Definition of Purana

1. Noun. A body of 18 works written between the first and 11th centuries and incorporating legends and speculative histories of the universe and myths and customary observances.

Generic synonyms: Sanskrit Literature
Derivative terms: Puranic

Definition of Purana

1. n. One of a class of sacred Hindoo poetical works in the Sanskrit language which treat of the creation, destruction, and renovation of worlds, the genealogy and achievements of gods and heroes, the reigns of the Manus, and the transactions of their descendants. The principal Puranas are eighteen in number, and there are the same number of supplementary books called Upa Puranas.

Definition of Purana

1. Proper noun. (Hinduism) Name of an ancient Indian genre (or a group of related genres) of Hindu or Jain literature (as distinct from oral tradition). They are primarily post-Vedic texts containing a narrative of the history of the Universe, from creation to destruction, genealogies of the kings, heroes and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy and geography. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Purana

1. a Hindu scripture [n -S] : PURANIC [adj]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Purana

Punica granatum
Punicaceae
Punjab
Punjabi
Punjabis
Punnett square
Punnett squares
Punta Arenas
Punti
Puntland
Punycode
Pupperware
Puppis
Purace
Puram
Purana (current term)
Puranas
Puranic
Purcell
Pure Data
Purell
Purepecha
Puri
Purim
Purinethol
Puritan work ethic
Puritanism
Puritans
Purity of Virgins

Literary usage of Purana

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. A Classical Dictionary of India: Illustrative of the Mythology, Philosophy by John Garrett (1871)
"Markanda, or Markandeya Purana. 8. Agui Purana. 9. Bhavishya Purana. 10. ... The Preface to the Vishnu Purana by Dr. Wilson contains the following excellent ..."

2. The Hindu Law of Adoption by Golapchandra Sarkar (1891)
"Of the Puranas the Adi-purana, ... -purana and the Kalika-purana belonging to the secondary group deserve special notice, as the latest commentators rely ..."

3. Encyclopaedia Americana: A Popular Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature by Francis Lieber, Thomas Gamaliel Bradford (1831)
"Agru Purana, a sketch of all Indian science, in 15500 stanzas; 0. ... Scanda Purana, of the god Scanda, the son of Siva and Bhavam ; 10. ..."

4. An Outline of the Religious Literature of India by John Nicol Farquhar (1920)
"Of the two dominating events of this period the earlier is the appearance and the influence of this great Purana. No theory of its date and origin yet ..."

5. A Classical Dictionary of India: Illustrative of the Mythology, Philosophy by John Garrett (1871)
"The following is a list of them :— 1. Brahma Purana. 2. Pad ma Purana. ... The Preface to the Vishnu Purana by Dr. Wilson contains the following excellent ..."

6. Original Sanskrit Texts on the Origin and History of the People of India by John Muir (1872)
"... Purana on the samt subject. I will conclude my quotations ... Purana. The first extract reproduces some of the ideas of the Purusha ..."

7. Encyclopædia Americana: A Popular Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature edited by Francis Lieber, Edward Wigglesworth, Thomas Gamaliel Bradford, Henry Vethake (1851)
"Agru Purana, a sketch of all Indian science, in 15500 stanzas; 6. ... Scanda Purana, of che god Scanda, the son of Siva and Bhavani; 10. ..."

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