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Gommatesvara as Found in Harivamšapurana
It was suggested that, that might be the reason why the cakra-raina was still outside the gates of Ayodhya. Immediately swift ambassadors were sent to Paudanapura to demand from Bāhubali recognition of the suzerainty of Bharata and submission to his rule. The ambassadors were respectfully received at the court of Bahubali. But on hearing the demands from Bharata, Bāhubali got enraged.' Bahubali was no less a son of Lord Rşabha than Bharata himself. So Bāhubali said, "The kingdom was portioned out and allotted to us by our father the Lord, If he asks me to hand over my kingdom to Bharata, I will do so most willingly. But if your king wants to take it from me, let him do so after conquering me in war.” The ambassadors returned disappointed and reported to Bharata all that had happened at Paudanapura'
After the departure of the ambassadors, Bahubali gathered his army and was prepared to meet his brother on the battle field. On hearing the reply of Bāhubali, Bharata grew furious and summoning his entire army he marched towards Paudanapura. Both the armies came closer together at a particular place. Conchs were blown; kettle-drums were beaten, pipes, horns and trumpets blared forth making a tumultuous sound. They were about to attack one another. But the ministers of both the brothers stepped forward and prayed to their Lords not to fight and said, “O Lords, Both of you are divine personalities. Yor are in your last births now. At the end of this life you will be attaining salvation. Your bodies are invulnerable. Why should these innocent soldiers be thrown to the jaws of death? You may kindly decide your superiority by a duel combat. 11"
Both the contending brothers were naturally averse to any form of injury to any life and they readily agreed to decide their question by methods of righteous fight, namely drsfi-yuddha' (looking at each other without winking ), jalayuddha" (throwing water on each other's face) and malla-yuddha' (wrestling). In all the three combats Bahubali became victorious and his army shouted with applause 16 Emperor Bharata felt humiliated. But Bahubali was not elated in spite of his victory. This was no victory for him. He had to fight his greater enemy karma. He asked his brother to take over his kingdom and rule over it, while he would himself renounce the temporal world and strive for the Spiritual Empire.
Bāhubali became an ascetic and was deeply engaged in meditation. He was so much immersed in dhyāna and self concentration that he became absolutely unconscious of the external world. Ant-hills grew up at his feet, and creepers wound themselves arround his legs and hands. As he was advancing in concentration, the divinity in him was manifesting itself until at last when he attained Omniscience, He became the fullest manifestation of the Divinity itself. Devas from above, human beings on the earth, animals and birds gathered around him
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