Jaina Community a Social Survey

SR No.: 007019
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Vilas Sangve
Publisher: Popular Book Depot Bombay
Publication Year: 1980
Total Pages: 484
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 12 MB

Page 79

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Religious Divisions in the Jaina Community
yapantha because its followers worship Samaya, i. e., sacred books. The population of Taraṇapanthis is nearly 40,000 and they are mainly found in Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh, former Central Indian States and some parts of Khandesha District. Members from the following six castes, viz., Paravāra, Asaiti, Golalare, Charanagare, Ajudhyābāsī and Dosakhe Paravāra, are the followers of this sub-sect. Taranasvā mī (1505-1552 V. S.) founded the sub-sect in the latter part of the 16th century of the Vikrama Era. He died at Malharagarh, in former Gwalior State, and this is the central place of pilgrimage of Taranapanthis. They do not worship the idols but they do worship their own sacred books. Even though at present there are six castes among the Taraṇapanthis, they were really against the caste distinctions. Taraṇasvami was looking with equanimity towards all persons and in fact he threw open the doors of his subsect to Muslims and low caste people. Ruiramana, one of the main disciples of Taraṇasvami, was a Muslim. Further, Taranapanthis gave more importance to spiritual values and the study of sacred literature. That is why we find a complete absence of outward religious practices among them. These three main traits of Taraṇapanthis, viz., hatred of idol-worship, ban on caste distinctions and removal of outward religious practices, were evolved as a revolt against the religious practices and beliefs then prevailing in the Digambara Jaina Church and it appears that Taraṇasvāmī might have formulated these principles under the direct influence of Islamic doctrines and teachings of Lonkäsaha, the founder of non-idolatrous sub-sect among the Svētāmbaras.21
Gumānapanthis and Totapanthis are not so important and very little is known about them. Gumanapantha fluorished of late in the 18th century A. D. and was so called from the name of its founder Gumana Rāma.
In the Digambara sect, in recent years, a new sub-sect known as Kānaji Pantha, consisting of the followers of Kanaji Svāmi, is being formed. Kānaji Svāmi, a Svetambara Sthanakvāsī by birth, has largely succeeded in popularising the old sacred texts of the great Digambara saint Acharya Kunda-kunda of South India. But Kanaji Svāmi's efforts, while interpreting Acharya Kunda-kunda's writings, to give more prominence to Nischayanaya (i.e., realistic view point) in preference to Vyavahāranaya (i. e.,