Lexicon

of Rig Veda

pūru, Puru

Monier-Williams points out that initially the word sounded like puru (that is, many, numerous) and is associated with the word puruṣa, pūrvṣa (man). Numerous studies and interpretations of the word as the name of a historically existing tribe seem as defective as the entire historical interpretation of the Rigveda. For an overview of such interpretations of the word, see Macdonell, Arthur Anthony. Vedic Index of Names and Subjects.