Sharnaya - the sacred books

Sharnaya - are the sacred books worshiped by the 'Taranpantha' or 'Samaiyapantha' (sub-sect of Jainism).

The Jain religion is one of the oldest religions in the world. It was has been taught by Tirthankaras also called Jina. A follower of a Jina is called a Jain and the religion followed by Jains is called Jainism. Each Tirthankara revitalizes the Jain order. 

Taranapantha is a sub-sect of the 'Digambara sect' which is the one of the two major sect of the Jain order. Taranapantha is known after its founder TaranaSvami or TaranataranaSvami (1448-1515 A.D.). This subsect is also called Samaiyapantha because its followers worship Sharnaya, i.e., sacred books and not the idols.

The Taranapanthis strongly refute idolatry but they have their own temples in which they keep their sacred books Sharnaya for worship. They do not offer articles like fruits and flowers at the time of worship. Besides the sacred books of the Digambaras, they also worship the fourteen sacred books written by their founder TaranaSvami.

Further, Taranapanthis give 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. Moreover, TaranaSvami; was firmly against the castedistinctions and in fact threw open the doors of his subsect even to Muslims and lowcaste people.