anu niśītham

 

“Anu niśītham” in Sanskrit means “after midnight” 

or “at midnight” and is used to indicate the time 

around the deep night hours.

Breakdown of the Term

• Anu (अनु): This prefix can mean “after,” “along,” or “following”
• in Sanskrit, showing sequential order or temporal relation 

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• Niśītham (नीशीथम्): Refers specifically to midnight, the middle 
• of the night 

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  2 Sources
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When combined, anu-niśītham (अनुनिशीथम्) literally translates to 

“after midnight”, denoting a time slightly past the midpoint of the

night 

. This usage is attested in classical Sanskrit texts such 

as the Kirātārjunīya and listed in Monier-Williams’ 

Sanskrit-English dictionary 

Wisdom Library+1

.

Context and Usage

• In Hindu scriptures, rituals, or astrological references, anu niśītham
• is often used to indicate an auspicious or significant time in the
• late hours of the night.
• It is a precise temporal marker in Sanskrit literature and does 
• not commonly appear as a personal name or noun in other contexts.
• The term is sometimes transliterated as Anunisitham or
• Anuniśītham in IAST conventions 

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In summary, “anu niśītham” specifies the time after midnight and 

is primarily used in classical Sanskrit literature to indicate

late-night timing. Its components emphasize the sequential 

nature (anu) and the specific temporal point of

midnight (niśītham) 

Wisdom Library+1

.