# पुरुष (puruṣa)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/purusha

पुरुष (puruṣa) is a Sanskrit word meaning a man, male, human being, a male person, punishment personified, a grammatical person, an officer, attendant, or servant, a friend. Its 43 recorded definitions are grouped into 15 contexts, among them Man / Person / Human Being (General), Proper Names and Specific Designations, Cosmic Principle / Supreme Being / Primordial Creator.

- **Root:** पॄ (pṝ)
- **Etymology:** E. पुर the body, or षस् to abide, aff. क, and the vowel changed; or पुर् to precede, Unādi aff. कुषन्; also पुरूष — E. pura the body, or ṣas to abide, aff. ka, and the vowel changed; or pur to precede, Unādi aff. kuṣan; also purūṣa
- **SLP1:** `puruza`  **IAST:** puruṣa  **Devanagari:** पुरुष
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purusha
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/purusha/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** पूरुष (pūruṣa)

## Meanings by context

### Man / Person / Human Being (General) (13 definitions)
- a man, male, human being  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1) [Printed book page 637,1] पुरु (puru) ष (puruṣa) m. ( mc. also पूर् (pūr) ° (°); prob. fr. √ पॄ (pṝ) and connected with पुरु (puru), पूरु (pūru) ifc. f( आ (ā) )., rarely f( ई (ī) ).; cf. Pāṇini (Author) iv, 1, 24 ) a man, male, human being ( pl. people, mankind), RV. &c. &c. [ ID=126438 ]
- 1. A male person. 2. Punishment personified. 3. A grammatical person. 4. An officer, attendant, or servant.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a person, ( पुमान् पुरुषः (pumān puruṣaḥ), a male person, ŚāṅkhGṛ.; Mn.; दण्डःप् (daṇḍaḥp) ° (°), punishment personified, Mn.; esp. grammatical pers.; with प्रथम (prathama), मध्यम (madhyama), उत्तम (uttama) = the 3rd, 2nd, 1st pers. Nir.; Pāṇ. ), an officer, functionary, attendant, servant, Mn.; MBh. &c. ( cf. तत् - प् (tat-p) ° (°) ) [ ID=126439 ]
- men, people  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > pl. men, people ( cf. above) [ ID=126455 ]
- 1. A man or human being. 2. An attendant or functionary. 3. The soul or universal spirit. 4. A member of a generation or race. 5. A grammatical person.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पुरुष (puruṣa) [Printed book page 165-2 ] पुरुष (puruṣa) púru-ṣa, m. ( metrically often lengthened to pū́-), man; human being ( pl. people; mankind); person ( with daṇḍa, m. punishment personified); attendant; functionary; personal and animating principle, soul; highest personal principle, universal soul, Supreme Spirit ( sts. with para, parama, or uttama); primaeval male from whom the universe was evolved (± nārāyaṇa); member of a race, generation; person ( in grammar : prathama —, = our third person; uttama —, = our first). [ ID=11759 ]
- 1. A man or mankind. 2. The soul. 3. God or the Supreme Being. 4. Vishnu. 5. Brahma. 6. The living principle. 7. An atom. 8. A follower of the Samkhya philosophy. 9. A friend. 10. A tree. 11. Mount Meru.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पुर (pura) ुष (puruṣa) [Printed book page 543 ] पुर (pura) ुष (puruṣa) m. ( - षः (-ṣaḥ) ) 1 A man, generally or individually, a male, mankind. 2 The soul. 3 God, the Supreme Being. 4 VIṢṆU. 5 BRAHMĀ. 6 Life, the living principle. 7 An atom. 8 A follower of the Sāṃkhya philosophy. 9 A friend. 10 A tree: see पुन्नाग (punnāga). 11 A sort of tree, commonly Tila or Tilaka. n. ( - षं (-ṣaṃ) ) The mountain Meru. E. पुर (pura) the body, षम (ṣama) to abide, aff. क (ka), and the vowel changed; or पुर (pura) to precede, Uṇādi aff. क (ka) ुषन् (kuṣan); also पुर (pura) ूष (purūṣa). Page544 [ ID=25125 ]
- 1. A man, the soul, Supreme Being, atom, or friend. 2. The mountain Meru.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पुरुष (puruṣa) [Printed book page 487-a ] पुरुष (puruṣa) ( षः ) ((ṣaḥ)) 1. m. A man; the soul; Supreme Being; atom; friend. n. The mountain Meru. [ ID=24602 ]
- 1. Mankind. 2. A male or man. 3. A representative of a generation. 4. An official or functionary. 5. The height of a man as a measure of length. 6. The soul. 7. The supreme being. 8. The pupil of the eye. 9. A grammatical person. 10. The supreme soul as the twenty-fifth principle of creation in the Sankhya philosophy.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पुरुष (puruṣa) [Printed book page 445-09 ] पुरुष (puruṣa) (I) m. 1. Mankind; 2. a male, a man, M. vii.17, ix.2; 3. representative of a generation; 4. an official, a functionary; 5. the height of a man considered as a measure of length; 6. the soul; 7. the supreme being; 8. the pupil of the eye; 9. a person (in gram.); 10. the twenty-fifth principle of creation of the Sānkhyas, i.e. the soul which, according to them, is neither a production nor productive. See /Sānkhya K./3. [ ID=23006 ]
