In the Sanskrit tradition, the term pandit denotes one who is versed in Vedic scriptures, practices and rituals; knowledgeable in Hindu law, music and philosophy, and performs the duties of a scholar, teacher and adviser. The original usage of the word "pandit" refers to a Brahmin and it is synonymous to the term "purohit." The English loan word pundit is derived from the word pandit. The definition of a pundit most certainly points to a rigorous and demanding duty that encompasses a wide-ranging portfolio, therefore a degree of specialisation is most necessary.
The Rig Veda 2.1.2 enumerates them as follows: hotr, brahmanacchamsin, maitravaruna, potr, nestr, agnidh and acchavaka. Therefore, the role of a pandit as per the Vedic tradition is to be performed by seven different individuals. Interestingly enough, the Shrauta Sutras further advises on a complement of 16 purohits for major ceremonies. This specialisation of duties is still observed today throughout various parts of India, where one either specialises in the presentation of the philosophies of the scriptures (Dharshan Shaastra), or in music and songs (Sangeeta), or in the practice of astrology (Jyotisha), or in the practice of rites and rituals (Samskaras).
The most famed pandits in modern Hinduism have been the pundits of Kashmir, a disputed territory between India and Pakistan on foothills of the Himalayas in northern India. The pundits were as famous as the beauty of the land with many Hindu holy sites that attracted millions of Hindu tourists annually.
Today, the tourists are escorted by the army while on pilgrimage and the pundits have been chased out of Kashmir. Most are now in the neighbouring Jammu and refuse attempts to encourage their return to Kashmir.
Sayed Shah Geelani from Jammu of May 9 wrote: "Madan is one of the four lakh pandits who fled Kashmir in 1990. Twenty years later, he has a home once again: a one-bedroom flat gifted by the government in a dust bowl called Jagti 10 km from Jammu. Madan once owned a two-storey mansion in a small paradise called Haal in Pulwama, among brooks and walnut orchards. In 1990, Haal emptied overnight. Today, the chinars, the glens and orchards are still there. But the houses are skeletal: burnt and looted."
In T&T, due to the circumstances and challenges that were faced by our ancestors when they came almost 166 years ago, the pundit had to adapt. As such, in our local setting today, the pundit now has to perform all these duties by himself. He presides over rituals, delivers the philosophies of the scriptures, plays his own music, as well as practises Vedic astrology. This is in addition to the role of adviser, counsellor and guide that he often plays for many Hindu families. This multi-faceted role of the pundit, therefore, requires the individual to possess certain fundamental and essential characteris- tics and qualities. Manu Smriti, the law-maker in Hinduism, outlines some of these.
In chapter four, Manu states that he (pundit) must be contented in disposition, have control over his senses, unattached to the material pleasures of this world and must be a life-long student of the Vedas.
Additionally, Manu asserts that his dress, speech, thoughts and conduct must conform to the rules of sacrifice and discipline. Furthermore, he must make the necessary oblations to the sages, the gods and the ancestors and perform the daily rites as prescribed by the Vedas. Once a year he must perform a Krikkhara penance to atone for unintentionally eating forbidden foods. All pundits are strict vegetarians for spiritual reasons as they are supposed to maintain purity of body and mind. The pundit is therefore a learned religious scholar who lives a life of restraint, sacrifice and penance.
It is against this backdrop that one observes with great consternation and disappointment the hastiness of the mainstream media, and by extension the public, in its uniformed use of the term pundit. It has become the norm, in the past few years, that when an individual who is associated with a Hindu temple as a pujari (assistant) or involved in the practice of certain Hindu rituals such as ojai (obeah) is accused of criminal conduct, he is quickly given the label pundit by the media in their unashamed attempt to sensationalise a story.
However, professionalism and media ethics (if they exists) should dictate proper investigative reporting before a reporter uses the term pundit. Do the media contact any of the Hindu organisations to inquire if the accused individual is affiliated with them and is in fact a pundit? This practice by the media is of concern to the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) as it has the potential to create, in the minds of the wider society, a negative image of a pundit. The SDMS therefore urges the mainstream media to adopt a more informed and responsible approach in its use of the term pundit.
Satnarayan Maharaj is the
secretary general of the
Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha