Purohitas & Temple Priests

[Guest guest]

Dear Prapatti Group Members:

 

I would like to add my 2 cents worth to the very intersting discussion

initiated by Mohan Sagar and Kalale. I would also entirely agree with

Shrimans Krishnamachari and Sadagopan about the need to make a distiction

between the entirely two different types of trainings that the temple and

Vaidika priests undergo. The Prayogams used in both methods are quite

different. The domestic functions come under the Vaidika - Karma Category.

The temple functions are governed by either the Pancharatra or Vaikanasa

Agamas. Even in a small function like Punyavachanam one finds that the

Agamas use Vasudeva Punyahavachanam whereas the one done in homes use the

Pavamana Suktham. On the whole there is little in common. On the

otherhand when it comes to Vaidika Karmas there is very little difference

between a Smartha and a Vaishnava priest.

 

Recently when our temple at Buffalo was recruiting a priest, we found a

trend that Priests who are desirous of coming here obtain a little training

in both areas and I feel this only fulfills "something is better than

nothing" type of a requirement. The NY temple has done a good job in

having a good combination of priests under both categories. Shri

Rangarajan of NY temple is well trained in Vaidika Purohitam. Similarly

Shri Venkata Shastri, now in NC is extremely well trained in Prayogams.

Learning the Vedas is one thing but its practical application comes under

prayogams. The former Poudarika Puram Swamigal was considered a great

expert in this area and he use to have one year training course on

Prayogams. His work has been recently published by the Andavan Ashramam in

Madras. If you would like to obtain a copy of the book, I will post the

exact details later, as I don't have it handy now. Navalpakkam

Devanathacharya Swamigal is another great expert in Prayogams who now lives

in Navalpakkam.

 

Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan

Buffalo, NY