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104 :: Aspects of Jaina Religion
(B) Minor sub-sects:
(i) Gumānapantha
(ii) Totāpantha. (1) Bisapantha
The followers of Bisapantha support the Dharma-gurus, that is, religious authorities known as Bhattārakas who are also the heads of Jaina Mathas, that is, religious monasteries. The Bisapanthis, in their temples, worship the idols of Tīrthankaras and also the idols of Kșetrapāla, Padmāvati and other deities. They worship these idols with saffron, flowers, fruits, sweets, scented 'agara-battis', i.e., incense sticks, etc. While performing these worships, the Bisapanthis sit on the ground and do not stand. They perform Ārati, i.e., waving of lights over the idol, in the temple even at night and distribute prasāda, i.e., sweet things offered to the idols. The Bisapantha, according to some, is the original form of the Digambara sect and today practically all Digambara Jainas from Mahārashtra, Karnātaka and South India and a large number of Digambara Jainas from Rājasthān and Gujarāt are the followers of Bisapantha.
(2) Terāpantha
Terāpantha arose in North India in the year 1683 of the Vikrama Era as a revolt againts the domination and conduct of the Bhattārakas, i.e., religious authorities, of the Digambara Jainas. As a result in this sub-sect, the Bhattārakas are not much respected. In their temples, the Terāpanthis instal the idols of Tîrthankaras and not of Kșetrapāla, Padmāvati and other deities. Further, they worship the idols not with flowers, fruits and other green vegetables (known as sachitta things), but with sacred rice celled 'Akşata', cloves, sandal, almonds, dry coconuts, dates, etc. As a rule they do not perform Arati or distribute Prasāda in their temples. Again, while worshipping they stand and do not sit.
From these differences with the Bisapanthis it is clear that the Terāpanthis appear to be reformers. They are
