As a deity name
Name 188 of the Hanuman Sahasranāma — Rasvin Samhita / Brahmanda Purana, as taught by Lord Ram / Sages
Name 950 of the Krishna Sahasranāma — Mahabharata / Padma Purana, as taught by Sages and Devotees
Name 985 of the Krishna Sahasranāma — Mahabharata / Padma Purana, as taught by Sages and Devotees
Name 27 of the Narasimha Sahasranāma — Brahmanda Purana / Narasimha Purana, as taught by Sages to Assembly of Devotees
As a Hindi name
पुण्य · puṇya
see پنيه puṇya — Platts (1884), digital edition courtesy DSAL, University of Chicago, p. 275
पुण्य · puṇya · adj.
Good, pure, holy, righteous, virtuous, right, just; happy, prosperous, favourable, propitious, auspicious, lucky; bright, fine, beautiful, pleasing; sweet, fragrant — Platts (1884), digital edition courtesy DSAL, University of Chicago, p. 276
पुण्य · masculine
virtue; an act of virtue; boon, godsend, as a result of virtue
पुण्य
holy, sacred; laudable, meritorious; auspicious, fortunate
Śabdasāgara also records: पवित्र · शुभ । अच्छा । भला
a Hindi word, a tatsama: the Sanskrit word borrowed unchanged into Hindi पुण्य — per Wiktionary’s etymology record
“Borrowed from Sanskrit पुण्य (puṇya).” — per Wiktionary’s etymology record
puṇya mf(ā)n. (perhaps fr. √ 2. puṣ, according to Uṇ. v, 15 from √ pū; see also √ puṇ) auspicious, propitious, fair, pleasant, good, right, virtuous, meritorious, pure, holy, sacred, RV. &c. &c.
puṇya m. N. of a poet, Cat.
As a Sanskrit word
Meaning
a religious ceremony (esp. one performed by a wife in order to retain her husband's affections and to obtain a son; also -ka)
Scripturally attested Verified derivationMultiple readings (4)Why this matches what you typed
M1 · same meaning "puṇya" is the vocative of "puṇyā" — the same word in a different grammatical case.
M3 · meaning shifts "puṇya" is derived from "puṇ" with the yat suffix — a related word whose meaning shifts, so both meanings are shown.
puṇ cl. 6. P. puṇati, to act piously or virtuously, Dhātup. xxviii, 43 (invented to serve as base for puṇya, ni-puṇa &c.?); cl. 10. P. poṇayati, to collect, accumulate (v.l. for pūl, pūlyati).
puṇ 6 P. (puṇati) To be virtuous or holy, act in a virtuous manner.
puṇya mf(ā)n. (perhaps fr. √ 2. puṣ, according to Uṇ. v, 15 from √ pū; see also √ puṇ) auspicious, propitious, fair, pleasant, good, right, virtuous, meritorious, pure, holy, sacred, RV. &c. &c.
puṇya m. N. of a poet, Cat.
Related forms
Gender counterpart
The kosha attests this stem in the feminine, the masculine, and the neuter — the same name serves without alteration.
Dictionary citations
puṇya mf(ā)n. (perhaps fr. √ 2. puṣ, according to Uṇ. v, 15 from √ pū; see also √ puṇ) auspicious, propitious, fair, pleasant, good, right, virtuous, meritorious, pure, holy, sacred, RV. &c. &c.
puṇya m. N. of a poet, Cat.
of another man, Buddh.
puṇya m. or n. N. of a lake, MBh.
puṇya n. (ifc. f(ā). ) the good or right, virtue, purity, good work, meritorious act, moral or religious merit, MBh.; Kāv. &c.
puṇyā (ā), f. holy basil, L.
Physalis Flexuosa, L.
puṇ cl. 6. P. puṇati, to act piously or virtuously, Dhātup. xxviii, 43 (invented to serve as base for puṇya, ni-puṇa &c.?); cl. 10. P. poṇayati, to collect, accumulate (v.l. for pūl, pūlyati).
puṇ 6 P. (puṇati) To be virtuous or holy, act in a virtuous manner.
Alternative readings
More than one analysis survives full verification. That ambiguity is real, so we show every reading rather than pick one silently.
Caveats
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