Introduction to Jainism

SR No.: 006919
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Rudi Jansma, Sneh Rani Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy
Publication Year: 2006
Total Pages: 256
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 5 MB

Page 171

SEEING HOLY LIFE IN PRACTICE
169
there is no earthly time concept, and tens of thousands of years would go by in a flash. So, soon he would be able to live in the company of a Tīrthamkara on earth, and then he would be able to reach final liberation by his own effort - to become a Jina, a conqueror.
The great example for the monks is Bāhubali, the first human being to reach liberation in this cycle. An abundance of statues of him are to be found in numerous temples and on sacred sites. Therefore I should first tell you the story of Bāhubali.
Bāhubali
Bāhubali was one of the 99 or 101 sons of Rishabha, the first Tīrthamkara, and also he had two sisters. All sons but one, and his daughter Brahms were begotten by one wife, and one other son, Bāhubali and her daughter Sundarī by his other wife. According to Jain calculations this must have been millions of years ago. Bāhubali was no ordinary son. Even at the time of conception his mother saw in a dream an enormous white elephant enter her womb - and that is a very good sign. It indicated that she would bear a strong, healthy and courageous son. And is what happened. He appeared to be a prodigy in all respects. The oldest of all the sons, born to her sister, was Bharata. When father Rishabha withdrew from his worldly functions and began to live an isolated spiritual life, all his sons, including his favorite son Bāhubali, inherited a kingdom, but Bharata, being the oldest, received the greater part. Bharata was given an invincible weapon, a new invention called chakraratna, literally a discus-jewel. He who owns this weapon may call himself the lord of the universe, because the gods themselves protect this weapon. With it he conquered all domains of ancient India, because nobody could resist him. His pride grew, and he was unable to bear any defeat. But when the king returned to the gates of his city after his campaign, the chakra refused to enter. Sages conferred as to why this could be so, and concluded that he had not yet