A mahant /məˈhʌnt/ is a religious superior, in particular the chief priest of a temple or the head of a monastery. The Hindi word mahant is from Prakrit mahanta-, from Sanskrit mahat "great". Other titles include the priest or pundit and generally always a brahmin, gyani, or pastor of any well-known religious place would be a mahant. In other branches of Hinduism, the mahant is an ascetic who is the head and leader of the temple and has religious responsibilities as a preacher.