Most of the Hindu temples are maintained by Priests. What are the qualifications that one need to become a priest? What are the duties of the priests towards the temple and god (if any)?
asked Jul 13, 2014 at 18:04
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1 Answer
Now-a-days Archakatva course is offered by different universities and there are specific Veda schools run by many individuals and temple bodies. The basic qualifications include he should be able to do all services starting from Suprabhatam (hymns to wakeup God ) to Pavalimpu/Unjal Seva (hymns to make God sleep) including various activities like Archana, Abhishekam, Alankara, different Upacharas.
Priest should see god in the idol and should accept HIM as omnipotent. He should be capable of performing different kinds of Homas and Vratas specific to the deity. Each temple follows different Aagama Saastra and priest should have thorough knowledge of them. He should do Prokshana (sprinkling of holy water reciting vedic hymns) in case of any eclipse or any Dosha (impurity caused to temple or god by any reason like some being dies in temple or someone comes to visit temple when he is not supposed to like early days of someone's birth or death in the family).
He should co-ordinate regularly with the Dharmakarthas (noble men entitled to take care of temple activities) and with the Matt with which the temple is associated. If someone equal to the God like Sanyasi or any other who has self-realization visits the temple, they should be welcomed with Purnakumbam to the temple by the priest.
The list of responsibilities of priest is big or just cant be explained much here.
