Nimi of Vidarbha

Nimi of Vidarbha was a king named by Bhīṣma in the Anuśāsana Parva as an example of great dāna (giving). He gave his kingdom and his own daughter to Agastya Maharṣi. He went to svarga (heaven) together with his sons, his cattle and all his kinsmen.

Nimi in Bhīṣma’s list of givers

Bhīṣma lists kings and ṛṣis who reached the highest lokas through acts of unusual dāna. In that list, Nimi of Vidarbha gave away both his kingdom and his own daughter to Agastya Maharṣi. Through this gift he rose to svarga. His sons, his cattle and all his kinsmen went with him. The Mahābhārata tells this in the Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 137.

Not the same as other men named Nimi

Other men in the texts also carry the name Nimi, and this Nimi is a different person from each of them:

• The Nimi of the line of Dattātreya and Atri. His son Śrīmanta died, and that death led to the first śrāddha (the rite for departed ancestors). This is in the Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 91.
• The Nimi of Videha, a king who loved philosophy. He hosted the Nava Yogīśvaras (nine yogī-sages) in the Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 137
• Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 91 (the Nimi of Atri’s line)
• Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa (the Nimi of Videha)