Meaning of the word Purāṇa

Veda is the main source of Indian culture as it reflects every time, every day and everywhere in the Indian Culture entirely.

According to the Manusmṛti—

“śruti smṛtyuditaṃ dharmamanutiṣṭhan hi mānavaḥ |
iha kīrtimavāpnoti pretya cānuttamaṃ sukham || 2 /8 ”

The Veda helps us to choose the right way that what should be done or should not be done. The Veda is auspicious which blesses us in all the steps of our life. So the Veda is omniscient. But the Vedic thoughts are reflected in the Purāṇas . To know about the norm of ancient India and the true color of Indian culture the Purāṇas are only the simple and best way. We don’t realize the meaning of the Śruti without the Purāṇas . As per the Mahābhārata we can say–“purāṇapūrṇacandreṇa śrutijyotsnā prakāśitā .... | (ādiparva 1 /86 )”. No one is considered as a learned without leaning the Purāṇas as no one knows the Sanskrit language without learning the Vaiyākaraṇa Kaumudī .

According to the Padma Purāṇa–

“yo vidyāccaturo vedāna sāṅgopaniṣado dvijaḥ
na cetpurāṇaṃ saṃvidyānnaiva sa syād vicakṣaṇaḥ || sṛṣṭi khaṇḍa 2 /52 ”

The important thing is to know the etymology of word Purāṇa –“parati argre gacchatīti purā | ” The word Purāṇa is formed by the word ‘Pura ’. Pāṇini, Yāska even Purāṇa itself have represented the etymology of word ‘Purāṇa ’.

According to Yāskācārya, the Purāṇa means ‘purā navaṃ bhavati ’ that is old but treated as new (Nirukta 3/19).

According to Maharṣi Pāṇini–‘purā bhavam ’ that is incident which was happened in the past time.

The word ‘Purāṇa ’ available in the Ṛgveda in many places and the meaning which is described in Ṛgveda of the word Purāṇa is ancient or incident happened in the ancient time.

According to the Vāyupurāṇa –“yasmāt purā dyanattkīdaṃ purāṇaṃ tena tat smṛtam ” (V.P.–1/203) that is the incident which was alive in the past.

According to the Padma Purāṇa –“purā paramparāṃ vaṣṭi purāṇaṃ tena tat smṛtam ” (P.P.–5/2/53) that is one which wishes for the tradition of antiquity is called Purāṇa .

Apart from this, there is another different derivation of the word ‘Purāṇa ’ in the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa –“yasmāt purā dyabhūccaitat purāṇaṃ tena tat smṛtam ” means “it happened in ancient times.” (Brahmāṇḍa –1/1/173).

There are also other descriptions of the word ‘Purāṇa ’ in the various text. Such as, according to Madhusudana Saraswati–“viśvasṛṣṭeritihāsaḥ purāṇam” that is “the history of the creation of the world is called Purāṇa ”

According to Sāyaṇācārya–“jagataḥ prāgāvasyam anukramya sarga pratipādakaṃ vākyaṃ jātaṃ purāṇam | ” (Aitreaya Brāhmaṇa Bhāṣya Bhūmika by Sāyaṇācārya).

The Chāndogya Upaniṣada also described about Purāṇa –“itihāsa purāṇaṃ pañcamaṃ vedānāṃ vedam ” (Ch. U.–7/19).

Maharṣi Yājñavalka also says–“vedārtha purāṇāni setihāsāni śaktitaḥ jayayajña prasiddhārthavidyāṃ cādhyātmikījagat || ” (Yājñavalka Saṃhita –1/10). 5

According to the Gautama Dharmasutra –“tasya ca vyāvahāro vedo dharmaśāstrāṇi aṅgāni upavedāḥ purāṇam ” (Gautama Dharmasutra –11/21).

The Matsya Purāṇa also says–“purātanasya kalpasya purāṇāni vidurvidhāḥ ” (M.P.–53/71).

In the Arthaśāstra , Kauṭilya gave his opinion about the Purāṇa . He said—

“mukhyaivagṛhītaṃ vā rājānaṃ tat priyāśritaḥ |
itihāsapurāṇābhyāṃ vodhayedarthaśāstravid | ”^[1]

Kālidāsa also says about the Purāṇa in the Vs. 1-2 of ‘Mālavikāgnimitram ’ as–“............. tvamādidevaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ ”

According to M. Winternitz–

“The word Purāṇa means old. The Purāṇa therefore, contains the old traditions and histories.” (A History of Indian Literature , P-517 ).

According to Mac Donnell–

“The Mahābhārata somewhat vaguely to express ‘ancient legendary lore’ implying didactic as well as narrative matter, and pointing to an old collection of epic stories. One passage of epic describes Purāṇas as containing stories of the gods and genealogies of the sages.” (A History of Indian Literature , P-299).

According to Gold Stocker–

“The Purāṇa itself as designating a class of writings, occurs as early as in the law–book of Manu, through this book itself as we have been, may be called recent when compared with the Vedic texts.” (Inspired writings of Hinduism, P-107).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Arthaśāstra–5/6.