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Infobox

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{{use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox character
| image = Nila-Ramayana(Bali-1880).jpg
| info-hdr = Information
| alt = Nila
| caption = A [[Bali]]nese painting of Nila
| color = #FFC569
| race = [[Vanara]]
| family = [[Agni]] (father)<br>[[Nala (Ramayana)|Nala]] (brother)
}}

In the [[Hindu epic]] ''[[Ramayana]]'', '''Nila''' ([[IAST]]: nīla, lit. ''blue''), also spelled as '''Neela''', is a [[vanara]] chieftain in the army of [[Rama]], the prince of [[Ayodhya]] and [[avatar]] of the god [[Vishnu]].<ref name="Mani">{{cite book|author = Mani, Vettam|title = Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary With Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature|url = https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft|publisher = Motilal Banarsidass|year = 1975|location = Delhi|isbn = 0-8426-0822-2|author-link =Vettam Mani|page=[https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/538 538]}}</ref> He is the commander-in-chief of the monkey army under the monkey king [[Sugriva]] and is described as leading the army in Rama's battle against the [[rakshasa]] king [[Ravana]] of [[Lanka]] (identified with modern-day [[Sri Lanka]]) and as killing many [[Rakshasa|rakshasas]].

Though, the ''Ramayana'' credits [[Nala (Ramayana)|Nala]] as the sole builder of the [[Adam's Bridge|Rama Setu]], a bridge across the ocean between [[Rameswaram]] (India) and Lanka, enabling forces of [[Rama]] to pass over to Lanka, other adaptations of the epic attribute the bridge's construction to both Nala and Nila.

==Background==
In the ''Ramayana'', Nila is described as the son of [[Agni]], the fire as God, and as the "Kapishreshtha (foremost among the monkeys) in effulgence, reputation and prowess".<ref name="Mani"/> An important part of the epic describes the role played by the monkey army in the rescue of [[Sita]], the wife of [[Rama]] who is kidnapped by [[Ravana]], the [[rakshasa]] king of [[Lanka]]. The many stories forming the epic are retold in various adaptations.{{citation needed|date=August 2017}}

==Search for Sita==
The ''Ramayana'' describes Nila as the commander-in-chief of the monkey army, under the king [[Sugriva]].<ref>Venkatesananda pp. 270, 282, 301</ref> Sugriva orders Nila to assemble the monkeys so that they can be sent to locate Sita.<ref>Lefeber & Goldman, p. 117</ref> The epic specifics Nila as a member of the search party that headed in the southern direction.<ref>Lefeber & Goldman, p. 144</ref> The ''[[Mahabharata]]'' epic also tells of Nila being sent with other monkeys in the search for Sita.<ref name="Mani"/>

Nila is mentioned as one of four monkeys powerful enough to cross the ocean between India and Lanka.<ref>Venkatesananda p. 228</ref> In the narrative, [[Hanuman]], Rama's devotee and monkey general is chosen to fly to Lanka and search for Sita, which he succeeds in accomplishing. Nila is ordered by Sugriva to find a route to Lanka, through which plenty of food is available. Sugriva and Nila also issue directives to the army to march.<ref name="Venkatesananda p. 270">Venkatesananda p. 270</ref>

==Builder of the bridge==
[[File:The Monkeys and Bears Build a Bridge to Lanka.jpg|thumb|300px|Nala (white monkey) and Nila (blue monkey) talking with Rama. Left: Nala and Nila directing the monkeys to place the stones in the ocean.]]
Rama, aided by an army of vanaras (monkeys), reaches the end of land, but needs to cross over to Lanka to retrieve Sita. The ''Ramayana'' credits [[Nala (Ramayana)|Nala]] as the sole builder of the [[Adam's Bridge|Rama Setu]], a bridge across the ocean between [[Rameswaram]] and Lanka, enabling the forces of [[Rama]] to pass over to Lanka. However, the ''[[Ramacharitamanasa]]'' credits Nala and his brother Nila for the bridge's creation. The sea-god [[Varuna]] tells Rama that both of them possess the ability to make stones float on water.<ref name="Tulasīdāsa1999">{{cite book|author=Tulasīdāsa|title=Sri Ramacaritamanasa|date=1999|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0762-4|page=582}}</ref>

