पुराण

पुराण

r.

1st

cl.

(

पुराण्यति

)

Legendary

tale.

यक्

पर०

सक०

सेट्

।

पुराण

Neuter.

(

-णं

)

A

Purāṇa

or

sacred

poetical

work,

supposed

to

be

compiled

or

composed

by

the

poet

VYĀSA

and

comprising

the

whole

body

of

Hindu

theology:

each

Purāṇa

should

treat

of

five

topics

especially

the

creation,

the

destruction

and

renovation

of

worlds

the

genealogy

of

gods

and

heroes

the

reigns

of

the

Manus,

and

the

transaction

of

their

descendants:

but

great

variety

prevails

in

this

respect

and

few

contain

historical

or

genealogical

matter.

There

are

eighteen

acknowledged

Purāṇas.

1.

BRAHMA.

2.

Padma,

or

the

lotus.

3.

Brahmāṇḍa,

or

the

egg

of

BRAHMĀ.

4.

Āgneya,

or

Agni,

fire.

5.

VAISHNAVA,

or

of

VISHṆU.

6.

Garu-

da.

7.

Brahmavaivarta,

or

transformations

of

BRAHMĀ,

that

is

of

KRISHṆA,

identified

with

the

Supreme.

8.

SAIVA,

or

of

ŚIVA.

9.

Linga.

10.

NĀRADĪYA.

11.

SKANDA.

12.

MĀRKAṆḌEYA,

so

called

from

a

Muni

of

that

name.

13.

Bhavishyat,

or

prophetic.

14.

Matsya,

or

the

fish.

15.

Varāha,

or

boar.

16.

Kaurma,

or

of

the

Kurma

or

tortoise.

17.

Vāmana,

or

dwarf.

18.

Bhāgavat,

or

life

of

KRISHṆA,

which

last

is

by

some

considered

as

a

spurious

and

modern

work:

the

Brahmavaivarta

is

also

of

very

modern

origin.

The

Purāṇas

ars

reckoned

to

contain

four

hundred

thousand

stanzas:

there

are

also

eighteen

Upapurāṇas

or

similar

poems

of

inferior

sanctity,

and

different

appellations:

the

whole

constitute

the

popular

or

poetical

creed

of

the

Hindus,

and

some

of

them

or

particular

parts

of

them,

are

very

generally

read,

and

studied.

Masculine.

(

-णः

)

A

karsha

or

measure

of

silver

equal

to

sixteen

Panas

of

Cowries.

Masculine, Feminine, Neuter

(

-णः-णा

or

-णी-णं

)

Old,

ancient.

Etymology

पुरा

old,

and

द्यु

Affix.

or

पुरा

the

same,

णी

to

get

or

be,

and

ड

Affix.

पुराण॑

feminine

ई

former,

ancient,

old

neuter

things

of

the

past,

ancient

history

or

legend,

T.

of

a

class

of

sacred

works.

पुराण

(

णं

)

1.

Neuter.

A

Purāṇa

which

treats

of

Hindu

mythology.

Masculine.

A

kar-

sha

or

measure

of

silver

equal

to

16

panas.

a.

Old,

ancient.

पुराण

-

purANa

-

Neuter

-

mythology

ऋभु

-

Rbhu

-

Masculine

-

in

later

mythology

Rbhu

is

a

son

of

brahman

पुराण

purANa

Neuter

mythology

पौराणिक

paurANika

Masculine

mythologist

ककुब्भण्ड

kakubbhaNDa

Masculine

mythical

being

विक्रोशन

vikrozana

Neuter

mythical

being

सरस्वती

sarasvatI

Feminine

name

of

a

river

[

mythical

]

आस्यमोदक

Asyamodaka

Neuter

mythical

weapon

सुबल

subala

Masculine

of

a

mythical

bird

रत्नवर्षुक

ratnavarSuka

Neuter

mythical

car

puSpaka

जलगन्धेभ

jalagandhebha

Masculine

kind

of

mythic

animal

ब्रह्मास्य

brahmAsya

Neuter

mythical

of

a

Brahman

चक्रतुण्ड

cakratuNDa

Masculine

kind

of

mythical

being

रत्नाद्रि

ratnAdri

Neuter

of

a

mythical

mountain

घोर

ghora

Masculine

kind

of

mythical

weapon

महामृग

mahAmRga

Masculine

mythical

animal

zarabha

नर्तक

nartaka

Neuter

particular

myth.

weapon

सम्मोहन

sammohana

Neuter

kind

of

mythical

weapon

सर्वश्वेता

sarvazvetA

Feminine

particular

mythical

herb

सिंह

siMha

Masculine

particular

mythical

bird

प्रभास्वरा

prabhAsvarA

Feminine

particular

mythical

plant

कशम्बूक

kazambUka

Masculine

particular

mythical

being

पुराण

Neuter.

