In religious traditions, we often use the words priest and pandit in the same sense, but are both really the same? In the vast tradition of Hinduism, the roles, responsibilities and knowledge of these two are quite different from each other. While a Pandit is considered a scholar with in-depth knowledge of the scriptures, Vedas and astrology, the priest takes charge of the daily worship and aarti of the Lord in the temple.
With the increasing religious interest among the people in the society, now the question has become more important that who is called a Pandit and who is called a priest? Today we are going to tell you in detail what is the meaning of these two words, what is the difference in their roles and why the importance of both is considered different in Hindu tradition.
Also read: Loan Mukteshwar Temple: Where sage Vashishtha got freedom from debt by worshiping
Major differences between priest and pandit
Pandit
- Pandit is a person who has deep knowledge of Vedas, Puranas, Shastras, Sanskrit, Astrology, rituals and religious scriptures.
- Pandit is called a scholar or one knowledgeable in the scriptures.
- It is not necessary that every Pandit worships in the temple. Many Pandits only do the work of rituals, astrology, rituals etc.
Priest
- A priest is the one who performs puja, aarti, abhishek and daily service to the deities in the temple.
- The main role of the priest is ‘daily service’ to God
- It is not necessary for every priest to be a Pandit, that is, it is not necessary for him to have deep knowledge of the scriptures.
Duties and Responsibilities
What do Pandits do?
- Marriage, mundan, naming, housewarming, shraddha, yagya, havan, rites etc. are performed.
- making horoscope, giving astrological advice
- giving sermons, sermons, religious teachings
- To give detailed knowledge of mantras, hymns and scriptures of Gods and Goddesses.
Also read:Harsiddhi Temple: Where the elbow of Goddess Sati had fallen, it is believed to be connected to Chand-Mund.
What do priests do?
- Morning and evening worship, aarti, bhog, adornment and service of God in the temple.
- Religious operation and administration of the temple
- giving offerings to devotees
- Performing special pujas in the temple on special festival and fasting days.
Ability
To become a Pandit:
- Study of Sanskrit
- Teaching of Vedas, Puranas, Astrology, Mantras, Rituals
- Many Pandits take formal education from Karmkandacharya.
To become a priest:
- Knowledge of basic mantras and rituals of daily worship of the temple.
- In some temples there is training for priests or priestesses.
- It is necessary to follow eligibility and religious rules
place of work
Pandit:
- religious work at home
- sacrificial fire place
- marriage ceremony
- Dharamshalas
- ashram
Priest:
- serve only in the temple
- Can also work in big religious institutions or monasteries
- Respect and social role
Pandit:
- Considered as a scholar or pillar of knowledge in the society
- They play a major role in religious education and scriptures.
Priest:
- Considered as a bridge between God and devotee
- There is a great responsibility in maintaining the faith of the devotees.
Comments are closed.