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
No reading on this path — this spelling has no entry in our Hindi sources, and no near neighbour is attested there either. We say so rather than invent one.
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 split — attested membersMultiple readings (6)Why this matches what you typed
M1 · same meaning "puṇyāya" is the dative of "puṇya" — 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
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.
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
Sources contain errors and engines have limits; every claim above carries its citation so you can verify it. This is guidance about names and their sources — not religious or astrological consultation. How we work · Our sources