PURUSHOTTAMA Literally 'best of men;' but the word Purusha is here used in its mythic sense of soul of the universe, and so the compound means the "supreme soul" It is a title of Vishnu, and asserts his right to be considered the Supreme God. So the Hari-vansa says, "Purushottama is whatever is declared to be the highest, Purusha the sacrifice, and everything else which is known by the name of Purusha."

PURUSHOTTAMA -KSHETRA The sacred territory round about the temple of Jagannatha in Orissa.

PURVA-MIMANSA A school of philosophy. See Darsana.

PUSHAN A deity frequently mentioned in the Vedas, but he is not of a distinctly defined character. Many hymns are addressed to him. The word comes from the root push, and the primary idea is that of "nourisher" or Providence. So the Taittiriya Brahmana says, “When Prajapati formed living creatures Pushan nourished them.” The account given in Bohtlingk and Roth’s Dictionary, and adopted by Dr. Muir, is as follows: - “Pushan is a protector and multiplier of cattle and of human possessions in general. As a cowherd he carries an ox-goad, and he is drawn by goats. In the character of a solar deity, he beholds the entire universe, and is a guide on roads and journeys and to the other world. He is called the lover of his sister Surya. He aids in the revolution of day and night and shares with Soma the guardianship of living creatures. He is invoked along with the most various deities, but most frequently with Indra and the Bhaga.” He is a patron of conjurors, especially of those who discover stolen goods, and he is connected with the marriage ceremonial, being besought to take the bride’s hand and bless her. (See Muir’s Texts, v. 171.) In the Nirukta, and in works of later date, Pushan is identified with the sun. He is also called the brother of Indra, and is enumerated among the twelve Adityas. Pushan is toothless, and feeds upon a kind of gruel, and the cooked oblations offered to him are of ground materials, hence he is called Karambhad. The cause of his being toothless is variously explained. According to the Taittiriya Sanhita, the deity Rudra, being excluded from a certain sacrifice, shot an arrow at the offering and pierced it. A portion of this sacrifice was presented to Pushan, and it broke his teeth. In the Maha-bharata and in the Puranas the legend takes a more definite shape. “Rudra (Siva), of dreadful power, ran up to the gods present at Daksha’s sacrifice, and in his rage knocked out the eyes of Bhaga with a blow, and, incensed, assaulted Pushan with his foot, and knocked out his teeth as he was eating the purodasa offering.” In the Puranas it is not Siva himself, but his manifestation the Rudras, who disturbed the sacrifice of the gods and knocked Pushan’s teeth down his throat. Pushan is called Aghrini, ‘splendid;’ Dasra, Dasma, and Dasma-varchas, ‘of wonderful appearance or power,’ and Kapardin (q.v.).

PUSHKARA A blue lotus. A celebrated tank about five miles from Ajmir. One of the seven Dwipas. (See Dwipa). The name of several persons. Of the brother of Nala to whom Nala lost his kingdom and all that he possessed in gambling. Of a son of Bharata and nephew of Rama-chandra, who reigned over the Gandharas.

PUSHKARAVATI A city of the Gandharas not far from the Indus. It is the ** of Ptolemy. And the Pouse kielofati of Hiouen Thsang.

PUSHPA-DANTA ‘Flower-teeth.’ 1. One of the chief attendants of Siva. He incurred his master’s displeasure by listening of his private conversation with Parvati and talking of it afterwards. For this he was condemned to become a man, and so appeared in the form of the great grammarian Katyayana. 2. One of the guardian elephants. See Loka-pala.

PUSHPAKA A self-moving aerial car of large dimensions, which contained within it a palace or city. Kuvera obtained it by gift from Brahma, but it was carried off by Ravana, his half-brother, and constantly used by him. After Rama-chandra had slain Ravana, he made use of this capacious car to convey himself and Sita, with Lakshmana and all his allies, back to Ayodhya; after that he returned it to its owner, Kuvera. It is also called Ratna-varshuka, “that rains jewels.”

PUSHPA-KARANDINI A name of Ujjayini.

PUSHPA-MITRA The first of the Sunga kings, who succeeded the Mauryas, and reigned at Patali-putra. In his time the grammarian Patanjali is supposed to have lived.  

PUSHPOTKATA A Rakshasi, the wife of Visravas and mother of Ravana and Kumbha-karna.  

PUT A hell to which childless men are said to be condemned. “A name invented to explain the word putra, son (hell-saver).’  

A female demon, daughter of Bali. She attempted to kill the infant Krishna by suckling him, but was herself sucked to death by the child.