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VII. THE SUCCESSORS OF KABlR The Kabirpanthis.— The great influence which the teaching of Kablr exercised is shown by the large number of sects which owe their origin to the ideas which he promulgated. These sects have their literature in the vernacular. The Kabirpanthis, who trace their direct origin to Kablr, have two divisions. One has its centre at the Kabir-chaura in Benares, and is also associated with Maghar where Kablr died. The other has its centre in Chhattisgarh in the Central Provinces. Each of these divisions is ruled by a mahant, and each has its literature. The descent of the Benares mahants is traced back to Surat Gopal, and that of the Chhattisgarh mahants to Dharm Das. These are sometimes said to have been personal disciples of Kablr, but probably lived a little later. Although the Kabirpanthis have as a whole kept free from the worship of images, Hindu influence has in various ways found its way back into the sect. Kablr rejected the doctrine of divine incarnation, but he himself is often now regarded as an incarnation of the Supreme. Hindu practices which he condemned, such as the use of the rosary, have been introduced. Except the works ascribed to Kabir himself the large amount of literature belonging to this sect has been scarcely examined by those outside the sect. The Bijak, already mentioned in connection with Kablr, was probably compiled about fifty years after his death. Two other works belonging to this sect may also be mentioned. These are the Sukk Nidhan, which probably belongs to about the middle of