pancha-lakshana
पञ्चलक्षण pañcalakṣaṇaThe 'five characteristics' classically said to define a Purana: creation, dissolution, genealogy of gods and sages, the cosmic ages of the Manus, and royal dynasties.
Where this term appears
- What are the Puranas? Scriptures
The Amarakosha , the great lexicon of Amarasimha, gives as a synonym for purana the term pancha-lakshana , "that which has five characteristic topics." Five marks.
- Of Old Treatise
The tradition does offer a definition, a neat one, and it is worth knowing precisely because of how badly it fails. A Purana, the texts say, has five marks, the pancha-lakshana .