("one who is set in front of others") In the Brahmanas' sacrificial religion, the most significant of the priestly officials.
The purohit was in charge of overseeing the other
sacrificial priests, such as the rtvij and the hotr, and ensuring that the
animal sacrifices were carried out correctly.
The purohit was often associated with a specific king and
was also relied upon to conduct ceremonies for the common good.
This latter definition has remained in current times, and
the name is often used to refer to one's family priest, who will conduct
certain ceremonies for the family.
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