(

-णं

)

A

Purāṇa

or

sacred

and

poetical

work,

supposed

to

be

compiled

or

composed

by

the

poet

VYĀSA

and

comprising

the

whole

body

of

Hindu

theology:

each

Purāṇa

should

treat

of

five

topics

especially

the

creation,

the

destruction,

and

renovation

of

worlds

the

genealogy

of

gods

and

heroes

the

reigns

of

the

Menus,

and

the

transactions

of

their

descendants:

but

great

variety

prevails

in

this

respect,

and

few

contain

historical

or

genealogical

matter.

There

are

eighteen

acknowledged

Purāṇas.

1

BRĀHMA.

2

Pādma,

or

the

lotus.

3

Brahmāṇḍa,

or

the

egg

of

BRAHMA.

4

Āgneya,

or

Agni

fire.

5

VAIṢṆAVA,

or

of

VIṢṆU.

6

Garuḍa.

7

Brahmavaivarta,

or

transformations

of

BRAHMA,

that

is

of

KṚṢṆA,

identified

with

the

Supreme.

8

ŚAIVA,

or

of

ŚIVA.

9

Liṅga.

10

NĀRADĪYA.

11

SKANDA.

12

MĀRKAṆḌEYA,

so

called

from

a

Muni

of

that

name.

13

Bhaviṣyat,

or

prophetic.

14

Mātsya,

or

the

fish.

15

Vārāha,

or

boar.

16

Kaurma,

or

of

the

Kūrma

or

tortoise.

17

Vāmana,

or

dwarf,

and

18

The

Bhāgavata,

or

life

of

KṚṢṆA,

which

last

is

by

some

considered

as

a

spurious

and

modern

work:

the

Brahmavaivarta

is

also

of

very

modern

origin.

The

Purāṇas

are

reckoned

to

contain

four

hundred

thousand

stanzas:

there

are

also

eighteen

Upapurāṇas

or

similar

poems

of

inferior

sanctity,

and

different

appellations

the

whole

constitute

the

popular

or

poetical

creed

of

the

Hindus,

and

some

of

them

or

particular

parts

of

them,

are

very

generally

read,

and

studied.

Masculine.

(

-णः

)

A

karṣa

or

measure

of

silver

equal

to

sixteen

Paṇas

of

Cowries.

Masculine, Feminine, Neuter

(

-णः-णा

or

णी-णं

)

Old,

ancient.

Etymology

पुरा

old,

and

द्यु

Affix.

or

पुरा

the

same,

णी

to

get

or

be,

and

ड

Affix.

पुराण

[

purāṇa

],

Adjective.

(

-णा,

-णी

Feminine.

)

[

पुरा

नवम्

Nir.

]

Old,

ancient,

belonging

to

olden

times

पुराणमित्येव

न

साधु

सर्वं

न

चापि

काव्यं

नवमित्यवद्यम्

Mâlavikâgnimitra (Bombay).

1.2

पुराणपत्रापगमादनन्तरम्

Raghuvamsa (Bombay).

3.7

Aged,

primeval

गृध्रराजः

पुराणो$सौ

श्वशुरस्य

सखा

मम

Rāmāyana

3.53.5

अजो

नित्यः

शाश्वतो$यं

पुराणः

Bhagavadgîtâ (Bombay).

2.2.

Decayed,

worn

out.

णम्

A

past

event

or

occurrence.

tale

of

the

past,

legend,

ancient

or

legendary

history.

Name.

of

certain

well-known

sacred

works

these

are

18

these

are

supposed

to

have

been

composed

by

Vyāsa,

and

contain

the

whole

body

of

Hindu

mythology.

A

Purāṇa

treats

of

five

topics

(

or

लक्षणानि

),

and

is

hence

Often times.

en

called

पञ्चलक्षण

सर्गश्च

प्रतिसर्गश्च

वंशो

मन्वन्तराणि

च

।

वंशानुचरितं

चैव

पुराणं

पञ्चलक्षणम्

॥

For

the

names

of

the

18

Purāṇas

see

under

अष्टादशन्.

