Purāṇa and Itihāsa

In the old treatise the relation between Purāṇa and Itihāsa is very deep that these two issues have been mentioned together as named ‘Itihāsa Purāṇa ’. Though Itihasa is a different subject yet there is a wrong thought, that Purāṇa is history which is a misunderstand. After-words to overcome the complexity of the relationship between Itihāsa and Purāṇa they are known as the two separate subjects.

According to the Gopatha Brāhmaṇa, itihāsa and purāṇa is nearly the same subject. Such as–“purāṇa veda” (Gopatha Brāhmaṇa 1/10) and “itihāsa veda” (Gopatha Brahmāṇa 1/10).

The Chāndogya Upaniṣada mentioned Itihāsa and Purāṇa as fifth Veda (Chāndogya Brāhmaṇa 3/4/1, 2).

The Mahābhārata is known to us as history or Itihāsa but it mentions itself as a Purāṇa –

daipāyanena yat proktaṃ purāṇaṃ paramarṣiṇā |
suraibrahmarṣibhiścaiva śrutvā yadabhipujitam ||
  (Mahābhārata Ādi .–1/7)

On the other side VāyuPuāṇa , being a Purāṇa itself, mentions as a Itihāsa –

imaṃ yo brāhmaṇo vidvānitihāsaṃ purātanam |
śṛṇuyād śrāvayedvāpi tathā 'dhyāpayate 'pi ca || 
dhanyaṃ yaśasyamāyuṣyaṃ puṇyaṃ vedaiśca sammatam |
kṛṣṇadvaipāyanenoktaṃ purāṇaṃ brahmavādinā ||
  (Vāyu Purāṇa , 103/48, 51)

Ācārya Śaṅkara in the commentary of the Chāndogya Upaniṣada has clearly shown the segregation of these two verses. His statement is that both history (Itihāsa ) and Purāṇa are available in the Vedas. Urvaśī and Pururavā saṃvāda informing ‘Urvaśī hāpsara’, ‘Pururavasmeḍaṃ Cakama ’ etc Śatapathabrāhmāṇa is history, but ‘Asadvā idamagra Āsīt ’ (initially it was asexual which led to creation) etc. occurred description is Purāṇa . In Śaṅkarācārya’s consent, the separation of the two is clear.

History is the indicative part of the ancient narrative and the story and the description of the creation process is ‘Purāṇa’—

“itihāsa ityurvaśīpururavasoḥ saṃvādādiḥ ‘urvaśīhāpsarā ’ ityadi brahmaṇameva | purāṇam ‘asadvā idamagra āsīdityadi” (Commentary of Chāndogya Upaniṣada 7/1).

On the other side Sāyaṇācārya describes different abstract form of Purāṇa and Itihāsa . Like following–

“āpo ha idamagre salilamevāsa ityadikaṃ sṛṣṭi pratipādakaṃ brāhmaṇamitihāsaḥ ||” (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 11/1/6/1)

That is–Itihāsa means world creation. And Purāṇa is legend of Pururavā and Urvaśī.

“urvaśī hāṇsarā pururavasamaiḍaṃ cakame ’ ityadini purātanapuruṣavṛtāntapratipādakāni purāṇam” (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 11/5/1/1).

Amarkoṣa mentioned that the Purāṇa have five characteristics such as–Sarga, Pratisarga, Vaṃśa, Manvantara and Vaṃśānucarita , but Itihāsa has no specific characteristics. It is only the fact (Amarkoṣa –1/6/4, 5).

Nirukta also described the different definition of Purāṇa and Itihāsa –

“purā navaṃ bhavati ” (Nirukta 3/19).

“nidānabhūtaḥ iti ha evamāsīt’ iti ya uccate sa itihāsaḥ ”(Nirukta 2/3/1).

Later on in the Matsya Purāṇa, we find the use of the word ‘Itihāsa’ in this word ‘Itivṛtta’ (Chronicle).

It is clear from this that the fictional story or narrative was called Purāṇa and the actual event was called ‘Itihāsa’, and both of these have differentiation in the ancient sense–

“atrāpyudāharatāmamitihāsaṃ purātanam” (Matsya-Purāṇa –72/6)

In short-(I) ‘Itihāsa ’ or history points to national events of the past related to invasion, civilization and political administration. The Purāṇas on the other hand, are the mythological accounts of the dynasties and kingdoms of different countries. (II) ‘Itihāsa ’ places more emphasis on material resources whereas the Purāṇas place more emphasis on spiritual and religious resources. There are stories of various deities, places of worship, spiritual centers, descriptions of places of pilgrimage like Gayā and Kāśi and other such interpretations in the Purāṇas . (III) Itihāsa is proved by the Purāṇas but Purāṇa is the proof itself (IV) The subject is vast in the Purāṇa than Itihāsa .

Kauṭilya has also accepted Purāṇa in the field of history–

“purāṇamitivṛttamākhyāyikodāharaṇaṃ dharmaśāstramarthaśāstraṃ ceti itihāsaḥ ” (Arthaśāstra 1/5).

History and the separate use of Purāṇas are available in many inter-Vedic texts and Purāṇas . In the Atharvaveda and some Purāṇas , the word ‘Purāṇa ’ also conveys history. First of all, the use of the word ‘Purāṇa ’ is used only in the context of the creation of the scriptures from ‘Ucchiṣṭa ’ in the Atharvaveda-XI .7.24. On the occasion of following the Vrātya , the use of history as a separate independent from is available (Atharvaveda 15/6/10).