![(A) Bhumi Puja, yajna](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/%28A%29_Bhumi_Puja%2C_yajna.jpg)
Purohita ( sa, पुरोहित), in the
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
context, means ''
chaplain
A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a hosp ...
'' or ''family priest'' within the
Vedic priesthood
Priests of the Vedic religion are officiants of the ''yajna'' service. Yajna is an important part of Hinduism, especially the Vedas. Persons trained for the ritual and proficient in its practice were called ( ' regularly-sacrificing'). As memb ...
. In
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
and
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
, it refers to the royal chaplains.
Etymology
The word ''purohita'' derives from the Sanskrit, ''puras'' meaning "front", and ''hita'', "placed". The word is also used synonymously with the word ''
pandit
A Pandit ( sa, पण्डित, paṇḍit; hi, पंडित; also spelled Pundit, pronounced ; abbreviated Pt.) is a man with specialised knowledge or a teacher of any field of knowledge whether it is shashtra (Holy Books) or shastra (Wea ...
'', which also means "priest". ''
Tirtha purohita'' means the ''purohita'' who sit at the fords of the holy rivers or holy tanks and who have maintained the records of the forefathers of the Hindu family for thousands of years. ''Purohita'' can refer to a house priest.
Education
In India, literate men from the
Brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...
varna
Varna may refer to:
Places Europe
*Varna, Bulgaria, a city in Bulgaria
**Varna Province
**Varna Municipality
** Gulf of Varna
**Lake Varna
**Varna Necropolis
*Vahrn, or Varna, a municipality in Italy
*Varniai, a city in Lithuania
* Varna (Šaba ...
who desire to become ''purohitas'' receive special training both in theory and practice in Vedic schools linked to
agraharam
An ''Agraharam'' or ''Agrahara'' was a grant of land and royal income from it, typically by a king or a noble family in India, for religious purposes, particularly to Brahmins to maintain temples in that land or a pilgrimage site and to susta ...
s, inherited from royal grants to train and sustain chaplains historically maintained by dynasties such as the
Cholas
The Chola dynasty was a Tamil thalassocratic empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd century BCE d ...
and
Pallavas
The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of South India, the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The dynasty rose to prominence after the downfall of the Satavahanas, Satavahana dynasty, with whom they ...
.
In fact, special training is required to perform yajna and yagadi rituals. For this, knowledge of the Vedas is required. In order to learn those rituals, one must settle down as courtiers in famous temples. Temples like
Tirupati
Tirupati () is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tirupati district. The city is home to the important Hindu shrine of Tirumala Venkateswara Temple and other historic temples and is refe ...
, Simhachalam or
Chathapuram Agraharam run Vedic schools to teach wisdom to the aspiring ''purohita''. Chathapuram Agraharam in Kalpathi. Moreover, by joining as disciples of eminent scholars, some learn this education in the manner of gurus.
Training follows the rhythm of mandatory regular prayer or ''
Sandhyavandanam
Sandhyavandanam (Sanskrit: , ', lit. 'salutation to (Goddess) Twilight' or 'salutation during the twilight')
is a mandatory religious ritual centring around the recitation of the Gayatri mantra, traditionally supposed to be performed three times ...
''. The candidates are first trained in the ''Vigneswara Puja''. Cantillation and preaching are also part of the formation. This initial formation takes at least one year. After that, it takes another five to eight years to learn to rich array of rites of passage or
Shodasha rituals.
Duties
The duties of the ''purohita'' is to perform rites or ''
yajna
Yajna ( sa, यज्ञ, yajña, translit-std=IAST, sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering) refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.SG Nigal (1986), Axiological Approach to the Vedas, Northern Book ...
'' and Vedic sacrifices such as ''
ashvamedha
The Ashvamedha ( sa, अश्वमेध, aśvamedha, translit-std=IAST) was a horse sacrifice ritual followed by the Śrauta tradition of Vedic religion. It was used by ancient Indian kings to prove their imperial sovereignty: a horse accomp ...
'' in favour of a sponsor.
Since Vedic times the sponsor of the sacrifice, or ''yajamāna'' was only a distant participant while the ''hotṛ'' or brahman took his stead in the ritual. In this seconding lay the origins of the growing importance of the ''purohita'' (literally, "one who is placed in front"). The ''purohita'' offered sacrifices in the name of his sponsor, besides conducting other more domestic (''
gṛhya'') rituals for him also. The ''purohita'' can mediate for his sponsor "even to the extent of bathing or fasting for him"
and the ''purohita'' in some ways becomes a member of the family.
The ''purohita'' is traditionally a hereditary charge linked to a royal dynasty, a noble family, a group of families, or a village. As one ''purohita'' is tied to a certain family of number of families, the division among a new generation of the duties of a first ''purohita'' has sometimes given rise to conflicts. Thus, in 1884, a hereditary ''purohita'' whose right had been contested by his older brother was given right to officiate in his village as well as damages and fees by the Appellate Civil Court in India.
