Upapurana, Upapurāṇa: 15 definitions
Introduction:
Upapurana means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Upapurāṇa (उपपुराण).—See under Purāṇa.
Upapurāṇa (उपपुराण).—The Upapuranas are a genre of Hindu religious texts consisting of a large number of compilations differentiated from the Mahapuranas by styling them as secondary Puranas using a disparaging prefix Upa (secondary).
The list found in the Kurma Purana (Purvabhaga, 1.17-20) provides the following names:
- Adya-purana (Sanatkumara),
- Narasimha-purana,
- Skanda-purana,
- Shivadharma-purana,
- Durvasa-purana,
- Naradiya-purana,
- Kapila-purana,
- Vamana-purana,
- Aushanasa-purana,
- Brahmanda-purana,
- Varuna-purana,
- Kalika-purana,
- Maheshvara-purana,
- Samba-purana,
- Saura-purana,
- Parashara-purana,
- Maricha-purana,
- Bhargava-purana.
The Brihaddharma Purana provides a list of the following eighteen:
- Adi-purana,
- Aditya-purana,
- Brihannaradiya-purana,
- Naradiya-purana,
- Nandishvara-purana,
- Brihannandishavara-purana,
- Samba-purana,
- Kriyayogasara,
- Kalika-purana,
- Dharma-purana,
- Vishnudharmottara-purana,
- Shivadharma-purana,
- Vishnudharma-purana,
- Vamana-purana,
- Varuna-purana,
- Narasimha-purana,
- Bhargava-purana,
- Brihaddharma-purana.
Upapurāṇa (उपपुराण) refers to “supplementary Purāṇas”.—Besides these eighteen Purāṇas there are many Puranic works known as Upapurāṇas. Though the Upapurāṇas are said to be eighteen in number their list is less canonised than that of the eighteen Mahapurāṇas.
As to the origin of the Upapurāṇas the Kurmapurāṇa, Śivamāhātmya-khaṇḍa of the Sūtasaṃhitā of the Skandapurāṇa and the Parāśara-Upapurāṇa record a tradition that the sages proclaimed the Upapurāṇas after listening to the eighteen Purāṇas form Vyāsa. This tradition which is accepted as true by the Nibandha writers assigns the Upapurāṇas to a date posterior to that of the Mahāpurāṇas and consequently to a position inferior to that of the latter. The Saurapurāṇa says that the Upapurāṇas are mere supplements (khila) to the principle Purāṇas and it attaches itself in that capacity of the Brahmāpurāṇa.
As to the contents of the Upapurāṇas the Saurapurāṇa says:—“A Purāṇa has five characterstics viz. Sarga, Pratisargam Vaṃśa, Manvantara and Vaṃśānucarita. These are the characteristics of the puranas such as the Brahmā etc. These again are known to be the characteristics of the Upapurāṇas because of their supplementary chareter. But as a matter of fact the Upapurāṇas, like the Mahapurāṇas incorporate in their texts, topics on Tīrtha, Dāna, Varta, Varnāśramadharma, Prāvaścitta, Śrāddha etc.
Upapurāṇa (उपपुराण) can be considered as the supplements of the Mahāpurāṇas as those are mostly based on the Mahāpurāṇas. The Saurapurāṇa considers the Upapurāṇas as khilas i.e., supplements and states as—“upapurāṇānāṃ khilatvāllakṣaṇaṃ smṛtam”. In support of it R. C. Hazra states that the purāṇas are called Upapurāṇas as they are supposed to have been declared by the sages after hearing the Mahāpurāṇas from Vyāsa or some trustworthy authorities.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
upapurāṇa (उपपुराण).—n (S) A minor or secondary Puraṇ. There are eighteen; viz. laghukālikā, bṛhatkālikā, parāśara, siṃha, nārada, sanatkumāra, saura, durvāsa, kapila, mānava, viṣṇudharmōttara, śaivadharma, māhēśvara, nandī, kumāra, auśanasa, dēvī, varuṇa.
upapurāṇa (उपपुराण).—n A minor or secondary purāṇa; there are eighteen of these.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Upapurāṇa (उपपुराण).—A secondary or minor Purāṇa (for an enumeration of their names, see under aṣṭādaśan).