- 1. A man, male, or mankind. 2. A representative of generation. 3. An official or functionary. 4. A height equal to that of a man as a measure of length. 5. The pupil of the eye. 6. A grammatical person. 7. The soul. 8. God or the Supreme Being. 9. Vishnu. 10. Brahma. 11. Life or the living principle. 12. An atom. 13. The soul according to Sankhya philosophy. 14. A friend. 15. A sort of tree. 16. The Tilaka tree. 17. The mountain Meru.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पुर (pura) ुष (puruṣa) [Printed book page 459-b ] पुर (pura) ुष (puruṣa) m. ( - षः (-ṣaḥ) ) 1. A man generally or individually, a male, man-kind. 2. Representative of generation. 3. An official, a functionary. 4. The height of a man considered as a measure of length. 5. The pupil of the eye. 6. A person, (in gram.) 7. The soul. 8. God, the Supreme Being. 9. VISHṆU. 10. BRAHMĀ. 11. Life, the living principle. 12. An atom. 13. A follower of the Sānkhya philosophy, who believes in the twenty-fifth creation of the Sānkhya philosophy, the soul which according to them is neither a production nor a productive. 14. A friend. 15. A sort of tree: see पुन्नाग (punnāga). 16. A sort of tree, commonly Tila or Tilaka. n. ( - षं (-ṣaṃ) ) The mountain Meru. E. पुर (pura) the body, or षस् (ṣas) to abide, aff. क, (ka,) and the vowel changed; or पुर (pura) ् (pur) to precede, Unādi aff. कुषन्; (kuṣan;) also पुर (pura) ूष (purūṣa). [ ID=25344 ]
- 1. A man generally or individually, a male, mankind. 2. Punishment personified. 3. An attendant or functionary. 4. The first man. 5. The soul. 6. The universal soul or supreme Being. 7. A principle. 8. A tree, Rottleria tinctoria. 9. A proper name. 10. A female. 11. A name of the mountain Meru.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पुरुष (puruṣa) [Printed book page 0561-b ] पुरुष (puruṣa) puruṣa, and sometimes pūru- ṣa, I. m. 1. A man generally or in- dividually, a male, mankind, Man. 1, 32. 2. Punishment personified, Man. 7, 17. 3. An attendant, a functionary, 8, 43. 4. The first man, Hariv. 51. 5. The soul, Yājñ. 3, 194. 6. The universal soul, the supreme Being, Mārk. P. 26, 21; Man. 1, 11. 7. A principle, Man. 1, 19. 8. A tree, Rottleria tinc- toria. 9. A proper name. II. f. ṣī, A female, Bhāg. P. 5, 24, 17. III. n. (?). A name of the mountain Meru. — Comp. Page0562-a+ 44 A-dṛṣṭa- ( vb. dṛś ), adj. (viz. saṃdhi ), a kind of alliance where one party alone settles for the other, on the condition that the enemy has to disburse the expenses of the expedition, Hit. iv. d. 117. Antara-pūruṣa, m. the soul, Man. 8, 85. Ādi-puruṣa, m. the first man. Upari-, m. a rider, Daśak. in Chr. 188, 16. Eka-, I. m. the one universal soul, Vikr. d. 1. II. adj. consisting only of one person. Kiṃ- puruṣa, i. e. kim-, m. 1. a class of horse-faced beings belonging to the suite of Kuvera, Kumāras. 1, 11. 2. one of the portions into which the world is divided. Kula-, m. a polite man. Gūḍha- ( vb. guh ), m. a spy. Tulā-, m. 1. a person weighed in a balance, i. e. a present of gold or other precious things of equal weight. 2. the name of a penance. Dharmādhi- kāripuruṣa, i. e. dharma-adhi-kārin-, m. a judge. Niṣpuruṣa, i. e. nis-, adj. 1. not having produced male children, Man. 3, 7. 2. devoid of men. Prakṛti-, m. a minister, Megh. 5. Pramāṇa-, m. an arbitrator, Hit. 116, 12. Mūla-, m. the last male of a race. Rakṣika-, m. a policeman, Daśak. in Chr. 199, 24. Rāja(n)-, m. 1. a servant of the king. 2. A guard, a watchman. Satpuruṣa, i. e. sant-, m. an honest man. [ ID=8996 ]
- 1. A man, human being, male, person, or individual. 2. A hero. 3. A servant, attendant, official, or agent. 4. The primal man, spirit, life-giving principle, or supreme soul of the universe. 5. A woman.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पुरुष (puruṣa) [Printed book page 321 ] पुरुष (puruṣa) ( पूरुष (pūruṣa) ) m. man, human being, male, person, individual of a cert. generation; man = hero; man = servant, attendant; official, agent; the primal man or spirit; the life-giving principle in man and other beings; the supreme spirit or soul of the universe. —f. पुरुष (puruṣa) ी (puruṣī) a woman. [ ID=19509 ]
- 1. Man. 2. Servant. 3. Soul or spirit. 4. The Supreme Spirit or Soul of the Universe.  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > पुरुष (puruṣa) [Printed book page 192-a ] púruṣa, m. —1. man; —2. ( as in Eng., man, i. e. ) servant; —3. the personal and life-giving principle in man and other beings, soul, spirit; then —4. personified as The Supreme Spirit, Soul of the Universe, 57 8. [ ID=2628 ]