History and geography
India
Origin
''Rajapurohita'' was an ancient term for a priest who acted for royalty, carrying out
ritual
A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, b ...
s and providing advice. In this sense, it is synonymous with ''
rajaguru''.
Hermann Kulke
Hermann Kulke (born 1938 in Berlin) is a German historian and Indologist, who was professor of South and Southeast Asian history at the Department of History, Kiel University (1988–2003). After receiving his PhD in Indology from Freiburg Univer ...
and
Dietmar Rothermund
Dietmar Otto Ernst Rothermund (20 January 1933 in Kassel - 9 March 2020 in Dossenheim) was a German historian and professor of the history of South Asia at the Ruprecht-Karls University in Heidelberg. He is considered an important representative ...
note that, "there is much evidence in ancient texts that there were two ideal types of
Brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...
s in those days, the royal priest (''rajapurohita'') or advisor (''rajaguru'') and the sage (''
rishi
''Rishi'' () is a term for an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mentions in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "great yogis" or ...
'') who lived in the forest and shared his wisdom only with those who asked for it." They are generally found in the states of
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
,
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
,
Bihar
Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Be ...
,
Jharkhand
Jharkhand (; ; ) is a state in eastern India. The state shares its border with the states of West Bengal to the east, Chhattisgarh to the west, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Bihar to the north and Odisha to the south. It has an area of . It ...
,
Uttarkhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
,
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
, and
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
,
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
,
Haryana
Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ar ...
,
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...
. The term's modern use in this sense has been described by
Sumit Sarkar
Sumit Sarkar (born 1939) is an Indian historian of modern India. He is the author of ''Swadeshi Movement''.
Early life, education and career
He was born to Susobhan Sarkar. His maternal uncle was Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis.
He completed h ...
as a "self-conscious archaism".
The violent scriptural conflict between
Vasishtha
Vasishtha ( sa, वसिष्ठ, IAST: ') is one of the oldest and most revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vashistha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the ''Rigveda''. Vashishtha an ...
and
Vishvamitra
Vishvamitra ( sa, विश्वामित्र, ) is one of the most venerated rishis or sages of ancient India. According to Hindu tradition, he is stated to have written most of the Mandala 3 of the Rigveda, including the Gayatri Mant ...
, two of the most famous prelates of the Vedic age, for the post of ''purohita'' in the court of king Sudas, show how much importance was attached to the office in those days.
Decline
![Hindu Priest - Ram Chandra Goenka Zenana Bathing Ghat - Kolkata 2012-10-15 0778](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Hindu_Priest_-_Ram_Chandra_Goenka_Zenana_Bathing_Ghat_-_Kolkata_2012-10-15_0778.JPG)
The office of ''purohita'' was one of great honour in the Vedic times in India, but by the end of 19th century it had become insignificant.
In the 1970s, the ''purohita'' had been reduced to "rudimentary religious tasks". Along with the loss of the
privy purse
The Privy Purse is the British Sovereign's private income, mostly from the Duchy of Lancaster. This amounted to £20.1 million in net income for the year to 31 March 2018.
Overview
The Duchy is a landed estate of approximately 46,000 acres (200 ...
, the ''Maharaja''s of India lost their princely status and the role of the ''purohita'' as royal chaplains declined even more.
To this day, however, the
Pareek
The Pareek are found in the state of Rajasthan in India and are mostly concentrated in the districts of Ajmer, Nagaur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Sikar, Churu and Jaipur
Jaipur (; Hindi: ''Jayapura''), formerly Jeypore, is the capital and largest ...
s claim to be descendants of the ''purohita''s of the ''
Raja
''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested f ...
''s and ''Maharaja''s. Since the 1990s, various attempts to renew the Vedic priesthood and the role of the ''purohita'' have come from both traditional Vedic temples as well as new movements such as "New Age Purohit Darpan" by the Bengalis to the Bengali diaspora.
Southeast Asia
Brahmins still serve as royal chaplains and conduct the royal ceremonies in Southeast Asian countries where the monarchy had been maintained.
Cambodia
Khmer legends refer to Java Brahmins coming to Kambujadesa. A Brahmin called Hiranyadama was sent from India to teach Tantric rites to Sivakaivalya whose family honoured the post of Royal ''purohita'' for nearly two hundred fifty years.
Ties between the brahmanic lineage from India and the Khmer dynasty were reinforced by bonds of marriage: Indian Brahmin Agatsya married Yasomati, and Duvakara was wedded to Indralakshmi, daughter of king Rajendravarman.
Thus, Sivasoma, the ''purohita'' who served as royal chaplain to
Indravarman and
Yasovarman I
Yasovarman I ( km, ព្រះបាទយសោវរ្ម័នទី១) was an Angkorian king who reigned in 889–910 CE. He was called " Leper King".
Early years
Yasovarman was a son of King Indravarman I and his wife Indradevi.
Yaaso ...
was also the grandson of King Jayendradhipativarman and the maternal uncle of
Jayavarman II
Jayavarman II ( km, ជ័យវរ្ម័នទី២; c. 770 – 850) (reigned c. 802–850) was a Khmer prince who founded and became the ruler of the Khmer Empire (Cambodia) after unifying the Khmer civilization. The Khmer Empire was the ...