-णः

A

coin

equal

to

8

cowries

ते

षोडश

स्याद्

धरणं

पुराणश्चैव

राजतः

Manusmṛiti.

8.136.

Compound.

-अन्तः

an

epithet

of

Yama.

-उक्त

Adjective.

enjoined

by

or

laid

down

in

the

Purāṇas.

-कल्पः

Equal or equivalent to, same as.

पुराकल्प

quod vide, which see.

गः

an

epithet

of

Brahman.

a

reciter

or

reader

of

the

Purāṇas.

पुरुषः

an

epithet

of

Viṣṇu.

an

old

man

यद्

वदन्ति

चपलेत्यपवादं

तन्न

दूषणमहो

चपलायाः

।

दोष

एष

जलधेः

पितुरस्या

यत्

पुराणपुरुषाय

ददौ

ताम्

Subhāṣ.

(

where

both

senses

are

intended

).

-प्रोक्तa.

proclaimed

by

ancient

sages

Parasmaipada.

IV.*

3.15.

-विद्या,

-वेदः

knowledge

of

the

past

events.

पुराण॑

a

mf(

ई

or

आ

)n.

belonging

to

ancient

or

olden

times,

ancient,

old

(

also

equal, equivalent to, the same as, explained by.

withered,

worn

out,

opp.

to

नूतन,

नव

),

ṛg-veda

et cetera.

et cetera.

पुराण॑

masculine gender.

a

Karṣa

or

measure

of

silver

(

equal, equivalent to, the same as, explained by.

16

Paṇas

of

cowries

),

manu-smṛti

viii,

136

(

also

neuter gender.

,

Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, &c.

)

पुराण॑

masculine gender.

nalopākhyāna

of

a

Ṛṣi,

kāṭhaka

पुराण॑

masculine gender.

plural number.

the

ancients,

Monier-Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, 1st edition with marginal notes

पुराण॑

neuter gender.

a

thing

or

event

of

the

past,

an

ancient

tale

or

legend,

old

traditional

history,

atharva-veda

et cetera.

et cetera.

nalopākhyāna

of

a

class

of

sacred

works

(

supposed

to

have

been

compiled

by

the

poet

Vyāsa

and

to

treat

of

5

topics

[

confer, compare.

पञ्च-लक्षण

]

the

chief

Purāṇas

are

18,

grouped

in

3

divisions:

viz.

1.

Rājasa

exalting

Brahmā

[

e.g.

the

Brahma,

Brahmāṇḍa,

Brahmavaivarta,

Mārkaṇḍeya,

Bhaviṣya,

Vāmana

]

2.

Sāttvika

exalting

Viṣṇu

[

e.g.

the

Viṣṇu,

Bhāgavata,

Nāradīya,

Garuḍa,

Padma,

Varāha

]

3.

Tāmasa

exalting

Śiva

[

e.g.

the

Śiva,

Liṅga,

Skanda,

Agni

or

in

place

of

it

the

Vāyu,

Matsya,

Kūrma

]

by

some

the

P°

are

divided

into

4,

and

by

others

into

6

groups

confer, compare.

Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams

509

et cetera.

)

nalopākhyāna

of

wk.

(

containing

an

index

of

the

contents

of

a

number

of

P°

and

some

other

works.

)

पुराण

b

पुरातन

See

page.

635.

पुराण

purā-ṇá,

Adjective.

(

ī

)

belonging

to

the

olden

time,

primaeval,

ancient,

old

withered

(

leaf

)

Neuter.

things

of

the

olden

time

tale

of

past

ages,

ancient

legend

Purāṇa,

N.

of

eighteen

legendary

works

treating

chiefly

of

cosmogony

and

divine

genealogy

Masculine.

a

coin

of

a

certain

weight

(

a

measure

of

silver

equal

to

eighty

cowries

).

पुराण,

i.

e.

पुरा

+

न,

I.

Adjective.

,

Feminine.

(

णा

and

)

णी।

1.

Primeval,

Man.

5,

23.

2.

Old,

ancient.

Mālav.

4,

2.

3.

Aged,

Vikr.

d.

9

worn

out.

II.

Neuter.

A

tale

of

past

ages

old

history,

legends

a

sacred

work

treating

for

the

most

part

of

the

creation,

the

destruction

and

renovation

of

worlds,

the

genealogy

of

gods,

etc.

There

are

eighteen

acknowledged

Purāṇas.

III.

Masculine.

