Hindu priest

Pujaris performing the arti ritual at Varanasi
Purohitas during a procession of Perumal (Vishnu)

A Hindu priest may refer to either of the following

  • A Purohita or Pandit officiates and performs rituals and ceremonies, and is usually linked to a specific family or, historically, a dynasty.[3]

Traditionally, priests have predominantly come from the Brahmin varna, whose male members are designated for the function in the Hindu texts.[4][5]

Hindu priests are known to perform prayer services, often referred to as puja. Priests are identified as pandits or pujaris amongst the devotees.[6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2018-09-23). "Arcaka: 11 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  3. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2014-08-03). "Purohita: 24 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  4. ^ Dubois, Jean Antoine; Beauchamp, Henry King (1897). Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies. Clarendon Press. p. 15.
  5. ^ Gandhi, Dr Srinivasan (2018-09-05). Hinduism And Brotherhood. Notion Press. p. 266. ISBN 978-1-64324-834-9.
  6. ^ "Hindu Religious Worker Definitions". Hindu American Foundation. Hindu American Foundation. Retrieved 23 June 2021.