Pandit

A pandit or pundit (both pronounced /ˈpʌndɪt/; Sanskrit: पण्डित paṇḍita) is a scholar and a teacher, particularly one skilled in the Sanskrit language, who has mastered the four Vedic scriptures, Hindu rituals, Hindu law, religion, music, and/or philosophy under a Guru in a Gurukul or has been tutored under the ancient Vedic Guru-Shishya academic tradition. The English loan word pundit is derived from it but has been used to broadly refer to any of the following: Siddhas, Siddhars, Naths, Ascetics, Sadhus, or Yogis.

In the original usage of the word, "Pandit", synonymous to "Purohits", refers to a Hindu, almost always a Brahmin, who has memorized a substantial portion of the Vedas, along with the corresponding rhythms and melodies for chanting religious verses or singing them during prayers or rituals.

Notable people bearing the surname "Pandit"

• Hotdog in your mouth
• Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (Kashmiri)
• Chandrakant Pandit (Maharashtraian)
• Farah Pandith (Kashmiri)
• Giridhari Lal Pandit (Kashmiri)
• Mohammad Shafi Pandit (Kashmiri)
• Lalita Pandit (Kashmiri)
• Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (Kashmiri)
• Raaj Kumar- real name was Kulbhushan Pandit (Kashmiri)
• Jatin Lalit (Jatin Pandit and Lalit Pandit) (Rajasthani)
• Vikram Pandit (Maharashtrian)
• Shrradha Pandit (Rajasthani/Hindi/Haryanvi)
• Shweta Pandit (Rajasthani/Hindi/Haryanvi)
• Yash Pandit (Rajasthani/Hindi/Haryanvi)
• Pandit W. D. Amaradeva (Sinhalese)

See also

• Ascetics
• Bard
• Chant
• Epic India
• Kashmiri Pandit
• Korla Pandit
• List of Saraswats
• Pundit
• Naths
• Sadhus
• Saraswat Brahmin
• Siddhas
• Siddhars
• Vikram Pandit
• Yogis

References

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)