A

coin

of

a

certain

weight,

Man.

8,

136.

--

Compound

निष्पुराण,

i.

e.

निस्-,

Adjective.

New,

unheard

of.

पुराण

वि*

-

पुरा

नवम्-

निरु*

"पुराना,

प्राचीन,

पूर्वकाल

संबंधी"

पुराण

वि*

-

पुरा

नवम्-

निरु*

"वयोवृद्ध,

पुरातन"

पुराण

वि*

-

पुरा

नवम्-

निरु*

"क्षीण,

घिसाघिसाया"

पुराणम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

"अतीत

घटना,

या

वृत्तान्त"

पुराणम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

"अतीत

की

कहानी,

उपाख्यान,

प्राचीन

या

पौराणिक

इतिहास"

पुराणम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

कुछ

विख्यात

धार्मिक

पुस्तकें

जो

गिनती

में

१८

हैं

व्यास

द्वारा

प्रणीत

मानी

जाती

हैं

पुराणः

पुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

८०

कौड़ियों

के

बराबर

मूल्य

का

एक

सिक्का

पुराण

वि*

-

पुरा

नवम्+नि*

पुराना

पुराण

वि*

-

पुरा

नवम्+नि*

बूढ़ा

पुराण

वि*

-

पुरा

नवम्+नि*

घिसा

पिटा

पुराणम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

बीती

हुई

घटना

पुराणम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

"विख्यात

धार्मिक

पुस्तके

जो

गिनती

में

१८

हैं,

तथा

व्यास

द्वारा

रचित

मानी

जाती

हैं"

पुराण

पदविभागः

विशेष्यनिघ्नम्

कन्नडार्थः

ಪುರಾತನವಾದ

/ಹಿಂದಿನ

ಕಾಲದ

/ಹಳೆಯದಾದ

निष्पत्तिः

पुरा

-

"ट्युल्"

(

४-३-२३

)

व्युत्पत्तिः

पुरा

भवम्

प्रयोगाः

१

)

"उद्वेल्लन्ति

पुराणरोहिणतरुस्कन्धेषु

कुम्भीनसाः"

२

)

"पुराणमित्येव

न

साधु

सर्वम्"

उल्लेखाः

उ०

रा०

२-२९,

माल०

१-२

पुराण

पदविभागः

विशेष्यनिघ्नम्

कन्नडार्थः

ಅನಾದಿ

ಕಾಲದ

/ಬಹಳ

ಪ್ರಾಚೀನವಾದ

पुराण

पदविभागः

विशेष्यनिघ्नम्

कन्नडार्थः

ಅನಾದಿ

ಕಾಲದ್ದಾದರೂ

ಹೊಸದಾಗಿರುವ

व्युत्पत्तिः

पुरं

देहं

अणति

इति

(

आन०

ती०

भा०

)

प्रयोगाः

१

)

"अजो

नित्यः

शाश्वतोऽयं

पुराणं

न

हन्यते

हन्यमाने

शरीरे"

२

)"

पुरापि

नवः"

उल्लेखाः

गीता०

२-२०,

रा०

भा०

पुराण

पदविभागः

नपुंसकलिङ्गः

कन्नडार्थः

"इतिहासपुराणाभ्यां

वेदं

समुपबृंहयेत्"

ಎಂಬ

ವಚನಾನುಸಾರ

ವೇದದಲ್ಲಿ

ವರ್ಣಿತವಾದ

ಅರ್ಥಗಳನ್ನು

ಲೋಕಕ್ಕೆ

ಬೋಧಿಸಲು

ಅನೇಕ

ಮಹರ್ಷಿಗಳಿಂದ

ರಚಿತವಾದ

ಗ್ರಂಥ

purARa

{%

(

I

)

a.

(

f.

णा

or

णी

)

%}

1.

Ancient,

old,

belonging

to

olden

times,

पुराणमित्येव

न

साधु

सर्वं

न

चापि

काव्यं

नवमित्यवद्यम्

Mal.i.,

or

अजो

नित्यः

शाश्वतोऽयं

पुराणः

Bg.ii.20

2.

worn

out.

purARa

{%

(

II

)

n.

%}

1.

A

past

event

2.

any

legendary

tale

3.

the

name

of

a

certain

class

of

sacred

works

ascribed

to

Vyāsa

and

containing

the

whole

body

of

Hindu

mythology.(

पुराण

is

thus

defined-

सर्गश्च

प्रतिसर्गश्च

वंशो

मन्वंतराणि

च

।

वंशानुचरितं

चैव

पुराणं

पंचलक्षणम्.