- 1. A human being, man, or male. 2. An officer, official, agent, or attendant. 3. The height or measure of a man. 4. Punishment personified. 5. Grammatical person. 6. The soul, original source of the universe, or personal life-giving principle. 7. The Supreme Spirit, God, or Supreme Being. 8. The pupil of the eye. 9. A friend.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > पुरुष (puruṣa) [Printed book page 0585-b ] पुरुष (puruṣa) puruṣa, as, m. (poetically also pū- ruṣa; said to be fr. rt. 2. pur; probably connected with pūru ), man collectively or individually, man- kind, a man, human being, male; a person ( pumān puruṣaḥ, a male person); a member or repre- sentative of a race or generation (e. g. sapiṇḍatā puruṣe saptame vinivartate, the relationship of men connected by the funeral cake ceases with the seventh person); an officer, official, functionary, agent, employé, attendant, servant, footman; the height or measure of a man, = 5 Aratnis (1 Aratni = 2 Padas, 1 Pada = 12 Aṅgulis; cf. ardha-p°, dvi-p° ); Punishment personified; (in gram.) a per- son ( = prathamaḥ p°, the third person; madhya- maḥ p°, the second person; uttamaḥ p°, the first person); Man personified or identified with Nārā- yaṇa the son of Nara (regarded as the author of Vājasaneyi-Saṃhitā XXX. 31); the soul and original source of the universe (described in the Puruṣa- sūkta, q. v.); the personal and life-giving principle in men and other beings, the human soul or spirit, Soul (which according to the Sāṅkhya philosophy is neither a production nor productive: it is so called according to the Tattva-samāsa because it reposes in the body, puri śayanāt; or because it is purāṇa, ancient, having existed from eternity); the Supreme Spirit or Soul of the universe, Supreme Being, God (identified variously with Brahman, with Viṣṇu, with Śiva, and with Durgā); the ‘spirit,’ i. e. the fragrant exhalation of plants (Ved.); the pupil of the eye; the tree Rottleria Tinctoria ( = pun-nāga ); = tilaka; N. of one of the sons of Manu Cākṣuṣa; N. of one of the eighteen attendants of the Sun; N. of a Pāda in the Mahā-nāmnī verses; an epithet of the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh signs of the zodiac; a friend; a follower of the Sāṅkhya philosophy (?); ( ās ), m. pl. men, people; N. of the class of inhabitants of Krañca-dvīpa corresponding Page0585-c+ 80 to the Brāhmans; the seven divine or active prin- ciples from the minute portions of which the uni- verse was formed, viz. mahat = buddhi, ahaṅ- kāra, and the five tan-mātras, (according to Manu I. 19); pañca puruṣāḥ, an epithet of five royal personages or miraculous persons born under par- ticular constellations (Ved.); ( ī ), f. a woman, female; ( am ), n. an epithet of mount Meru. —Pu- ruṣa-kāma, as, ā, am, Ved. desirous of men. —Puruṣa-kāra, as, m. any act of man, manly act, human effort or exertion (commonly opposed to daiva, fate); manhood, virility; N. of a gram- marian. —Puruṣa-kuṇapa, as, am, m. n. the corpse of a man, a human corpse. —Puruṣa-ke- śarin, ī, m. ‘man-lion or half-man, half-lion,’ Viṣṇu in his fourth appearance on earth (which he undertook for the defeat of Hiraṇya-kaśipu). —Pu- ruṣa-kṣetra, am, n., Ved. a male or uneven zodiacal sign or astrological house. —Puruṣa-gati, is, f., N. of a Sāman. —Puruṣa-gandhi, is, is, i, Ved. smelling of men. —Puruṣa-ghna, as, ī, am, ‘man-slaying,’ striking or slaying men; strī pu- ruṣa-ghnī, a woman who kills her husband. —Pu- ruṣa-cchandasa, am, n., Ved. ‘man's metre,’ the metre suited for men, the Dvi-padā. —Puruṣa- jñāna, am, n. knowledge of men or of mankind. — 1. puruṣa-tā, f. or puruṣa-tva, am, n. man- hood, virility; manliness, valour, prowess; the state of man, manly nature or property. —2. puruṣa-tā, ind., Ved. after the manner of men, among men. —Puruṣa-tejas, ās, ās, as, Ved. having a man's energy or manly vigour. —Puruṣa-trā, ind., Ved. among men, to men; in the manner of men. —Puruṣatva-tā, ind., Ved. after the manner of men; (Sāy.) = puruṣavattayā. —Puruṣa-da- ghna or puruṣa-dvayasa, as, ī, am, of the height or measure of a man. —Puruṣa-dantikā, f. a medicinal root; [cf. medā. ] —Puruṣa-dravya- sampad, t, f. abundance of men and material. —Puruṣa-dviṣ, ṭ, m. an enemy of Viṣṇu. —Pu- ruṣa-dveṣin, ī, iṇī, i, ‘man-hating,’ misan- thropic; ( iṇī ), f. an ill-tempered or fractious woman. —Puruṣa-dharma, as, m., Ved. personal rule or precept. —Puruṣa-nāya, as, m. ‘man-leader,’ a prince. —Puruṣa-niyama, as, m. (in gram.) a restriction as to person. —Puruṣa-pati, is, m. ‘lord