. Sivasoma oversaw the construction of
Phnom Bakheng
Phnom Bakheng ( km, ភ្នំបាខែង ) is a Hindu and Buddhist temple in the form of a temple mountain in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia. Dedicated to Shiva, it was built at the end of the 9th century, during the reign of King Yasova ...
at Angkor, a Hindu temple in the form of a temple mountain, dedicated to Shiva.
Another important ''purohita'' was Sarvajnamuni, a brahmin who had left India “to gain the favours of
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
by coming to Cambodia”. and became the ''purohita'' of Jayavarman VIII whom he led in the "
Shaivite
Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...
reaction", an iconoclastic movement was directed towards the monuments of
Jayavarman VII
Jayavarman VII, posthumous name of Mahaparamasaugata ( km, ជ័យវរ្ម័នទី៧, c. 1122–1218), was king of the Khmer Empire. He was the son of King Dharanindravarman II (r. 1150–1160) and Queen Sri Jayarajacudamani.
He was ...
.
The
Brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...
ical rituals were reinstated in Cambodia after the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge.
Myanmar
The Brahmins of Myanmar have historically provided reading of the futures of the king they are serving.They lost their role due to the abolition of monarchy with the deposing of king
Thibaw, but continues to engage in fortune telling.
Thailand
![Emerald Buddha Temple - 2017-06-11 (059)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Emerald_Buddha_Temple_-_2017-06-11_%28059%29.jpg)
Thailand has two ethnic
Thai
Thai or THAI may refer to:
* Of or from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia
** Thai people, the dominant ethnic group of Thailand
** Thai language, a Tai-Kadai language spoken mainly in and around Thailand
*** Thai script
*** Thai (Unicode block ...
Brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...
communities-Brahm Luang (Royal Brahmins) and Brahm Chao Baan (folk Brahmins). All ethnic Thai Brahmins are
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
by religions, who still worship Hindu deities. The Brahm Luang (Royal Brahmins) mainly perform royal ceremonies for the
Thai King
The monarchy of Thailand (whose monarch is referred to as the king of Thailand; th, พระมหากษัตริย์ไทย, or historically, king of Siam; th, พระมหากษัตริย์สยาม) refers to the c ...
, including
crowning of the king. They belong to the long family bloodline of Brahmins in Thailand, who originated from Tamil Nadu. The Brahm Chao Baan or folk Brahmins are the category of Brahmins who are not from a bloodline of priests. Generally, these Brahmins have a small knowledge about the rituals and ceremonies. The
Devasathan
Devasathan (; ; meaning 'the abode of the gods') or Royal Brahmin Office of Thai Royal Court ( th, สำนักพราหมณ์พระราชครูในสำนักพระราชวัง) is a Hindu temple near Wat Suthat ...
is the centre of Brahmin activity in Thailand. This is where the
Triyampawai ceremony
The Triyampawai Ceremony ( th, พระราชพิธีตรียัมปวาย), the Hindu ritual celebrated currently in Bangkok Devasathan temple, was one of the 12 months' royal ceremonies of Thailand which is identified with Ta ...
is conducted, which is a Tamil Shaiva ritual. It was built more than 200 years ago. Apart from this there are also Indian Brahmins from India who migrated to Thailand more recently.
Though it is believed that the Brahmins serving the court and residing at the Devasathan temple come from
Rameswaram
Rameswaram (; also transliterated as Ramesvaram, Rameshwaram) is a municipality in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 kil ...
, Tamil Nadu, Prince historian
Damrong Rajanubhab
Prince Tisavarakumarn, the Prince Damrong Rajanubhab ( Thai: ; Full transcription is "Somdet Phrachao Borommawongthoe Phra-ongchao Ditsawarakuman Kromphraya Damrongrachanuphap" (สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธ ...
has mentioned about three kind of Brahmins, from
Nakhon Si Thammarat
Nakhon Si Thammarat Municipality ( th, เทศบาลนครนครศรีธรรมราช, ; from Pali ''Nagara Sri Dhammaraja'') is a municipality (''thesaban nakhon'') in Southern Thailand, capital of Nakhon Si Thammarat pro ...
, from
Phatthalung
Phatthalung (, ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in southern Thailand, capital of Phatthalung Province.
The town covers ''tambon
''Tambon'' ( th, ตำบล, ) is a local governmental unit in Thailand. Below district ('' amphoe'') and prov ...
, and those who originated from Cambodia.
[สมเด็จกรมพระยานริศรานุวัดติวงศ์, สาส์นสมเด็จ oyal letters vol. 1, 2nd ed. (พระนคร: กรมศิลปากร, 2516]973
Year 973 ( CMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Byzantine Empire
* Spring – The Byzantine army, led by General Melias (Domestic of the S ...
, p. 270, cited in Kanjana, ‘Ways of life, rituals and cultural identity’, p. 65.
References
{{reflist
Hindu priests
Hinduism in Cambodia
Hinduism in India
Hinduism in Myanmar
Hinduism in Thailand