Sage Vasishtha, though he was the family priest of King Nimi, rejected his request to perform a yajna for him, and decided to accept Lord Indra’s invitation to conduct another yajna he had arranged.
Meanwhile, Nimi made Sage Gautam his priest and began his Yajna. Sages and holy men, who had been invited to the yajna, were given handsome gifts.
Vasishtha duly concluded Indra’s Yajna and received many gifts. He then went to meet Nimi. His Yajna was about to be over. Tired, he was resting.
When Vasishtha learnt that Nimi had not cared to wait for him, he angrily shouted, “I’m your family priest. You ignored me and began the Yajna with someone else. This is audacious. I’m told you are lying in bed. Continue lying like that till your body becomes lifeless!”
Those who heard Vasishtha’s curse ran to the king and informed him about it. King Nimi, agitated, addressed Vasishtha, “How could you be so unjust to me? Had I not invited you first? But you chose to go to Indra for the sake of rewards! Now you come and curse a sleeping man! Very well, if I am to leave my body, I throw a similar curse on you. You, too, cannot live in your body!”
Vasishtha realised that he had cursed a sleeping man and that was improper. Secondly, it was true that the king could not be blamed entirely. Indeed, he had asked Vasishtha first to preside over his Yajna!
Vasishtha hurried to Brahma and informed him of the curse that hung over his head. Brahma saw to it that Vasishtha’s consciousness found shelter in the person of Mitravarun. It was long afterwards that a new body was made for him.
Nimi, despite the curse that lay on him, completed the Yajna. Then he left his body. But the sages who had gathered there sat around him and prayed for his consciousness getting back into his body.
The gods appeared and declared that Nimi could not re-enter the same body, but could have a new one. Nimi, however, was not willing to live in a body again. He said, “As long as the body and the consciousness are together, there is no escape from suffering.” He then prayed to the Divine Mother and wanted to remain in everybody’s eyes. The Divine Mother granted the prayer. Nimi became blinking in the eyes of all. That is why the wink is called a Nimish.