The tale elaborates on how the two monkeys came to have this power: In their youth these monkeys, being very mischievous, often play by throwing the ''[[murti]]''s (holy images) worshipped by the sages in the water. To prevent the sacred images from drowning, the sages decree that any stone tossed by them in water will never submerge. Another tale narrates how as assured by Varuna, the stones dropped by Nala and Nila would forever float, but with the condition that they would drift in the sea without forming a contiguous structure. The version has Hanuman suggest that the name of Rama be written across the stones so that they stick together, and describes the strategy as overcoming the proviso.<ref>Lutgendorf p. 143</ref>

==The battle==
[[File:Nila Ramayana.jpg|thumb|upright|Nila, [[Company style]]]]

Nila heads the monkey army in the battle led by Rama against Ravana and his rakshasa army. The ''Ramayana'' tells of Nila facing the rakshasa Nikumbha. Though injured by the rakshasa, Nila picks up the chariot wheel of Nikumbha and kills him with it.<ref name="Venkatesananda p. 270"/> Nila also fights a fierce battle with [[Prahasta]]. The rakshasa shoots many arrows at Nila who, unable to escape, bears them calmly with closed eyes. Later, when Prahasta dashes towards Nila with a mallet, the monkey fights back with rocks and finally hurls a huge boulder at him, thus slaying him.<ref>Venkatesananda p. 301</ref> Nila also battles with Ravana, jumping onto his chariot.<ref>Lefeber & Goldman, p. 238</ref><ref>Venkatesananda pp. 302–3</ref> Nila and Hanuman together battle with rakshasas [[Trishira]] and [[Mahodara]], when Nila kills Mahodara with a rock.<ref>Venkatesananda p. 312</ref> The ''Mahabharata'' states that he slays the rakshasa Pramathi in the battle.<ref name="Mani"/> The ''[[Ramavataram|Kamba Ramayana]]'' portrays him as being defeated and struck unconscious by [[Indrajit]], Ravana's son.<ref>''Kamba Ramayana'' p. 325</ref>

The ''[[Krittivasi Ramayan]]'' narrates how the monkeys are sent to disturb the [[yajna]] (fire sacrifice) that Ravana is performing in order to make himself invincible. Nila is described as polluting the ritual by climbing on Ravana's heads and urinating on them.<ref>Lutgendorf pp. 143, 211</ref>

==Jain Version==
{{main|Rama in Jainism}}
According to [[Jain texts]], Nila took [[Jain monasticism|Jain Diksha]] and attained [[Moksha (Jainism)|Moksha]] from [[Mangi-Tungi]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nashik.nic.in/htmldocs/touristplaces.htm|title=Mangi Tungi Temple|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001202528/http://nashik.nic.in/htmldocs/touristplaces.htm|archive-date=1 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book|author=Rosalind Lefeber, Robert P. Goldman|title=The Ramayana of Valmiki: An Epic of Ancient India-Kiskindhakanda|year=1994|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=0-691-06661-2}}
* {{cite book|title=Kamba Ramayana|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t3OYeqSZgqYC&pg=PA325|year=2002|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=978-0-14-302815-4}}
* {{cite book|author=Swami Venkatesananda|title=The Concise Ramayana of Valmiki|year=1988|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-0-88706-862-1}}
* {{cite book|author=Philip Lutgendorf|author-link=Philip Lutgendorf|title=Hanuman's Tale : The Messages of a Divine Monkey: The Messages of a Divine Monkey|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fVFC2Nx-LP8C&pg=PA143|date=13 December 2006|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-804220-4}}

{{Ramayana}}

[[Category:Vanara in the Ramayana]]

Nila (Ramayana) - Revision history

imported>245CMR: Infobox