of men,’ Rāma. —Puruṣa-parīkṣā, f. ‘trial of man,’ N. of a collection of moral tales. —Pu- ruṣa-paśu, us, m. beast of a man, a brutal man; a man as a sacrificial victim; a human animal, man. —Puruṣa-puṅgava, as, m. ‘man-bull,’ an emi- nent or excellent man. —Puruṣa-puṇḍarīka, as, m. an excellent or superior man; (with Jainas) N. of the sixth black Vāsudeva. —Puruṣa-pura, am, n., N. of the capital of Gāndhāra, the modern Peshāwar (پيشاور). —Puruṣa-bahumāna, as, m. the respect or esteem of mankind. —Puruṣa-mātra, as, ī, am, of the height or measure of a man. —Puruṣa-mānin, ī, inī, i, fancying one's self a man or hero. —Puruṣa-mukha, as, ī, am, having a man's face. —Puruṣa-mṛga, as, m., Ved. (ac- cording to Mahī-dhara) = pum-mṛga. —Puruṣa- medha, as, m., Ved. the sacrifice of a man; N. of the reputed author of the hymn Vājasaneyi-Saṃhitā XX. 30. —Puruṣa-rakṣas, as, n. a demon in the form of a man. —Puruṣa-rāja, as, m., Ved. a human king. —Puruṣa-rūpa, as, ā, am, Ved. man-shaped, in the form of a man; ( am ), n. the shape of a man. —Puruṣa-rūpaka, as, ā, am, Ved. man-shaped, in the form of a man. —Pu- ruṣa-reṣaṇa, as, ī, am, or puruṣa-reṣin, ī, iṇī, i, Ved. hurting men. —Puruṣarṣabha (°ṣa- ṛṣ°), as, m. ‘man-bull,’ an excellent man. —Pu- ruṣa-vat, ān, atī, at, Ved. accompanied by men. —Puruṣa-vadha, as, m., Ved. manslaughter, homicide, murder. —Puruṣa-vara, as, m. ‘best of males,’ an epithet of Viṣṇu. —Puruṣa-varjita, as, ā, am, destitute of human beings, desolate. —Puruṣa-vāc, k, k, k, Ved. having a human voice. —Puruṣa-vāha, as, m. ‘Viṣṇu's vehicle,’ Page0586-a+ 81 an epithet of Garuḍa; ( am ), ind. in such a way as to be borne along by men; puruṣa-vāhaṃ va- hati, he is carried in such a manner as to be drawn along by men (Pāṇ. III. 4, 43). —Puruṣa-vidha, as, ā, am, Ved. man-like, in the form or likeness of men. —Puruṣavidha-tā, f. likeness to man, humanity. —Puruṣa-vyāghra, as, m. ‘man-tiger,’ N. of a demon; ‘tiger among men,’ a distinguished or eminent man; a vulture. —Puruṣa-vrata, am, n., N. of a Sāman. —Puruṣa-śārdūla, as, m. ‘man-tiger,’ an eminent man, a chief of men. —Puruṣa-śiras, as, or puruṣa-śīrṣa, am, n., Ved. a man's head, human head. —Puruṣa-śīr- ṣaka, as or am, m. or n. (?), N. of an instrument used by thieves. —Puruṣa-samavāya, as, m. a number of men. —Puruṣa-siṃha, as, m. ‘man- lion,’ lion of a man, a brave man, hero; an eminent man; (with Jainas) the fifth of the black Vāsudevas, a son of Śiva. —Puruṣa-sūkta, am, n. ‘the Pu- rusha hymn,’ N. of the 90th hymn of the tenth Maṇḍala of the Ṛg-veda, (this celebrated hymn, in which the soul or original source of the universe is described, is supposed by the best authorities to be comparatively modern in its diction and allusions; it is also found with alterations in the Vājasaneyi-Sam- hitā of the Yajur-veda XXXI. 1 — 16, and in the Atharva-veda XIX. 6.) —Puruṣāṃsaka (°ṣa-aṃ°), as, m., N. of a teacher. —Puruṣākāra (°ṣa-āk°), as, ā, am, of a human form or shape. —Puruṣāṅga (°ṣa-aṅ°), as, am, m. n. the male organ of gene- ration; [cf. narāṅga. ] —Puruṣād (°ṣa-ad°), t, t, t, Ved. eating or destroying men. —Puruṣāda (°ṣa-ada), as, ī, am, ‘man-eating,’ a cannibal, a Rakṣas; ( ās ), m. pl., N. of a race of cannibals in the east of Madhya-deśa. —Puruṣādaka (°ṣa- ad°), as, ā, am, men-devouring; ( ās ), m. pl., N. of certain cannibals. —Puruṣāda-tva, am, n. the state or condition of a man-eater, cannibalism, the state of a demon or Rakṣas. —Puruṣādya (°ṣa- ād°), as, m. ‘first of men,’ (with Jainas) an epithet of Ādi-nātha; of Ṛṣabha the first Arhat of the present Ava-sarpiṇī; an epithet of Viṣṇu. —Puru- ṣādhama (°ṣa-adh°), as, m. ‘lowest or vilest of men,’ a low man, an outcast; the worst of servants. —Puruṣādhikāra (°ṣa-adh°), as, m. manly office or duty. —Puruṣāntara (°ṣa-an°), am, n. another or succeeding generation; ( as ), m., scil. sandhi, an alliance negotiated by warriors chosen by each party; another who is a man (a mere man). —Puruṣāntara-vedin, ī, inī, i, knowing the heart of mankind. —Puruṣāntarātman (°ṣa- an°), ā, m. ‘man's inner self,’ the soul. —Puru- ṣāyaṇa (°ṣa-ay°), as, ā, am, Ved. going to the soul, uniting with the soul. —Puruṣāyuṣa (°ṣa- āy°), am, or puruṣāyus (°ṣa-āy°), us, n. the duration of a man's life, age of man, life or lifetime of man, human existence. —Puruṣārtha (°ṣa- ar°), as, m. any object of human pursuit, any one of the four objects or aims of man or of the soul (viz. 1. kāma, the gratification of desire; 2. artha, ac- quirement of wealth; 3. dharma, discharge of duty; 4. mokṣa, final emancipation); human effort or ex- ertion; ( am ), ind. for the sake of man; for