Garland of Songs. Rajalakshmi Pathippakam. p. 79.
5. Dalal, Roshen, 1952- (2010). Hinduism : an alphabetical guide. New Delhi: Penguin Books. pp. 272, 282. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6. OCLC 664683680.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
6. "album; painting | British Museum". The British Museum. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
7. www.wisdomlib.org (2015-11-22). "Niladevi, Nīlādevī, Nila-devi: 1 definition". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-06-28.
8. Dalal, Roshen (2010). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books India. p. 282. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6.
9. Rajan, K. V. Soundara (1988). Secularism in Indian Art. Abhinav Publications. p. 17. ISBN 978-81-7017-245-1. Niladevi, the counterpart of Radha of North
10. Chandra, S. (1998). Encyclopaedia of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Sarup & Sons. p. 238. ISBN 978-81-7625-039-9. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
11. Museum, British; Dallapiccola, Anna Libera (2010). South Indian Paintings: A Catalogue of the British Museum Collection. British Museum Press. pp. 49, 76. ISBN 978-0-7141-2424-7.
12. Srinivasan, T. N. (1982). A Hand Book of South Indian Images: An Introduction to the Study of Hindu Iconography. Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanams. pp. 96, 115.
13. Bryant, Edwin F. (2007-06-18). Krishna: A Sourcebook. Oxford University Press. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-19-972431-4.
14. Parthasarathy, Indira (2005). Krishna Krishna (in Tamil). Kizhakku. p. 33. ISBN 9788183680806.
15. "thirup pAvai - part 7 - thaniyangaL (Ramanuja.org/Bhakti List Archives)". ramanuja.org. Retrieved 2022-06-28.
16. Srinivasa Chari, S. M. (1997). Philosophy and Theistic Mysticism of the Āl̲vārs. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 205.
17. Dalal, Roshen (2010). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books India. p. 272. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6. Some identifies Nappinai with Radha, Nila Devi, Andal..
18. www.wisdomlib.org (2015-11-22). "Niladevi, Nīlādevī, Nila-devi: 1 definition". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-06-28.