Vayu Purana says that it is called Purana because it talks about the past or that which existed in olden times.<blockquote>यस्मात्पुरा ह्यनन्तीदं पुराणं तेन चोच्यते। yasmātpurā hyanantīdaṁ purāṇaṁ tena cocyate। (Vayu. Pura. 41.55)<ref name=":0">Vayu Purana (Uttaratha [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/वायुपुराणम्/उत्तरार्धम्/अध्यायः_४१ Adhyaya 41])</ref></blockquote>Padma Purana specifically mentions that Puranas speak about the past traditions.<blockquote>पुरा परंपरां वक्ति पुराणं तेन वै स्मृतम् ...५४ purā paraṁparāṁ vakti purāṇaṁ tena vai smr̥tam ...54 (Padm. Pura. 1.2.54)<ref name=":2">Padma Purana (Srshti Khanda 1, Adhyaya 2)</ref></blockquote>Brahmanda Purana says that Puranas are so called because they existed in olden times<blockquote>यस्मात्पुरा ह्यभूच्चैतत्पुराणं तेन तत्स्मृतम् । yasmātpurā hyabhūccaitatpurāṇaṁ tena tatsmr̥tam । (Brah. Pura. 1.1.173)<ref name=":3">Brahmanda Purana (Purvabhaga Adhyaya 1)</ref></blockquote>It therefore appears that originally the term Purana signified an ancient event recounted as a tale or narrative in subsequent generations. Matsya Purana (53.63)<ref name=":1">Matsya Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AB%E0%A5%A9 Adhyaya 53])</ref> even records that Puranas have been recounted from across the various Kalpas. This is correlated by many puranic statements that they have been first recollected by Brahma (Kalpa is the time period of one day for Brahma) | Vayu Purana says that it is called Purana because it talks about the past or that which existed in olden times.<blockquote>यस्मात्पुरा ह्यनन्तीदं पुराणं तेन चोच्यते। yasmātpurā hyanantīdaṁ purāṇaṁ tena cocyate। (Vayu. Pura. 41.55)<ref name=":0">Vayu Purana (Uttaratha [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/वायुपुराणम्/उत्तरार्धम्/अध्यायः_४१ Adhyaya 41])</ref></blockquote>Padma Purana specifically mentions that Puranas speak about the past traditions.<blockquote>पुरा परंपरां वक्ति पुराणं तेन वै स्मृतम् ...५४ purā paraṁparāṁ vakti purāṇaṁ tena vai smr̥tam ...54 (Padm. Pura. 1.2.54)<ref name=":2">Padma Purana (Srshti Khanda 1, Adhyaya 2)</ref></blockquote>Brahmanda Purana says that Puranas are so called because they existed in olden times<blockquote>यस्मात्पुरा ह्यभूच्चैतत्पुराणं तेन तत्स्मृतम् । yasmātpurā hyabhūccaitatpurāṇaṁ tena tatsmr̥tam । (Brah. Pura. 1.1.173)<ref name=":3">Brahmanda Purana (Purvabhaga Adhyaya 1)</ref></blockquote>It therefore appears that originally the term Purana signified an ancient event recounted as a tale or narrative in subsequent generations. Matsya Purana (53.63)<ref name=":1">Matsya Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AB%E0%A5%A9 Adhyaya 53])</ref> even records that Puranas have been recounted from across the various Kalpas. This is correlated by many puranic statements that they have been first recollected by Brahma (Kalpa is the time period of one day for Brahma) |