the soul's sake. —Puruṣārtha-prabodha, as, m., N. of a book mentioned in the Śūdra-dharma-tattva. —Pu- ruṣārtha-siddhy-upāya, N. of a Jaina poetical work by Amṛta-canda-sūri. —Puruṣāśin (°ṣa- āś°), ī, m. ‘man-eater,’ a cannibal, Rākṣasa. —Pu- ruṣāsthi-mālin (°ṣa-as°), ī, inī, i, wearing a necklace of human skulls; ( ī ), m. an epithet of Śiva. —Puruṣendra (°ṣa-in°), as, m. ‘lord of men,’ a king. —Puruṣendra-tā, f. ‘lordship over men,’ sovereignty. —Puruṣeṣita (°ṣa-iṣ°), as, ā, am, Ved. caused or instigated by men. —Puru- ṣokti (°ṣa-uk°), is, f. the name or title of a man. —Puruṣoktika, as, ā, am, ‘having only the name of man,’ destitute, having no friends, friendless. —Puruṣottama (°ṣa-ut°), as, m. best of men, an excellent or superior man; best of servants, a good attendant; the highest being, Supreme Spirit, an epithet of Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa; (with Jainas) N. Page0586-b+ 74 of the fourth black Vāsudeva (son of Soma); N. of an Arhat; a Jina, one of the generic terms for a deified teacher of the Jaina sect; N. of a district in Orissa sacred to Viṣṇu; N. of the author of the Trikāṇḍa-śeṣa and Hārāvalī; of a grammarian; of the father of Halāyudha; of various men. —Puruṣot- tama-kṣetra, am, n. ‘district of the Supreme Being,’ N. of a district in Orissa sacred to Viṣṇu ( = Līlācala, Līlādri; cf. jagannātha-kṣetra ). —Puruṣottama-tīrtha, am, n., N. of a Tīrtha. —Puruṣottamatīrtha-prayoga-tattva, am, n. ‘truth of the ceremonies connected with the Puru- ṣottama-tīrtha,’ N. of a work by Raghu-nandana. —Puruṣottama-deva, as, or puruṣottamadeva- śarman, ā, m., N. of a grammarian the author of the Paribhāṣā-vṛtti. —Puruṣottama-mantra, as, m., N. of the seventeenth chapter of the Śāradā- tilaka, a mystical work by Lakṣmaṇa. —Puruṣot- tama-miśra, as, m., N. of a man the author of the Rāma-candrodaya. [ ID=29556 ]
- 1. A man. 2. A measure of length. 3. A lifetime or generation. 4. The pupil of the eye. 5. Grammatical person.  
  *The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects*
  > पुरुष (puruṣa) [Printed book page 2-001 ] Puruṣa, or Pūruṣa, is the generic term for ‘man’ in the Rigveda 1 and later. 2 Man is composed of five parts accord- ing to the Atharvaveda, 3 or of six according to the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, 4 or of sixteen, 5 or of twenty, 6 or of twenty-one, 7 or of twenty-four, 8 or of twenty-five, 9 all more or less fanciful enumerations. Man is the first of animals, 10 but also essentially an animal (see Paśu ). The height of a man is given in the Kātyāyana Śrauta Sūtra 11 as four Aratnis (‘cubits’), each of two Padas (‘feet’), each of twelve Aṅgulis (‘finger's breadths’); and the term Puruṣa itself is found earlier 12 as a measure of length. Puruṣa is also applied to denote the length of a man's life, a ‘generation’; 13 the ‘pupil’ in the eye; 14 and in the gram- matical literature the ‘person’ of the verb. 15 [ Footnote: 1) vii. 104, 15; x. 97. 4. 5. 8; 165, 3.] [ Footnote: 2) Av. iii. 21, 1; v. 21, 4; viii. 2, 25; 7, 2; xii. 3, 51; 4, 25; xiii. 4, 42, etc.; Taittirīya Saṃhitā, ii. 1, 1, 5; 2, 2, 8; v. 2, 5, 1, etc.] [ Footnote: 3) xii. 3, 10; Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa, xiv. 5, 26; Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, ii. 14; vi. 29.] [ Footnote: 4) ii. 39.] [ Footnote: 5) Śāṅkhāyana Śrauta Sūtra, xvi. 4, 16.] [ Footnote: 6) Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa, xxiii. 14, 5.] [ Footnote: 7) Taittirīya Saṃhitā, v. 1, 8, 1; Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, xiii. 5, 1, 6; Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, i. 18; Aitareya Āraṇyaka, i. 2, 4, etc.] [ Footnote: 8) Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, vi. 2, 1, 23.] [ Footnote: 9) Śāṅkhāyana Śrauta Sūtra, xvi. 12, 10; Śāṅkhāyana Āraṇyaka, i. 1; Aitareya Āraṇyaka, i. 2, 4.] [ Footnote: 10) Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, vi. 2, 1, 18; vii. 5, 2, 17. He is the master of animals, Kāṭhaka Saṃhitā, xx. 10.] [ Footnote: 11) xvi. 8, 21. 25.] [ Footnote: 12) Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, i. 2, 5, 14; xiii. 8, 1, 19; Taittirīya Saṃhitā, v. 2, 5, 1.] [ Footnote: 13) Taittirīya Saṃhitā, ii. 1, 5, 5; v. 4, 10, 4; Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, i. 8, 3, 6; dvi-puruṣa (‘two generations’), Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, viii. 7, etc.] [ Footnote: 14) Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, x. 5, 2. 7. 8; xii. 9, 1, 12; Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, ii. 3, 9.] [ Footnote: 15) Nirukta, vii. 1, 2.] [ ID=1875 ]

