===> [ purANa ]2[ purAN'a ] mf ([ I ] or [ A ]) n. belonging to ancient or olden times, ancient, old (also= withered, worn out, opp. to [ nUtana ], [ nava ]) RV. &c. &c. (1) m. a Karsha or measure of silver (= 16 Paṇas of cowries) Mn. viii, 136 (also n. L.) (2) N. of a Ṛshi Kāṭh (3) pl. the ancients MW. (4) n. a thing or event of the past, an ancient tale or legend, old traditional history. AV. &c. &c. (5) N. of a class of sacred works (supposed to have been compiled by the poet Vyāsa and to treat of 5 topics [ cf. [ paJca-lakSaNa ] ] (6) the chief Purāṇas are 18, grouped in 3 divisions: viz. 1. Rājasa exalting Brahmā [ e. g. the Brahma, Brahm^aṇḍa, Brahmavaivarta, Mārkaṇḍeya, Bhavishya, Vāmana ] (7) 2. Sāttvika exalting Viṣṇu [ e. g. the Viṣṇu, Bhāgavata, Nāradiya, Garuḍa, Padma, Varāha ] (8) 3. Tāmasa exalting Siva [ e. g. the Śiva, Liṅga, Skanda, Agni or in place of it the Vāyu, Matsya, Kūrma ] (9) by some the Padma are divided into 4, and by others into 6 groups (10) cf. IW. 509 &c.) (11) N. of wk. (containing an index of the contents of a number of Padma and some other wks.)