There

are

eighteen

principal

Purāṇas-

अश्ग्टादशपुराणानि

पुराणज्ञः

प्रचक्षते

।

ब्राह्मं

पाद्मं

वैष्णवं

च

शैवं

भागवतं

तथा

।

तथान्यन्नारदीयं

च

मार्कंडेयं

च

सप्तमम्

।

आग्नेयमष्टमं

चैव

भविष्यं

नवमं

स्मृतम्

।

वाराहं

द्वादशं

चैव

स्कांदं

चैव

त्रयोदशम्

।

चतुर्दशं

वामनं

च

कौर्मं

पंचदशं

स्मृतम्

।

मात्स्यं

च

गारुडं

चैव

ब्रह्मांडं

च

ततः

परम्.

)

purARa

{%

(

III

)

m.

%}

A

coin

equal

to

eighty

cowries.

१८,

अब्रह्म,

तीर्थ,

धृति,

पापस्थानक,

पुराण,

विद्या,

स्मृति

पुराण

(

a

पुरा

)

1

)

Adj.

(

fem.

आ

et

ई

)

antiquus,

priscus.

M.

56.

BH.

2.

20.

15.

4.

2

)

n.

nomen

carminum

mytho-

logicorum,

octodecim

numero.

पुराण

Index

of

the

contents

of

a

number

of

Purāṇas

and

some

other

works.

IO.

365.

366.

Oxf.

84^a.

Purāṇa

(

=

Pali

id.

),

n.

of

a

sthapati

of

Prasenajit,

associate

of

Iṣiḍatta,

Divy

〔77.27〕

〔466.23〕,

or

Ṛṣidatta,

spelled

Riṣidatta

in

Av

〔i.224.3〕,

and

Ṛddhidatta

in

mss.

Av

〔ii.9.7〕.

He,

and

perhaps

his

associate,

were

doubtless

referred

to

in

MSV

〔ii.70.4〕,

which

must

contain

a

lacuna

as

well

as

more

than

one

corruption.

See

also

next.

purāṇa

(

IE

8-8

EI

12,

21,

29

),

name

of

a

coin

a

silver

coin

also

called

dharaṇa

and

kārṣāpaṇa

(

32

or

24

ratis

)

cf.

kapar-

daka-purāṇa

(

EI

26

),

meaning

purāṇa

calculated

in

cowrie-

shells

also

paṇa-purāṇa

(

i.

e.

purāṇa

counted

in

copper

paṇas

).

(

Ep.

Ind.,

Vol.

XXVIII,

p.

246

),

the

Purāṇa

texts,

e.

g.

the

Āditya

Purāṇa.

purāṇa,

a

silver

coin

also

called

dharaṇa

and

kārṣāpaṇa,

32

ratis

(

about

58

grains

)

in

weight

name

applied

to

the

silver

punch-marked

coins

and

also

to

the

Śaka-type

silver

coins

weighing

about

20

ratis.

purāṇá,

a.

former,

belonging

to

old

times

as

n.

things

of

the

past

tale

of

old

times,

λόγος

and

μῦθος.

[

purā,

1245d.

]

पुराण

old

the

word

is

used

in

the

sense

of

old

or

ancient

cf.

पुराणप्रोक्तेषु

ब्राह्मणकल्पेषु.

P.

IV.

3.105.

It

is

also

used

in

the

sense

of

old

mytho-

logical

works

cf.

इतिहृास:

पुराणं

वैद्यकं

M.Bh.

on

Āhnika

l

Vart.

5.

Purāṇa

(

“ancient

tale

or

tradition”

),

sg.

and

pl.:

I,

16

(

ºsaṃśritāḥ

puṇyāḥ

kathāḥ

),

17

(

Dvaipāyanena

yat

proktaṃ

Pºṃ,

i.e.

the

Mhbhr.

),

63

(

itihāsa-Pºānām

unmeshaṃ

nirmitañ

ca

yat

),

65

(

ºānāṃ

ca

kṛtsnaśaḥ

),

86

(

ºpūrṇacandrena

),

235

(

sg.

),

246

(

sg.

),

260

(

itihāsa-Pºābhyāṃ

),

357

(

Harivaṃśaḥ…Pºṃ

),

468

(

Mārkaṇḍeyasamāsyā

ca

Pºṃ

),

649

(

asyākhyānasya--i.e.

the

Mhbhr.--vishaye

Pºṃ

vartate

),

852

(

Paurāṇikaḥ

Pºe

kṛtaśramaḥ

),

863

(

ºm

akhilaṃ

pitā

te--i.e.

