Book Title: Introduction to Jainism and its Culture
Author(s): Balbhadra Jain
Publisher: Kundkund Gyanpith Indore

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Page 199
________________ already here when Bharata came, when he goes away, it will still remain here. Bharata neither brought this land nor will take it along. Know brother that this earth belongs to none. These words undid the knot in Bāhubalī's mind and he at once attained omniscience. He became all knowing and all perceiving Arhanta Bhagavāna. Some years later he also attained nirvāṇa on mount Kailāśa. In Indian literature the story of life of Bāhubalī occupies a unique place. This story has some important messages. For his independence and self-respect Bāhubalī, a king of a small kingdom, confronted a powerful emperor like Bharata. He subdued Bharata with the power of his unwavering and strong determination. According to the rules of the game, Bāhubali became the rightful owner of the state but in protest of the injustice done by Bharata he renounced the conquered empire and became an ascetic. BHARATA AND BHĀRATA The name of our country is Bhāratavarşa. Before this its name was Ajanābhavarşa. Both Jain and Hindu hagiographies (Purāņas) are unanimous in the belief that it got its name Ajanābhavarşa from the name of Nābhirāya, Rşabhadeva's father. After that it changed to Bhāratavarşa and remains so till now. This is an eponym derived from Rşabhadeva's son Bharata who belonged to the Ikśvāku clan. During the current age of human endeavour he conquered the sub-continent and established a large well-organized empire and got the title of Cakravarti. On this occasion he pronounced the change in name of the country from Ajanābhavarșa to Bhāratavarşa. The countries he conquered to constitute the larger Bhārata included the areas now known as Bhārata (India), Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Srilanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Iran, and Afghanistan. During that period the boundaries of Bhārata touched Russia, China, and Egypt. Jain and Hindu Purāņas are also unanimous about this country deriving its name Bhāratavarșa from the name of Rsabhadeva's son Bharata. In the ancient literature of both the traditions one does not find even a single mention contrary to this belief or in support of the opinion that this name was derived from the name of some other 182 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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