Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v2.c4.86

v2.c4.86

Puro-hita (‘placed in front,’ ‘appointed’) is the name of a priest in the Rigveda¹ and later.² The office of Purohita is called Purohiti³ and Purodhā. It is clear that the primary function of the Purohita was that of ‘domestic priest’ of a king, or perhaps a great noble; his quite exceptional position is shown by the fact that only one Purohita seems ever to be mentioned in Vedic literature.⁴ Examples of Purohitas in the Rigveda are Viśvāmitra⁵ or Vasiṣṭha⁶ in the service of the Bharata king, Sudās, of the Tṛtsu family; the Purohita of Kuruśravaṇa;⁷ and Devāpi, the Purohita of Śantanu.⁸ The Purohita was in all religious matters the *alter ego* of the king. In the ritual⁹ it is laid down that a king must have a Purohita, else the gods will not accept his offerings. He ensures the king’s safety and victory in battle by his prayers;¹⁰ he procures the fall of rain for the crops;¹¹ he is the flaming fire that guards the kingdom.¹² Divodāsa in trouble is rescued by Bharadvāja;¹³ and King Tryaruṇa Traidhātva Aikṣvāka reproaches his Purohita, Vṛṣa Jāna, when his car runs over a Brahmin boy and kills him.¹⁴ The close relation of king and Purohita is illustrated by the case of Kutsa Aurava, who slew his Purohita, Upagu Sauśravasa, for disloyalty in serving Indra, to whom Kutsa was hostile.¹⁵ Other disputes between kings and priests who officiated for them are those of Janamejaya and the Kaśyapas, and of Viśvantara and the Śyāparṇas;¹⁶ and between Asamāti and the Gaupāyanas.¹⁷ In some cases one Purohita served more than one king; for example, Devabhāga Śrautarṣa was the Purohita of the Kurus and the Sṛñjayas at the same time,¹⁸ and Jala Jātūkarṇya was the Purohita of the kings of Kāśi, Videha, and Kosala.¹⁹