Definition

Noun: 1. A sacred Hindu text: A Purana is one of a genre of important Hindu religious writings. These texts are ancient compilations of stories, legends, myths, genealogies of gods and kings, cosmology, philosophy, and instructions for religious rituals and observances. 2. A specific corpus of literature: The term often refers specifically to the major body of 18 principal (Mahā) Puranas, composed in Sanskrit verse, which were compiled between approximately the first and the 11th centuries CE.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The Vishnu Purana describes the creation of the universe and the deeds of Lord Vishnu.
  • Scholars study the Purana to understand early Hindu cosmology and social customs.
  • Many traditional Hindu festivals and rituals are based on stories found in a Purana.

Advanced Usage

• "The Puranic tradition": Refers to the vast body of literature, culture, and religious thought derived from or related to the Puranas.
  • Puranic tradition has deeply influenced art, theater, and popular Hinduism for centuries.
• As an adjective ("Puranic"): Used to describe something characteristic of or originating from the Puranas.
  • The temple's carvings depict a Puranic story of the battle between gods and demons.

Variants and Related Words

• Mahapurana (n): Refers specifically to one of the 18 "Great Puranas," which are the most significant texts in this genre.
• Puranic (adj): Of or relating to the Puranas (e.g., Puranic literature, Puranic cosmology).
• Itihasa-Purana: A combined term used in ancient Indian tradition to refer to history, legend, and mythology, often linking the epics (Itihasa like the Mahabharata and Ramayana) with the Puranic texts.

Synonyms

• Sacred text / scripture: A general term for religious writings of supreme authority.
• Chronicle: Suggests a historical record, though the Puranas blend myth and history.
• Compendium: A collection of detailed information on a subject, reflecting the encyclopedic nature of the Puranas.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• (As old) as the Puranas: Used to emphasize that something is extremely ancient or timeless.
  • That folktale is as old as the Puranas.

Noun

1. 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