### Proper Names and Specific Designations (12 definitions)
- The name of a Pada in the Mahanamni verses.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a Pāda in the Mahā-nāmnī verses, Lāṭy. [ ID=126451 ]
- of the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh signs of the zodiac  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th and 11th signs of the zodiac, Jyot. [ ID=126452 ]
- a son of Manu Chakshusha  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a son of Manu Cākṣuṣa, BhP. [ ID=126453 ]
- one of the eighteen attendants of the sun  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of one of the 18 attendants of the sun, L. [ ID=126454 ]
- Name of the Brahmans of Krauñca-dvīpa  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of the Brāhmans of Krauñca-dvīpa, BhP. [ ID=126456 ]
- an epithet of five princely or miraculous persons born under particular constellations  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (with पञ्च (pañca) ) N. of 5 princely personages or miraculous persons born under partic. constellations, Var. [ ID=126457 ]
- Mount Meru  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > पुरुष (puruṣa) n. (!) N. of mount Meru, L. [ ID=126462 ]
- an epithet of mount Mem  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पुरुष (puruṣa) (II) n. An epithet of mount Mem. [ ID=23007 ]
- one of the names in the fifth Marut gana  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 2-354 ] Puruṣa (II) — one of the names in the fifth Marut gaṇa. Br. III. 5. 97. Vā. 59. 76; 67. 128; 102. 117. [ ID=8075 ]
- a demon killed by Sampadisha  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Puruṣa (III) — a dānava, killed by Sampadīśa. Br. III. 6. 16; IV. 28. 38 and 101. [ ID=8076 ]
- a son of Anjanavati  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Puruṣa (IV) — a son of Añjanāvatī an elephant. Br. III. 7. 343. [ ID=8077 ]
- a class of people in Kraunchadvipa  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Puruṣas (I) — a class of people in Krauñcadvīpa. Bhā. V. 20. 22. [ ID=8081 ]

