Taranpanthi
| Founder | |
|---|---|
| Taran Svami | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Central India | |
| 20,000-100,000 | |
| Religions | |
| Digambara Jainism | |
| Scriptures | |
| see Texts | |
| Website | |
| www |
The Taran Panth (also known as Taran Svami Panth, Taran Samaj or Taranapanthi) is a sect of Digambara Jainism founded by Taran Svami in Bundelkhand in central India in c. 1505 CE.
Taran Svami was a Jain religious teacher and founder of the Taran Panth. He lived in the 15th century central India. The traditional biographies places him within the Digambara mystic tradition. They also consider him as a ritual reformer for rejecting the authority of Bhattarakas and his emphasis on aniconism and inner realization. He is credited for writing fourteen texts.
The following fourteen texts credited to Taran Svami. These texts are classified in five systems mentioned in one manuscript of Thikanesara (now at Khurai temple). Scholars have expressed doubts about his authorship of the Chadmastha Vani as it cites his death and of the Nama Mala as it contains names of his disciples. These texts are classified in five systems mentioned in one manuscript of Thikanesara (now at Khurai temple).
The three texts in the Vicara mata category are thirty-two verse compositions. They are the most popular texts of Taran Svami. Malarohana was composed for the marriage of Taran Svami's followers, according to the tradition. It is still read during marriage of the followers. Premi had said that during Daslakshana, the followers gather in the temple and recite Pandita Puja and Mamalapahuda in day and Malarohana and Kamala Battisi at night. K. Samaiya had equated them with Ratnatraya. Some members recite some of these texts daily.
Other texts are not well-known. Sravakacara has 462 verses which defines code of conduct for lay followers which draws from earlier Digambara text Ratnakaranda śrāvakācāra. The Jñana Samuccaya Sara has 908 verses, and the Upadesha Shuddha Sara has 588 verses. These two texts discuss the Digambara philosophy and metaphysics. The Jñana Samuccaya Sara discusses Ratnatraya, scriptures, the stages of lay spirituality, Anuvrata and Mahavrata, seven types of Jain philosophy, Dravya, Dhyana etc. The Upadesha Shuddha Sara discusses the path of liberation and its hurdles. The Tribhangi Sara has 71 verses which discusses the topics in triads. These four texts are close to the Digambara tradition of philosophy.
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