Jain Journal 2004 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 16

HAMPA NAGARAJAIAH:APROPOSOFHIMSÄ VSAHIMSA
his half-brother Bahubali refused to countenance this, as a result of which the two fought a duel. At his very moment of triumph over Bharata, Bahubali realised the transience of kingship and worldly affairs and renounced, standing in the forest in a meditative posture for a year at the end of which he gained the true Jain victory, conquering the real enemies, the passions, and thus becoming, according to the Digambaras, the first human of this world age to achieve liberation. It is this story which inspired the most conspicuous artistic monument in south Indian Jainism, the massive image of Bahubali at Sravana Belgola dedicated by the victorious general Camuṇḍaraya in 981". [infra].
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2.07. "The 'Lorebook of the beginning" presents a subtle model of kingship as a necessary but potentially dangerous and flawed institution (Bharata was motivated by anger and attempted to cheat in his fight with Bahubali). All kings are regarded as requiring the controlling presence of Jain principles and Jain, rather than brahman, advises, and they can ultimately only gain mastery of the world by winning through to the genuine kingship of austerities and becoming a monk. We do not know how many south Indian kings or warriors attempted to put these principles into practice, although the ideal of the righteous Jain monarch remained a powerful one. While the last Rāṣṭrakūta emperor supposedly ended his life in the manner of the true ascetic by fasting to death, it must have also been the case that a generally fluid religiosity prevailed, as in the case of Camuṇḍarāya who is known to have dedicated temples to the Hindu gods Vişnu and Śiva." [Paul Dundas 120]
2.08. The pre-Aryan Jaina concept of ahimsa and animism is unique. Henric Zimmer and Noel Rettig endorse the view that Jaina religion, representing pre-Aryan system of thought, is the oldest of all Dravidian born philosophies. It would indicate that ahimsa, reverence for life, and non-intention to kill is a more primitive practice than human and animal sacrifice. Thus, ahimsā is not redundant, not restricted to Jainism or India alone. It is, in fact, globally germane and applicable. The concept of a Jaina warrior is perfectly in line with Indian spiritual tradition which goes beyond toleration since the Jaina