Rajpurohit (राजपुरोहित) is a subgroup of Hindu Brahmins (Brāhmaṇa, ब्राह्मणः) with its roots in Rishikul (great revered Indian sages from Vedic era) i

Rajpurohit (राजपुरोहित) is a subgroup of Hindu Brahmins (Brāhmaṇa, ब्राह्मणः) with its roots in Rishikul (great revered Indian sages from Vedic era) in India.

They are considered as the oldest brahmins who were associated with the ruling class of a kingdom since ancient ages in India. As a tradition Rajpurohits were not only involved in heading the religious rites and duties but also provide selfless service to the state, they were considered to be guardians of the state. They were as much into mentoring royal house, educating princes, guiding king on the path of dharma, providing advise on the matters of welfare of the state, performing religious duties as they were into helping in maintaining the security of kingdom by being actively involved in battles. Guru Dronacharya and Kripacharya were the Rajpurohits of the ancient kingdom of Hastinapur who participated in the great war of Mahabharata on behalf of the state during fall of the Dvapara Yuga. Present day Rajpurohits also trace this spirit of martial hood from the great Brahmin warrior sage Parashurama. As an example, the Junagarh fort in Bikaner houses memorial of Jagram ji Rajpurohit who died fighting for the cause of the state. As a custom, every wedding in the royal family of Bikaner is incomplete without paying homage to him. Such cenotaphs and headstones of Rajpurohits can be found all over Marwar and Bikaner. Chanakya (Sanskrit: चाणक्य Cāṇakya) (c. 350-283 BCE) was an adviser, a prime minister and Rajpurohit to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta (c. 340-293 BCE), and architect of his rise to power. Along with the other surnames like Dixit, Goswami etc., Purohit/Rajpurohit is also used as a surname among the Brahmins.