Lomaharshaṇa--'dhītavān

purā

),

864

(

sg.

),

869

(

ºāśrayasaṃyutaṃ,

sc.

vaṃśaṃ

),

1025

(

itihāsam

imaṃ

viprāḥ

Pºaṃ

paricakshate

),

1438

(

ºe

yadi

paṭhyate

),

1439

(

vishayo

'yaṃ

Pºsya

),

2020

(

sarpasattraṃ…Pºe

paripaṭhyate

),

†2120

(

sg.

),

2298

(

ºm

ṛshisaṃstutaṃ,

i.e.

the

Mhbhr.

),

2546

(

vaṃśaprabhavaḥ…Pºṇe

saṃśrutaḥ

),

2560

(

apatyaṃ

Kapi

lāyās

tu

Pºe

parikīrtitaṃ

),

4034

(

?

pl.

),

4356

(

itihāsa-Pºeshu

),

4692

(

ºvidaḥ

),

6650

(

Vāśishṭham

ākhyānaṃ

Pºṃ

paricakshate

),

7265

(

śrūyate

hi

Pºe

Jaṭilā

)

II,

136

(

itihāsa-Pºjñaḥ,

sc.

Nārada

),

1472

(

ºvidaḥ

)

III,

†958

(

?

Dhātrā

vidhir

yo

vihitaḥ

Pºaiḥ

),

12802

(

Mātsyakaṃ

nāma

Pºṃ,

i.e.

Matsyopākhyāna

(

Vaivasvatopākhyāna

)

),

13122

(

Vāyuproktam

anusmṛtya

Pºm

ṛshisaṃstutaṃ

),

13141

(

sg.

)

IV,

1593

(

pl.

ºāni

)

V,

7073

(

ºe

śrūyate…Maruttena…gītaḥ

ślokaḥ

)

VI,

†2589

(

?

kathitaḥ

Pºaiḥ

),

2938

(

ºgītaṃ?

)

VII,

2203

(

ºvidaḥ

),

2369

(

do.

),

9601

(

ºādhyatmaniścayāḥ

)

VIII,

1498

(

pl.

ºāḥ

)

XI,

344

(

pl.

ºāni

)

XII,

1619

(

ºe

Purushaṃ

proktaṃ,

sc.

Kṛshṇa

),

1841

(

itihāsa-Pºārthāḥ

),

1898

(

stuti-Pºjñāḥ

),

2260

(

?

āgamaḥ

Pºānāṃ

),

5595,

6205

(

Maheśvarapraṇītaś

ca--sc.

the

sword-Pºe

niścayaṃ

gataḥ

),

6207

(

?

ārshaṃ

),

†7370

(

sg.

),

7524

(

ºvidaḥ

),

7571

(

sapta

brahmāṇa

ity

ete

Pºe

niścayaṃ

gatāḥ

),

10798

(

śrūyate

hi

Pºeshu

prajā

dhigdaṇḍaśāsanāḥ

),

†11205

(

yac

cāpi

dṛshṭaṃ

dvividhaṃ

Pºe

Sāṅkhyāgataṃ

),

11744

(

Romaharsheṇa

Pºm

avadhāritaṃ

),

12674

(

Vedeshu

sa-Pºeshu

),

12970

(

atikrāntāḥ

Pºeshu

śrutāḥ

te

yadi,

sc.

the

Vedas

),

12983

(

ºṃ

Vedasammitaṃ

),

12989

(

idaṃ

),

13024

(

a-Pºvidā

),

13134

(

Vedeshu

sa-Pºeshu

),

13136

(

ºe…mama--i.e.

Kṛshṇa's-nāmāni

kīrtitāni

),

††13187

(

api

hi

Pºe

bhavati

),

13189

(

sg.

),

††13205

(

Veda-Pºetihāsaº

),

13457

(

ºṃ

Vedasammitaṃ

),

13528

(

do.

)

XIII,

1054

(

ºjñaiḥ

surarshibhiḥ

),

1102

(

Veda-śāstraPºoktaḥ

),

1542

(

sg.

),

3990

(

śrutaṃ…Pºe

),

4304

(

sg.

),

4863

(

setihāsaṃ

),

5104

(

sg.

),

6902

(

do.

