Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Pum included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana’).
Story of Pum
(Put, Putra) Pum alias Put is a hell. Those who die without children go to this hell and he who saves one from this hell is called Putra. (Śloka 38, Chapter 74, Ādi Parva).
"puṃnāmno narakādyastu trāyate pitaraṃ sutaḥ / tasmāt putra iti proktaḥ svayameva svayambhuvā //" (Śloka 138, Chapter 9, Manusmṛti).
(Because a son of his own, by birth, saves a father from the hell called 'Put' he is called Putra).
There are twelve different kinds of 'Putras' (sons).
Aurasaputra.
A son born to a wife of his own caste begot by the husband himself is called aurasaputra.
Kṣetrajaputra.
If one dies without children or is impotent or possessed of a disease, his wife is lawfully allowed to lie with the brother of the husband to get a child. The son born of such a union is called Kṣetrajaputra.
Dattaputra.
When one is worrying miserably for getting a son and if at that time a husband and wife willingly hand over a son born to them by mutual consent with the following words: "This son becomes your own from now" with a religious sprinkling of water, such a son is called Dattaputra.
Kṛtrimaputra.
A son adopted from one’s own caste for the purpose of doing the obsequial ceremonies for the manes is called Kṛtrimaputra.
Gūḍhotpanna.
A son born to one’s wife by another man is called Gūḍhotpanna.
Apaviddhaputra.
When a son is rejected by either a father or mother or by both and that son is taken care of and brought up by another man, that son becomes an apaviddhaputra.
Kānīnaputra.
If a son is born to a virgin before marriage while living with her father, that son is called a Kānīnaputra.
Sahoḍhaputra.
When a girl is married while pregnant the son born to her after marriage is called a Sahoḍhaputra.
Krītakaputra.
A son purchased and brought up by a sonless man is called Krītakaputra.
Paunarbhavaputra.
A son born to a woman after becoming a widow or after being divorced by her husband by her willingly going with another man is called a Paunarbhavaputra.
Svayaṃdattaputra.
When a son after becoming an orphan or after being abandoned by his parents goes willingly to another man and remains with him as his son, that son is called Svayaṃdattaputra.
Śaudra (Pāraśava) Putra.
A son born to a brahmin of a Śūdra wife.