pū́rva mf(A)n. (connected with purā, puras, pra, and declined like a pron. when implying relative position whether in place or time, but not necessarily in abl. loc. sg. m. n. and nom. pl. m.; see [Pāṇ. i, 1, 27]; [34]; [vii, 1, 16]) being before or in front, fore, first, [RV.] &c. &c.
eastern, to the east of (abl.), [ib.]
former, prior, preceding, previous to, earlier than (abl. or comp.), [ib.] (gaja-pūrva, preceding the number ‘eight’ i.e. seven, the seventh, [Śrutab.]; māsena p° or māsa-p°, earlier by a month, [Pāṇ. ii, 1, 31]; ifc. often = formerly or before, e.g. strī-p°, formerly a wife; āḍhya-p°, formerly wealthy; esp. after a pp., e.g. kṛta-p°, done before, dṛṣṭa-p°, seen before; ifc. also preceded or accompanied by, attended with, e.g. smita-pūrvā vāk, speech accompanied by smiles; sometimes not translatable, e.g. mṛdu-pūrvā vāk, kind speech)
ancient, old, customary, traditional, [RV.] &c. &c.
first (in a series), initial, lowest (opp. to uttara; with dama or sāhasa ‘the lowest fine’), [Mn. viii, 120] &c.
(with vayas) ‘first age’, youth, [MBh.]
foregoing, aforesaid, mentioned before (abl.), [Mn.]; [MBh.]; [Pāṇ.]
pū́rva m. an ancestor, forefather (pl. the ancients, ancestors), [RV.] &c. &c.
an elder brother, [R.]
N. of a prince, [BhP.]
pū́rva n. the fore part, [Śak. ii, 4] (cf. [Pāṇ. ii, 2, 1])
a partic. high number (applied to a period of years), [Buddh.]
N. of the most ancient of Jaina writings (of which 14 are enumerated), [L.]
N. of a Tantra, [Cat.]
an ancient tradition, [W.]