We indulge ourselves deeper within our religion thanks to the purohitas with a vast knowledge of Puranic lore. They were able to encourage their community’s devotion to the deities. Purohitas’ main responsibility is to conduct daily rituals at the temple, sacred thread ceremony, last rites, and special deity ceremonies. Somewhere along the way, the festivities have begun to overshadow the veneration. Here are a few things to watch out for in the best purohitas:

• Pronunciation of mantras

This is why you’d be needing a Purohita to perform your pujas. The devalipi is meant to be chanted by those who have devoted their whole life mastering it. The awe of the mantras lies in the pronunciation of the verses in Sanskrit which evokes a divine aura around us. He should have an excellent grasp of the language. It is the main thing to look out for in a Purohita.

• Flawless performance of the puja

The next to thing to look for in a Purohita is his prowess in reciting the mantra during the puja without help from a book which is frowned upon. Also, make sure he has studied under a good teacher and not self-taught from the mere reading of books. He should be able to uphold the shastras that is required to perform the puja. Of course, at least one member of your family will be able to spot this in a good purohita.

• Pious and clean

The purohita should be pious and have clean habits. It is easy to spot a man with immaculate habits and pleasing manners. The way he handles himself before, during and after a puja should let you know these qualities. You can even inquire about the purohita from neighbors or your regular pandit in the temple. He is eloquent and of pure character.

• Intelligent

He should be an expert who knows the ins and outs of the science of portents and the rites that needs to be performed to keep the insinuated evil at bay from yourself. During the rule of kings, if he needed to make a Vedic sacrifice, the purohita had the last word on it. His status was even higher than that of ministers. Purohita’s intelligence is one of the first things to watch out for.

• Dutiful and well-read

In the temples or our homes, we depend on Purohitas for the performance of our rituals. We need to know if he performs his duties properly. He should be able to perform rites such as upanayana, vivaha, sraddha and other ceremonies related to your worship in the temple. He should also be able to perform homas for the betterment of society. Puranas and agamas play a far more important role in these rituals other than Vedic mantras. So, the purohita should know his Puranic lore well.

A fully developed ritual requires the expertise of a professional Purohita to perform it to its fullest potential. The above qualities sum up a virtuous Purohita and now you are prepared to get connected to one.