### Cosmic Principle / Supreme Being / Primordial Creator (5 definitions)
- the primeval man as the soul and original source of the universe  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (also with नारायण (nārāyaṇa) ) the primaeval man as the soul and original source of the universe (described in the Puruṣa-sūkta q.v. ), RV.; ŚBr. &c. [ ID=126445 ]
- the Supreme Being or Soul of the universe  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the Supreme Being or Soul of the universe (sometimes with पर (para), पर (para) म (parama), or उत्तम (uttama); also identified with Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva and Durgā), VS.; ŚBr. &c. &c. [ ID=126447 ]
- seven divine or active principles from which the universe was formed  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (with सप्त (sapta) ) N. of the divine or active principles from the minute portions of which the universe was formed, Manu-smṛti (Title) i, 19 [ ID=126450 ]
- Spirit, especially the Supreme Spirit  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > पुरुष (puruṣa) [Printed book page 569-1 ] *Puruṣa (“Spirit,” especially the Supreme Spirit, often identified with Kṛṣṇa (Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa), also with Śiva and Brahmán): I, 22 ( ādyaṃ P°ṃ…Viṣṇuṃ ), 34 ( °ś cāprameyātmā yaṃ sarve ṛṣayo viduḥ, issued from the primordial egg), 2430, 2432 ( sa vibhuḥ kartā sarvabhūtapi- tāmahaḥ, incarnate as Kṛṣṇa); III, 151 (Sūrya identified with P.), 515 ( °o asi sanātanaḥ, sc. Kṛṣṇa), 743 ( Śaṅkhaca- kragadādharaṃ, i.e. Kṛṣṇa), 12821 ( Svayambhuve P°āya purāṇāya, i.e. Kṛṣṇa), 12825 ( yady eṣa P°o veda vedā api na taṃ viduḥ ), 13005 ( ādidevam ajaṃ Viṣṇum P°ṃ pītavā- sasaṃ, i.e. Kṛṣṇa), 13505 ( Hariṃ P°ṃ śāśvataṃ, i.e. Viṣṇu), 15531 ( purāṇa P°a (C. in one word) in an invocation of Kṛṣṇa), 15815 ( sahasraśīrṣaṃ, i.e. Viṣṇu, incarnate as Kṛṣṇa); V, †2579 (i.e. Kṛṣṇa), 3825 ( Himavatpṛṣṭhe nityam āste Maheśvaraḥ | Prakṛtyā P°ḥ sārdhaṃ yugāntā- gnisamaprabhaḥ ); VI, 1145 ( adhidaivataṃ ), 1149 ( paramaṃ ), †1151 ( paraṃ ), 1216 ( śāśvataṃ, i.e. Kṛṣṇa), †1264 ( sanā- tanas tvaṃ P°o mato me, sc. Kṛṣṇa), †1284 ( tvam ādidevaḥ P°ḥ purāṇaḥ, sc. Kṛṣṇa), 1322, 1341, 1342, 1343, 1344, †1386 ( ādyaṃ ), 1398 (dual), 2941 (i.e. Kṛṣṇa (Viṣṇu)), 2988 ( °saṃjñaḥ ), 3043 (i.e. Kṛṣṇa); VII, 6469 ( paraṃ purāṇaṃ P°ṃ, i.e. Kṛṣṇa), 8858 ( purāṇaṃ P°ṃ Viṣṇuṃ ), 9522 (i.e. Śiva); XII, 1502 ( tvām, i.e. Kṛṣṇa— ekam āhuḥ P°ṃ ), 1506 (i.e. Kṛṣṇa), 1619 ( Purāṇe P°ṃ proktaṃ, sc. Kṛṣṇa), 1628 ( mahataḥ tamasaḥ pāre P°ṃ, sc. Kṛṣṇa), 1677 ( °o 'si sanātanaḥ, sc. Kṛṣṇa), 7483, 7522 (i.e. Kṛṣṇa), 7651 ( °ṃ sanātanaṃ Viṣṇum yan taṃ vedavido viduḥ, i.e. Kṛṣṇa), 7666 ( °ādhiṣṭhitān bhāvān ), 7701 ( °ādhiṣṭhitāḥ ), 7847 ( avyakta-P°ābhyāṃ ), 7879 ( sanātanaṃ ), 7892 ( °āvastham avyaktaṃ ), 10437 (= Śiva, 1000 names 1 ), 11405, 11622, 11658, 11691, 11762 (Mitra and Varuṇa = P. and Prakṛti), 11763, 11764, 11765, 11766, 11767, 11769, 12680, 12784 (= Nārāyaṇa Viṣṇu), 12857 ( Harir Īśvaraḥ, do.), ††12864 (= Mahāpuruṣa (Mahāpuruṣastava)), 12888 ( pañcaviṃ- śakaḥ, sc. in the Sāṅkhya system, = Nārāyaṇa Viṣṇu), 12895 ( niṣkriye = do.), 12896 ( Vāsudevaṃ ), 12907 ( ahaṃ hi P°o jñsyo niṣkriyaḥ pañcaviṃśakaḥ, says Nārāyaṇa), 12999 (i.e. Nārāyaṇa Viṣṇu), 13063 ( ādityavarṇam…Īśānaṃ, = do.), 13143 ( purāṇaḥ, = do.), ††13192 ( Harir avyayaḥ, = do.), ††13194 (= do.), 13351 ( viśvarūpadharo 'vyayaḥ, = do.), 13447 ( purāṇaṃ, = do.), 13464 (= do.), 13494 (= do.), 13512 ( ādikaraṃ, = do.), 13516 ( śvetaḥ, = do.), 13537 (= do.), †13546 ( guṇādhikaṃ, = do.), 13572 (created from Hari, = Brahmán?), 13573 ( Brahmā ), 13607 ( avyayaḥ, (i.e. Nārāyaṇa Viṣṇu), 13616 (do.), 13617 (= do.), 13628 (= do., pañcaviṃśakaḥ ), 13713 (pl. and sg.), 13715 (pl. and sg.), 13717 ( °sūktaṃ ), 13719 ( °aikatvaṃ ), 13734 ( Virāṭ ), 13735 (pl. and sg., = Virāṭ ), 13737 (pl.), 13738 (pl.), 13739 ( paramaṃ ), 13740 ( śāśvataḥ ), 13747 ( sanātanaṃ ), 13748, †13750, 13752, 13754 ( Nārāyaṇaḥ…sarvātmā ), 13756 ( bahuvidhaḥ, = do.), 13762 (= do); XIII, 592 ( °sya ca yaḥ paraḥ, sc. Śiva), 593 ( Prakṛtiṃ P°añ caiva kṣobha- yitvā, sc. Śiva), 910 ( Sāṅkhye P°a ucyate, sc. Śiva), 1015 Page569-b+ 57 (i.e. Śiva), 1017 (do.), 1040 (do.), 1050 ( °ākhyaḥ, do.), 6807 ( Hariḥ, i.e. Kṛṣṇa), 6939 (= Viṣṇu), 6940 (do.), 6951 (do., 1000 names), 6993 (do.), 7743 (i.e. Kṛṣṇa); XIV, 194 (= Śiva), 1088 ( = mahān ātmā ), 1096 (do.), 1207, 1340, 1342, 1374, 1379, 1382, 1422, 1455, 1456. [ ID=8806 ]
- 1. The primaeval male from whom the universe was evolved. 2. The invisible spirit or principle. 3. The supreme spirit and subject of meditation. 4. The cosmic form or Virat.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > पुरुष (puruṣa) [Printed book page 2-353 ] Puruṣa (I) — as Virāṭ; subject of meditation; ety. of; 1 the invisible principle; 2 as dwelling in Hṛdākāśa; 3 as issuing from the primordial aṇḍa (egg); 4 as yajña; 5 course of further cosmic evolution from Puruṣa; 6 first avatār of Para Iśvara and Prakṛti; 7 avatārs of Puruṣa; 8 as Varāha; 9 His energy; 10 identified with Suparṇa; 11 invoked by cowherds; 12 perso- nated as Kṛṣṇa and Rāma; 13 celebrated by Akrūra. 14 Śiva according to the Sānkhyas; 15 primaeval male from whom the universe was evolved; supposed to be the 25th tatva according to one school and the 26th including Īśvara accord- ing to the other; 16 constitutes twenty-five truths; 17 descrip- tion of. 18 Page2-354+ 25 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. I. 3. 1; II. 1. 25-39; Vā. 59. 76.] [ Footnote: 2) Bhā. XI. 16. 37; 22. 14; 24. 4-5.] [ Footnote: 3) Ib. II. 2. 8-13; Vā. 4. 44.] [ Footnote: 4) Bhā. II. 5. 35-42.] [ Footnote: 5) Ib. II. 6. 1-27.] [ Footnote: 6) Ib. II. 6. 28-31; Vi. I. 2. 14-15, 60-65; VI. 4. 46.] [ Footnote: 7) Bhā. II. 6. 41. Vā. 5. 20, 29, 32.] [ Footnote: 8) Bhā. II. 6. 41-5.] [ Footnote: 9) Ib. II. 7. 1; 10. 10; Ib. III. 26. 21-22; VI. 13. 18.] [ Footnote: 10) Ib. XII. 4. 22.] [ Footnote: 11) Ib. XII. 11. 19.] [ Footnote: 12) Ib. X. 6. 23.] [ Footnote: 13) Ib. X. 38. 15 and 32.] [ Footnote: 14) Ib. X. 40. (whole).] [ Footnote: 15) Br. II. 9. 36, 39.] [ Footnote: 16) M. 3. 27-8.] [ Footnote: 17) Ib. 60. 3; 266. 52; 274. 62.] [ Footnote: 18) Vā. 7. 62-7.] [ ID=8074 ]

