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A 12TH CENTURY CELEBRATION OF PANCAKALYANA RITES TO GOMMATESVARA
A. SUNDARA
In the Jaina sect the twentyfour Tirtharkaras and Bahubali, the younger brother of Bharata, both being the sons of the first Tirtha ikara Rşabhanātha, are the greatest spiritual personalities who attained by self-effort the supreme goal : 'Siddhapada' i. e., freedom for ever from the cycle of births and deaths, worldly bondages. Nay, the enlightened Tirthankaras instead of entering into 'Siddhapada' immediately, preferred to move about for sometime in the midst of the common and ignorant, teaching them from their actual way of lives and experiences, how they can also make their lives sublime. Here lies the invaluable, kind and selfless service of these Tirthankaras. In their early lives they were like any other human beings, enjoying royal material prosperity and happiness, being princes but soon realised the truth that the so called worldly happiness and pleasure are short lived and not free from exhaustion, pain and sorrow. The good and bad acts of human beings must bear fruit accordingly and they must be enjoyed by them. Thus human beings are always caught in the endless cycle of births and deaths, and their span of life between is bound with swaying worldly pleasures and pains. In the wake of their awakening, the princes who were later to become Tirthankaras strove hard to find out a true way to be free from the clutches of these fluctuating never ending dualities and to attain a stage that puts an end to karma and thus is blissful. Overcoming all stress and strain, hardship both internal and external, physical and mental with patience and restraint, determination, they did succeed in discovering the correct supreme path; and in being spiritually enlightened and being compassionate taught and showed the path to their fellow beings. Being impressed by their self-sacrifice and spiritual glory there were to thein innumerable followers afflicted with the mundane dualities who found solution in their preachings and solace in the practice. Naturally these luminaries in course of time became ideal. nay, divine personalities so much so they were adored and worshipped. And stories of their lives were inspiring models to the followers of
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