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PART III STORIES PRECEDING BHAGAWAN MAHÄVIR
Now, only Bahubali remained. However, he had a different vision and would not surrender. He was conscious of his right to rule the kingdom handed over to him by his father. Moreover, he had the will and capacity to fight any invader. Therefore, when he received Bharat's request to accept a subordinate status, he refused and began preparations to fight. Both brothers were strong, and war between the two was sure to result in large-scale bloodshed. Therefore, counselors on both sides tried to dissuade their masters from resorting to war, but neither of them would give up his ground. War seemed inevitable as the brothers brought their armies face to face on the battlefield. Everyone shuddered at the prospect of the heavy casualties that would result from the imminent war. The counselors then made one last effort. They explained to their masters that the main point of contention was to determine which brother was superior. Instead of assembling a large-scale war for that purpose, a fight between the two brothers would just as easily settle the issue and would avert unnecessary bloodshed. Both brothers thought this was an excellent idea and immediately agreed. The plan was to engage in a straight duel, and the victor of the duel would be acknowledged as the leader. On the day of the duel, Bharat tried to beat Bahubali by using his various permissible weapons, but all his attempts to defeat Bahubali failed. Bharat contemplated on how unbearable and shameful his defeat would be. His ambition to rule the entire world was also at stake if he did not defeat his brother. He grew desperate and ignored the rules of the duel by unleashing his miracle wheel, the Chakraratna, at Bahubali. However, he had forgotten one important characteristic of the miracle weapon: it would not harm any blood relatives of the bearer. Therefore, the wheel returned to Bharat and Bahubali remained unharmed. Bähubali became enraged by Bharat's violation of the rules of the duel, and he thought of smashing his elder brother with his mighty fist. As he raised his hand for that purpose, the onlookers trembled at the thought of Bharat's imminent death. But just as he was about to unleash his wrath, a flash of insight came to him. "What am I doing?" thought Bähubali. "Have I gone mad? Am I going to kill my elder brother for the sake of some worldly possessions that my revered father willingly abandoned and which my other brothers have given up?" He shuddered at the prospect of the imminent death of Bharat, seeing the evil in killing a respected brother. At that very moment he changed his mind. Instead of lowering his hand to hit his brother, he used it to pull out his hair (as the monks do during Dikshä) as a symbol of giving up everything and renouncing the worldly life. However, Bahubali had not lost all his pride and ego. He realized that if he went to his father and stated his intention of renouncing the world, he would be required to bow down and be subservient to his 98 younger brothers who were senior to him in monkhood. This was unacceptable to him. Instead, Bahubali decided to seek enlightenment on his own and started meditating on the very same spot upon which he stood. He became so immersed in his meditation that he lost track of time and could not remember how long he had stood there. He was motionless for so long that creepers began to grow around his feet. A year passed with Bahubali standing in that posture of meditation, yet he did not gain enlightenment. How could he gain it without shedding his ego? At last, Lord Rishabhadev sent Brähmi and Sundari to bring him to the right path. They came to the place where Bähubali was meditating. Seeing their mighty brother standing like a rock, they calmly told him, "You cannot achieve enlightenment while sitting on an elephant. You need to get off the elephant." As their familiar voices reached Bahubali's ears, he opened his eyes in amazement and looked around but did not find himself on an elephant. He then realized that the elephant they were referring to was his ego. He immediately dissolved his ego and decided to go to Lord Rishabhadev and was ready to bow to his 98 brothers. During his long penance, he had overcome all other defiling passions except ego which still remained between him and enlightenment. Now his ego was dissolved and humbleness prevailed in its place. Therefore, as he took the first step towards the Lord, he achieved full enlightenment and became omniscient. (By Digambar tradition, Bahubali later became the first person to attain liberation in this era. However, Shvetämbar tradition indicates that Rishabhadev's mother, Marudevi, attained liberation first in this era.) In memory of this event, a gigantic, 57-foot upright statue of Bahubali stands on the hill of Vindhyagiri at Shrävanbelgolä, near Bangalore in southern India. It is made out of a single rock of granite and was erected about 1000 years ago. Pilgrims and visitors marvel that the statue, even under the open sky, stands spotless today.
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JAIN STORY BOOK
