Bharat and Bahubali

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

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BHARAT AND BAHUBALI
elephant. You need to get off the elephant." As their familiar voices reached Bähubali'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. Bahubali became the first person who attained liberation in this era as per Digambar sect. 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 Shravanbelgola, 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.
Idol of Bahubali at Shravanbelgola
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