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Studies in the Epics and Puranas c7.s3.t2: 2. Purāṇa: meaning, definition and characteristics

Studies in the Epics and Purāṇas c7.s3.t2

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2. Purāṇa: meaning, definition and characteristics

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The term Purāṇa, according to its etymology as given in the Vāyu Purāṇa, means "that which lives from ancient times";68 the Matsya also describes the Purāṇas as "containing records of past events".⁶⁹ Originally, therefore, the term signified "ancient tale" or "old narrative" in the Brāhmaṇa literature, as compared with Itihāsa and Nārāśaṃsī, before it became associated with Purāṇa as a class of literature. Purāṇas in the form of legendary lore existed from times of antiquity, even prior to the revelation of the Vedas, and this was handed down to posterity. There was no Purāṇa literature as such in those days of yore.

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⁶⁹ Matsya, 53.63: पुरातनस्य कल्पस्य पुराणानि विदुर्बुधाः ॥

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Though references in the Atharvaveda imply that the Purāṇa had assumed some independent form of composition, it is not definite whether Purāṇas meant actual books at the time of the Atharvaveda.⁷⁰ The Chāndogya Upaniṣad shows that a definite work was

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⁷⁰ Atharvaveda, XI.7.24: ऋचः सामानि छन्दांसि पुराणं यजुषा सह । उच्छिष्टाज्जज्ञिरे सर्वे दिवि देवा दिविश्रितः ॥

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67. Pargiter, ERE, X, p. 448.

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68. Vāyu, I.203: यस्मात्पुरा ह्यनतीदं पुराणं तेन हि स्मृतम् । निरुक्तमस्य यो वेद सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ intended by the term.⁷¹ It is in the Sūtras, however, that we find reference to the existence of real Purāṇas.

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⁷¹ *Chāndogya Up.*, VII.1.2: स होवाच ऋग्वेदं भगवोऽध्येमि यजुर्वेदं सामवेदमाथर्वणम् । चतुर्थमितिहासपुराणं पञ्चमं वेदानां वेदमिति ।

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Both *Itihāsa* and *Purāṇa* denoted history and both are mentioned together in Vedic literature, sometimes as separate words and sometimes as one compound word, but almost always associated with *Gāthās*, *Nārāśaṃsis*, *Vākovākyas*, etc., which were all subjects of study in ancient times. In the later Vedic Age, *Itihāsa* preponderated over *Purāṇa*, but gradually the latter asserted itself. The characteristics of the Purāṇas have been mentioned in the classical definition of the term by Amarasiṃha (fifth century A.D.), which is also found in some Purāṇas, as *Pañcalakṣaṇa*, i.e., having five characteristics, which are, *sarga* (creation), *pratisarga* (dissolution and re-creation), *vaṃśa* (divine genealogies), *manvantara* (ages of Manus) and *vaṃśyānucarita* (genealogies of kings).⁷² A variant reading has *bhūmyādeḥ saṃsthāna* (world geography) in place of *viṃśyānucarita*.

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⁷² सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च । वंशानुचरितं चैव पुराणं पञ्चलक्षणम् ।।

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None of the existing Purāṇas is in complete agreement with this definition; some contain much more than these, while others scarcely touch these and deal with other topics. It is further found that *Pañcalakṣaṇa* occupies but an insignificant part (about 1/40) of the extant Purāṇas. Thus it appears that religious instruction was not one of their primary aims, nor were they originally composed for sectarian purposes. These and other later additions such as *dāna* (gifts), *vratas* (religious observances), *tīrthas* (sacred places), *śrāddha* (rites in honour of the manes), etc., which form the bulk of the contents of the extant Purāṇas and which are not covered by the definition, render the Pañcalakṣaṇa definition merely a theoretical thing, not an actual fact. In order to get over this difficulty the Purāṇas themselves stated that the Pañcalakṣaṇa definition was intended merely for the Upa-Purāṇa (minor Purāṇa) and the Mahā-Purāṇa (major Purāṇa) has to satisfy the Daśalakṣaṇa (having ten characteristics) definition, which includes these additional topics: vṛtti (means of livelihood), rakṣā (incarnations of gods), mukti (final emancipation), hetu (jīva, unmanifest), and apāśraya (Brahman).⁷³ These characteristics also leave out of account several of the features of the extant Purāṇas. Haraprasad Sastri has found in the Matsya, an advance over this definition, which may be said to be the nearest approach to the description of the Purāṇas. It says that besides the ten characteristics, the Purāṇas deal with the glorification of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Sūrya and Rudra, as also with the dissolution and preservation of the world, and with dharma (righteous conduct), artha (economics and polity), kāma (erotics) and mokṣa (emancipation).⁷⁴

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⁷³ Bhāgavata, XI. 7.9-10.

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⁷⁴ Matsya, 53. 66-7:

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सर्गोऽस्याथ विसर्गश्च वृत्ती रक्षान्तराणि च ।
वंशो वंशानुचरितं संस्था हेतुपाश्रयः ।।
दशभिलक्षणैर्युक्तं पुराणं तद्विदो विदुः ।
केचित्त्वल्पविधं ब्रह्मन् महदल्पव्यवस्थया ।।

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According to MM. H.P. Sastri, these ten characteristics are: creation, details of creation, duties of sentient beings, protection of devotees, ages of Manu, dynasties of kings and ṛṣis, career of individuals, dissolution of the world, cause of creation, and Brahmā. Des. Cat. of Skt. MSS A.S.B., V, Intr., p. cxxvii

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ब्रह्मविष्ण्वर्करुद्राणां माहात्म्यं भवनस्य च ।
संहारप्रदानां च पुराणे पञ्चवर्णके ।।
धर्मश्चार्थश्च कामश्च मोक्षश्चैवात्र कीर्त्यते ।
सर्वेष्वपि पुराणेषु तद्विरुद्धं च यत्फलम् ।।

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Even this comprehensive definition does not cover the entire ground traversed by the Purāṇas. The Purāṇa tradition, like that of the Mahābhārata, has all along been floating and dynamic, and the texts have been subjected to numerous revisions, additions, omissions and modifications. The only characteristic of a Purāṇa is that it should be old. "Anything old may be the subject of a Purāṇa", observes Haraprasad Sastri, "and it covers all the aspects of life".75

Cites (6)