A pandit or pundit (Sanskrit: [pa??ita or pa??it) 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.