Derivable forms: upapurāṇam (उपपुराणम्).
Upapurāṇa (उपपुराण).—n.
(-ṇaṃ) A Purana, one not included in the eighteen principal: a similar number is reckoned, or 1. Adi. 2. Nrishinha. 3. Vayu. 4. Sivadhermma. 5. Durvasa. 6. Narada. 7. Nandikeswara. 8. Usanas. 9. Kapila. 10. Varuna. 11. Samba. 12. Kalika. 13. Maheswara. 14. Padma. 15. Deva. 16. Parasara. 17. Maricha. 18. Bhaskara. E. upa minor, purāṇa a Purana.
Upapurāṇa (उपपुराण).—[neuter] a secondary or minor Purāṇa.
Upapurāṇa (उपपुराण) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—[anonymous] Oppert. Ii, 2810. 4500.
Upapurāṇa (उपपुराण):—[=upa-purāṇa] n. a secondary or minor Purāṇa (eighteen are enumerated; the following is the list in the Kūrma-purāṇa: 1. Sānatkumāra, 2. Nārasiṃha (fr. Nṛsiṃha) 3. Bhāṃda, 4. Śiva-dharma, 5. Daurvāsasa, 6. Nāradīya, 7. Kāpila, 8. Vāmana, 9. Auśanasa, 10. Brahmāṇḍa, 11. Vāruṇa, 12. Kālikā-purāṇa, 13. Māheśvara, 14. Sāmba, 15. Saura, 16. Pārāśara, 17. Mārīca, 18. Bhārgava).
Upapurāṇa (उपपुराण):—[upa-purāṇa] (ṇaṃ) 1. n. Minor Purāna.
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Kannada-English dictionary
Upapurāṇa (ಉಪಪುರಾಣ):—[noun] any of the several sacred Hindu mythological works which are minor or secondary in nature.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Upapuranam.
Full-text (+950): Parasharopapurana, Maricopapurana, Shivopapurana, Devipurana, Shivadharmopapurana, Adityapurana, Varunopapurana, Vamanopapurana, Vasishthopapurana, Sauropapurana, Kalikapurana, Skandopapurana, Naradopapurana, Bhargavopapurana, Sanatkumaropapurana, Nandapurana, Sambopapurana, Kapilasamhita, Manavapurana, Naradiyapurana.
Relevant text
Search found 69 books and stories containing Upapurana, Upa puranas, Upa-purana, Upa-purāṇa, Upapurāṇa, Upapuranas; (plurals include: Upapuranas, Upa puranases, puranas, purāṇas, Upapurāṇas, Upapuranases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Saura-purana (analytical study) (by Priyanku Chakraborty)
Part 2 - General discourse on the Upapurāṇas < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]
Part 1 - General outline of the researches on the Purāṇas < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]
Part 1.1 - Different religious sects and cults in the Purāṇas < [Chapter 6 - Different Religious Cults in the Perspective of the Saura-purāṇa]
Some Observations on the Vamana-Purana < [Purana, Volume 12, Part 1 (1970)]
The Puranic Records on the Sun-worship < [Purana, Volume 11, Part 2 (1969)]
Discussion on the Kalki Purana < [Purana, Volume 10, Part 2 (1968)]
Vaishnava Myths in the Puranas (by Kum. Geeta P. Kurandwad)
Gist and Summary of the Puranas < [Chapter 3 - Puranas: Their classification and contents]
Classification of the Puranas < [Chapter 3 - Puranas: Their classification and contents]
The concept of Varaha-Avatara (incarnation) < [Chapter 4 - Significance of Vaishnava Myths]
Glimpses of History of Sanskrit Literature (by Satya Vrat Shastri)
Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 2 - Merit in Gifting Purāṇa Texts < [Section 1 - Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya]
Chapter 1 - Purāṇa Texts Described < [Section 3 - Revā-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 8 - The Coming of Viṣṇu < [Section 2 - Dharmāraṇya-khaṇḍa]
Studies in the Upapuranas (by R. C. Hazra)
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