),

7358

(

do.

)

XVIII,

304

(

ashṭādaśa

Pºānāṃ

).

Purāṇa(

ḥ

)

=

Śiva

(

1000

names^2

).

पुराण

/

PURĀṆA

.1

)

General

information.

The

Amarakośa

describes

a

purāṇa

thus:Sargaśca

pratisargaśca

Vaṁśo

manvantarāṇi

ca

।

Vaṁśānucaritaṁ

cāpi

Purāṇam

pañcalakṣaṇam

।।

According

to

this

definition,

purāṇa

is

one

which

describes

sarga,

Pratisarga,

Vaṁśa,

manvantara

and

Vaṁśānucarita.

Among

these

sarga

and

Pratisarga

are

natural

creation

and

renovation

(

Cosmogony

).

Vaṁśa

means

history

of

sages

and

patriarchs.

By

manvantara

is

meant

the

period

of

different

Manus.

Vaṁśānucarita

means

Genealogy

of

kings.

In

the

Purāṇas

which

are

current

now

some

of

these

five

divisions

are

wanting.

Statements

about

Purāṇas

are

found

even

in

the

Brāhmaṇas.

Therefore

it

is

to

be

surmised

that

Purāṇas

existed

even

before

historic

times.

mahābhārata

has

used

the

term

purāṇa

to

mean

stories

about

devas

and

siddhas.

The

Upaniṣads

say

that

Purāṇas

are

itihāsas

and

as

such

constitute

the

fifth

veda.

smṛti

says

that

Purāṇas

are

commentaries

on

Vedas.

From

all

these

statements

it

can

be

gathered

that

Purāṇas

have

a

hoary

past.

The

great

Sanskrit

scholar

Raṅgācārya

has

defined

purāṇa

as

Purā

nava

(

Purā=old

nava

=new

)

meaning

things

which

are

as

good

as

new

though

existing

from

olden

times.

Though

there

are

large

portions

of

wide

imagination

dealing

with

the

human

side

in

the

Purāṇas

many

truths

about

the

universe

can

be

grasped

from

them.

All

the

Purāṇas

contain

praises

of

brahmā,

viṣṇu

and

maheśvara.

In

most

of

the

Purāṇas

of

old,

new

additions

and

interpolations

are

seen.

The

Purāṇas

in

original

were

in

existence

before

Christ.Ākhyānaiścāpyupākhyānair

Gāthābhiḥ

Kalpaśuddhibhiḥ

।

Purāṇasaṁhitāṁ

cakre

Purāṇārthaviśāradaḥ

।।

(

Śloka

15,

Chapter

6,

aṁśa

3,

viṣṇu

purāṇa

)Aṣṭādaśa

Purāṇāni

Kṛtvā

Satyavatīsutaḥ

।

Bhāratākhyānamakhilaṁ

Cakre

tadupabṛṁhaṇam

।।

(

Śloka

70,

Chapter

53,

matsya

purāṇa

)

From

the

above

it

can

be

gathered

that

it

was

vyāsa

who

composed

all

the

Purāṇas.

bāṇa

who

lived

in

the

seventh

century

A.D.

speaks

about

vāyu

purāṇa.

Kumārila

Bhaṭṭa

who

lived

in

the

eighth

century

and

śaṅkarācārya

who

lived

in

the

ninth

century

speak

about

the

Purāṇas.

Purāṇas

must

have

therefore

taken

their

present

forms

before

the

sixth

or

seventh

century

A.D.

There

are

eighteen

major

Purāṇas

and

another

eighteen

minor

ones.

The

major

Purāṇas

contain

over

four

lakhs

of

Ślokas.

All

the

Purāṇas

are

in

verses

like

mahābhārata.

But

none

of

them

is

as

good

as

mahābhārata

as

a

piece

of

literature.

Still

the

Purāṇas

splendidly

reflect

the

culture

of

bhārata.

The

Purāṇas

are

the

basis

of

the

bulk

of

Indian

thinking

on

matters

social,

cultural,

religious

and

political.

Even

the

Indian

art

has

taken

form

from

the

Purāṇas.

The

Purāṇas

are

classified

into

three,

those

pertaining

to

brahmā,

those

pertaining

to

viṣṇu

and

those

to

śiva.2

)

A.

viṣṇu-based

Purānas.

(

i

)

viṣṇu

purāṇa.

This

is

one

of

the

most

important

of

all

the

Purāṇas.