### Botanical Names (2 definitions)
- Rottleria tinctoria  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > Rottleria Tinctoria, L. [ ID=126458 ]
- Clerodendrum phlomoides  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > Clerodendrum Phlomoides, L. [ ID=126459 ]

### Follower of Sāṃkhya Philosophy (1 definition)
- a follower of the Samkhya philosophy  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a follower of the Sāṃkhya philosophy (?), L. [ ID=126441 ]

### Fragrant Exhalation / Spirit of Plants (1 definition)
- the spirit or fragrant exhalation of plants  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the ‘spirit’ or fragrant exhalation of plants, Ṛg-veda (Title) x, 51, 8 [ ID=126449 ]

### Friend (1 definition)
- a friend  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a friend, L. [ ID=126440 ]

### Individual Soul / Animating Principle (1 definition)
- the soul or spirit  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the personal and animating principle in men and other beings, the soul or spirit, AV. &c. &c. [ ID=126446 ]

### Lexical Equivalence Note (1 definition)
- equal to purushaka  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > पुरुष (puruṣa) m or n. = पुरुष (puruṣa) क (puruṣaka) m. n., Śiśupāla-vadha (Title) v, 56, Sch. [ ID=126461 ]

### Measure of Height / Length (1 definition)
- the height or measure of a man  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the height or measure of a man (= 5 Aratnis = 120 Aṅgulas), ŚBr.; Śulbas.; Var. [ ID=126443 ]

### Member / Representative of a Generation or Race (1 definition)
- a member or representative of a race or generation  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a member or representative of a race or generation, TS.; Br.; Mn. &c. [ ID=126442 ]

### Official / Attendant / Servant (1 definition)
- minor officials appointed according to qualifications  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Puruṣas (II) — minor officials to be appointed in places according to qualifications. M. 215. 45. [ ID=8082 ]

### Pupil of the Eye (1 definition)
- the pupil of the eye  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the pupil of the eye, ŚBr. [ ID=126444 ]

### Puruṣa in Sāṃkhya Philosophy (1 definition)
- In Samkhya philosophy, the passive spirit as a spectator of the creative force.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (in Sāṃkhya) the Spirit as passive and a spectator of the Prakṛti or creative force, Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 82 &c. [ ID=126448 ]

### Woman / Female (Puruṣī) (1 definition)
- A woman or female.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1B) [Printed book page 637,1] पुरुषी (puruṣī) ( ई (ī) ), f. a woman, female, RV. &c. &c. [ ID=126460 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546