External Events (Drishta / Aharana Nimitta) – an unexpected natural occurrence (for example, a sudden or strange change in weather: lightning, a strong gust of wind, unexpected rain), a falling object, an accident, or the sudden appearance of a person.
Dreams (Swapna Nimitta) – dreams are regarded as a separate form of nimitta. Depending on the time of night and the dream’s content, one can determine whether it is a message or merely a mental process of the subconscious.
Inner Nimitta (Antar Nimitta) – sudden intuition, a thought that arises without reason. It is considered the highest form of nimitta – as if the soul itself whispers a message.
Common Signs and Their Interpretation According to Nimitta Shastra
Fruits and flowers – good signs.
Falling leaves or branches without visible cause – loss.
A pleasant smell of food – an excellent sign.
A burning candle, flame, or lit lamp – good signs.
A box of matches spilling open foretells luck in love for single people.
Milk boiling over, burning, or spilling from a pot – a bad omen. Yet in general, the appearance of dairy products is a good sign.
Dropping something on the floor or accidentally spilling salt – negative signs.
Broken glass – the glass has absorbed the evil eye.
A broken mirror – a well-known bad omen.
Finding objects on the street such as jewelry, money, keys, a horseshoe, a beautiful feather, or unusual stones – according to Nimitta Shastra, these may be positive signs. However, one must never pick them up or, worse, wear them. There are known cases where people deliberately threw away bewitched objects to transfer their illnesses or misfortunes to whoever would take or touch them. In extreme cases, the object may be possessed by a spirit or demon.
Meeting a joyful pregnant woman or a woman with a small child – a wonderful sign foretelling abundance and blessings.
Seeing someone holding food or drink – a good sign.
Events that get canceled, or lost tickets – a sign that you have avoided something undesirable, or an indication to stay away from that event.
Nimittas Related to Sounds
A doorbell or phone ringing at the very moment you think of something – a positive sign, as if confirming your thought. Similarly, pleasant sounds of musical instruments of various kinds are considered very good signs. Hearing off-key or discordant playing is a less favorable one.
Thinking of something and suddenly overhearing others’ conversation or an echo – sometimes conversations we hear clearly, even though they don’t concern us, while we’re pondering something, can turn out to be the very answer we seek.
Children’s laughter – a harbinger of joy.
Unpleasant animal sounds or their cries – bad signs, especially if they occur frequently. Hearing a dog that cries or barks hysterically again and again foretells the presence of an enemy disguised as a friend or a partner with malicious, selfish intentions.
Silence after a loud noise – a symbol of possible upcoming changes; it’s a cue to pause before making a decision.
The sound of fire – signifies activity; one should remain calm.
The sound of water – if it seems that water is “bursting out” of a faucet, it’s a bad sign for financial or emotional matters. If the water flows smoothly – it’s a good sign.