This

contains

the

five

technical

divisions

of

the

Purāṇas.

This

is

divided

into

six

aṁśas.

This

deals

with

the

events

of

Vārāhakalpa

and

contains

twentythree

thousand

ślokas.

The

theme

is

the

ten

incarnations

of

Mahāviṣṇu.

viṣṇu

purāṇa

is

the

most

ancient

of

all

the

Purāṇas

and

has

got

the

name

Purāṇaratna

(

gem

of

Purāṇas

).

The

method

of

narration

is

in

the

form

of

teaching

his

disciple

maitreya

by

sage

parāśara.

Since

there

is

a

reference

in

it

to

the

Maurya

dynasty

it

is

to

be

surmised

that

this

was

composed

in

the

first

or

second

century

A.D.

The

narrator

himself

states

thus:-“Vyāsa

an

adept

in

the

compositon

of

Purāṇas

composed

this

Purāṇasaṁhitā

with

ākhyānas,

Upākhyānas,

gāthās

and

Kalpanirṇayas.

A

sūta

named

romaharṣaṇa

was

Vyāsa's

chief

disciple.

The

broad-minded

vyāsa

gave

that

saṁhitā

to

that

sūta.

romaharṣaṇa

had

six

disciples

named

sumati,

Agnivarcas,

Mitrāyus.

Śāṁśapāyana,

akṛtavraṇa,

and

sāvarṇi.

Of

these

akṛtavraṇa,

sāvarṇi

and

Śāṁśapāyana

born

in

the

Kaśyapagotra

have

composed

Purāṇasaṁhitās.

There

is

yet

another

saṁhitā

composed

by

romaharṣaṇa

which

was

the

basis

of

the

saṁhitās

of

his

three

disciples.

I

have

composed

viṣṇupurāṇa

basing

on

the

above

four

saṁhitās.”

If

a

man

gives

as

gift

a

book

of

viṣṇu

purāṇa

on

the

full

moon

day

in

the

month

of

āṣāḍha

(

July

)

with

Jaladhenu

he

will

attain

Viṣṇupāda.(

ii

)

bhāgavata

purāṇa.

This

is

the

most

popular

and

widely

circulated

of

all

the

Purāṇas.

It

is

dear

to

viṣṇu-devotees.

Divided

into

twelve

Skandhas

this

contains

eighteen

thousand

ślokas.

All

the

incarnations

of

viṣṇu

are

described

in

this.

The

most

interesting

skandha

is

the

tenth

skandha

in

which

the

author

has

described

the

life

and

activities

of

śrī

kṛṣṇa.

There

was

once

a

belief

that

it

was

Baladeva

who

lived

in

the

thirteenth

century

A.D.

that

had

composed

this

purāṇa.

But

this

belief

was

smashed

when

it

was

found

that

Vallālasena

of

Bengal

who

lived

in

the

eleventh

century

A.D.

had

made

references

to

this

purāṇa

in

some

of

his

works.

bhāgavata

accepts

kapila

and

buddha

as

incarnations

of

viṣṇu.

This

has

been

translated

into

all

Indian

languages.

This

book

has

to

be

given

as

gift

on

the

fullmoon

day

in

the

month

of

Proṣṭhapada

(

September

).

agni

purāṇa

instructs

that

this

book

is

to

be

given

along

with

a

golden

image

of

a

lion.(

iii

)

Nāradīya

purāṇa.

This

is

in

the

form

of

a

narration

by

nārada

to

sanatkumāra.

In

this

book

of

twentyfive

thousand

verses

nārada

teaches

the

dharmas

of

Bṛhatkalpa.

If

this

is

given

as

gift

on

the

full-moon

day

in

the

month

of

Āśvina

there

will

be

great

prosperity.(

iv

)

garuḍa

purāṇa.

This

is

in

the

form

of

instructions

to

garuḍa

by

viṣṇu.

This

deals

with

astronomy,

medicine,

grammar,

and

with

the

structure

and

qualities

of

diamonds.

This

purāṇa

is

dear

to

Vaiṣṇavites.

The

latter

half

of

this

purāṇa

deals

with

life

after

death.

The

Hindus

of

north-india

generally

read

this

purāṇa

while

cremating

the

bodies

of

the

dead.

This

has

given

great

importance

to

the

origin

of

garuḍa.

There

are

eight

thousand

verses

in

this

book.

This

book

should

be

given

as

gift

along

with

an

image

in

gold

of

a

swan

to

get

prosperity.(

v