Nimbarka

There lived a great ascetic named Aruna Muni in Vaiduryapattnam, on 
the banks of the Godavari, in Andhra Pradesh in Southern India. He had 
a pious wife by name Jayanti Devi. Sri Nimbarka was born of Aruna Muni 
and Jayanti Devi. He flourished in the eleventh century A.D.

At the time of the namakarana samskara, the learned brahmins gave the 
boy the name Niyamanandacharya. Nimbarka was also known by the names 
Aruna Rishi and Haripriyacharya.

Aruna Muni and Jayanti Devi performed their son's sacred thread 
ceremony and sent him to Rishikul for learning the Vedas, Vedangas, 
Darshanas, etc. Niyamanandacharya mastered the scriptures in a short 
time. He was a mighty genius. People from all parts of India came to 
see this wonderful boy.

When Niyamanandacharya was in his teens, Brahma, the Creator, came to 
the Ashram of Aruna Muni in the disguise of a Sannyasin. The sun was 
about to set. The Muni had been out. The Sannyasin asked the wife of 
the Muni for something to eat. The food had been exhausted. The Muni's 
wife remained silent. The Sannyasin was about to leave the Ashram.

Niyamanandacharya said to his mother, "Dear mother! A Sannyasin 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. Sannyasins do not take their meals 
after sunset."

Niyamanandacharya said to the Sannyasin, "I shall bring quickly roots 
and fruits from the forest. I guarantee that the sun will not set till 
you finish your meals". Niyamanandacharya placed his Sudarshana Chakra 
on a Nim tree in the Ashram where it shone 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 Nim 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.

Sri Nimbarkacharya is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Hari's 
weapon Sudarshana Chakra or discus.

In Vishnu-yana, the spiritual lineage of Sri Nimbarkacharya is given 
as follows: "The sacred Gopala Mantra of eighteen letters sprang from 
the lotus mouth of Sri Narayana. It was given to Hamsa Bhagavan. Hamsa 
Bhagavan in turn initiated the Kumaras who revealed this Mantra to 
Rishi Narada. Narada taught this to his disciple Sri Nimbarka. 
Nimbarka gave this mantra to his disciple Srinivasacharya".

Sri Nimbarkacharya was the embodiment of mercy, piety, love, kindness, 
liberality and other divine qualities. He did rigorous austerities at 
Neemgram and had Darshan of Lord Krishna in that place. In that 
village Nimbarka had exhibited his miracle when Brahma came for 
Bhiksha as a Sannyasin. Another holy place of the Nimbarka sect is 
Salembabad in Rajasthan. A big Mahant lives here. There is a temple of 
Nimbarka here.

Brindavan, Nandagram, Barsana, Govardhan and Neemgram are the chief 
Kshetras or holy lands of the followers of Nimbarkacharya. Parikrama 
of the 168 miles of Brij Bhumi is their foremost duty. To pay visits 
on different occasions to Sri Nimbarka's temple in Neemgram, two miles 
from Govardhan, is their sampradayik duty.

The Nimbarka sect is found mostly in Brij Bhumi, viz., Brindavan, 
Nandagram, Barsana, Govardhan, etc. Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bharatpur, 
Gwalior, Burdwan and Okara are its centres. The Nimbarka followers are 
also to be found in Central India, Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal.

The Dvaitadvaita Philosophy

Sri Nimbarkacharya wrote the following books: Vedanta Parijat Saurabh, 
a commentary on the Brahma-sutras; a commentary on the Bhagavad-gita; 
Sadachar Prakash, a treatise on Karma Kanda; Rahasya Shodasi, an 
explanation of the Sri Gopala Mantra in verses; Prapanna Kalpa Valli, 
an explanation of the Sri Mukunda Mantra in verses; Prapatti 
Chintamani, a treatise pertaining to supreme refuge; Prata Smarana 
Stotram, a devotional hymn; Dasa Sloki or Kama Dhenu, the ten 
nectarine verses; and Savisesh Nirvisesh Sri Krishna Stavam.

http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/saints/nimbarka.htm

