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Gommases vara Commemoration Volume Bāhubali is glorified because of his standing against the passions like greed, anger etc.
In the life-story of Bāhubali it may be pointed out, there has been used an invisible motif of vastness, of highness. In the Prakrit stories his personality has been described much higher than that of Bharata. In strength he proves himself to be stronger. He has also touched the height of oneness with his brother when he does not allow his brother down on the earth even though he was the winner. This is an exhibition of his height of Karuņā. When he was attacked by Bharata with the Cakra, he forgives him and thus vanquishes his anger.
Bharata invaded others just to mount on the throne of an Emperor. This very greed brought him to stand against his brother. But it was met by Bahubali with renouncing the world -- an act unparalelled in the history of the world. Actual greatness lies in renunciation. The motif of this greatness of Bahubali, which made him mendicant, is a great and unique example. Bahubali virtually diminished in his mind the difference between his body and the dust of the earth. There could be no greater instance of affection or love than this one when somebody's body becomes a shelter for some creature or plant. This motif of large-heartedness has considerably influenced the sculptors' minds who have carved out Bahubali's images like Gommateśvara.
In Jain philosophy Bahubali's life-story has become a symol of the four famous Kaşāyas.*' Bharata's invasion symbolises ambition and greed, violation of norms in bettle-field symbolises Māyā, assailing with Cakra symbolises anger and obstruction in attaining Kevalajñāna symbolises ego respectively. Bāhubali has set an example for posterity as a winner of all these passions. It is an extremely popular motif in literature- one is upgraded while other is degraded. There are to be found examples in literature such as Rām-Rāvana, Krsna-Kamsa, Pandava -Kaurava and the like. The same motif has remained an active and contributory factor to the development of Bharat-Bāhubali's story.
REFERENCES
1. Shastri, Devendra Muni, Rşabhadeva-Eka Parisilana, Udaipur, 1971. 2. Jain, J. C.; Jaina Agama Sahitya Me Bharatiya Samāja, Varanasi, 1965. 3. Commentary on Avaš yaka-Niryukti (Haribhadra & Malayagiri) Gathā 185-206. 4. Oghavji, Shah Amritlal; Bharateš vara-Bahubali-Vștri, Ahmedabad, 1938. 5. The story of Bahubali, Sambodhi, pt-6, No. 3-4, 1978, 6. Muni Punyavijaya, Vasudevahindi, Pt. I, Bhavnagar 1931. 7. Ibid, p. 162-188. 8. Takkhasilae mahappa Bahubali tassa niccapadikoolo /
Bharahanarindassa saya na kunae anapama nam so IIPauma-4.38
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