Talk:Purāṇa and Itihāsas
By Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swami
For the learned and the unlettered alike in our country, the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata have for centuries been like their two eyes, pointing to them the path of dharma. The two poetic works are not included among the Purāṇas and are accorded a special place as Itihāsas.
Pura means "in the past". That which gives an account of what happened in the past is a Purāṇa, even though it may contain predictions about the future also. The term can also mean what was composed in the past. The genre called "novel", written in prose, came after a long period in literature dominated by poetry and drama. When the novel was introduced into India it came to be called navīnam. If navīnam means new, purāṇa means old.
A Purāṇa must have five characteristic features — pañcalakṣaṇa. These are:
- Sarga – the creation of the cosmos
- Prati-sarga – how eon after eon the creation expanded and renewed
- Vaṃśa – the lineage of beings beginning with the children of Brahmā
- Manvantara – the ages ruled by the 14 Manus, forefathers of mankind, each presiding over 1,000 caturyugas
- Vaṃśānucarita – the genealogies of kings, especially of the Sūryavaṃśa and Candravaṃśa dynasties
Besides these, the Purāṇas also describe the bhūloka (earth), svarga (heavens), and various other worlds.
The word Itihāsa comes from iti-ha-āsa — meaning, "it happened thus". The syllable ha in the middle conveys certainty, like saying "without doubt". So an Itihāsa is not only a true story but also a contemporary record.
Vālmīki composed the Rāmāyaṇa during the lifetime of Rāma. Vyāsa, author of the Mahābhārata, lived during the time of the five Pāṇḍavas and was a direct witness to the events narrated in his epic. These are not mere legends passed down through generations — they were seen, lived, and recorded by the very authors who composed them.
In contrast, the Purāṇas describe events of the distant past — in keeping with the name Purāṇa. But how was Vyāsa able to record those events? Because he had the ability to see both past and future. His vision was not limited to the present. So, even what he wrote about long-gone eras must be considered trustworthy. However, those events would not have been part of public memory at the time.
The Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa are different in this respect. When these works were first made known, most people were still familiar with the characters and events. There was thus no reason to doubt their authenticity. The ha in Itihāsa confirms this element of certainty.
The word Itihāsa can also mean "thus speak they" — meaning that great sages have said so. This brings us to the term Aitihya, which is slightly different.
Aitihya is not what is directly witnessed; it is accepted as a matter of śraddhā (faith). It is also derived from iti — meaning, "thus have the great ones spoken". What we observe firsthand is "this"; what we accept from the words of wise ancestors is "thus".
In essence, the Itihāsas and Purāṇas form the two wings of India's spiritual and cultural memory: one grounded in witnessed truth, the other anchored in visionary wisdom.