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both the brothers were agreeable, they suggested that they may engage in a straight duel and whoever was found superior would be proclaimed as the victor. Bharat and Bahubali both agreed. Accordingly, the duel took place in which Bharat tried to beat Bahubali by using different types of equipment at his command. He however was not successful in beating his brother. Out as he was for conquering the whole India, how could he bear his defeat? He got desperate and ignoring the set rule of the duel, he hurled his miracle wheel at Bahubali. But the wheel was not meant to hurt the persons of the same blood. It therefore came back without hurting Bahubali.
Bahubali got mad by this unjustifiable move of Bharat. He therefore thought of smashing the elder brother with his mighty fist. As he raised his hand for that purpose, the onlookers trembled with the idea of Bharat's imminent end.
But all of a sudden, the idea came to the mind of Bahubali, 'What am I out to do? Am I going to kill my elder brother for the sake of worldly possessions that my revered father has willingly abdicated and which my other brothers have forsaken?' He shuddered at the prospect of the imminent death of Bharat. Within a moment he changed his mind. He saw the evil in killing his brother, whom he otherwise used to respect. The proud as he was, how could he however turn back his raised hand? He therefore used it for shaving himself as the symbol of giving up every thing and of renouncing the worldly life.
Bahubali then thought that if he went to the assembly of his father at that time, he would be required to bow to his 98 younger brothers who had renounced earlier and would as such be considered senior to him. How would his ego let him do that?. He therefore decided to seek the enlightenment on his own and started penancing on the very spot. He stayed so much concentrated in the meditation that he did not even remember how long he continued it. He remained so much immersed that even creepers began to grow on the support of his feet. In memory of this event, a gigantic 57 foot statue of Bahubali stands erected on the hill of Vindhyagiri at Shravanbelgola, near Bangalore. It has been made out of a single granite rock and was erected about 1000 years back. Pilgrims and visitors marvel that the statue under the open sky stands spotless even to day.
One year passed in that posture of meditation. Bähubali however did not gain enlightenment. How could he gain it, as long as he did not get rid of the ego that was overpowering him? At last, Lord Rushabhdev, out of compassion, sent Brähmi and Sundari to bring him to the right path. They came to the place where Bähubali was meditating. Seeing the mighty brother standing like a rock, they calmly asked him to get off the elephant. As their familiar voice reached the ears of Bahubali, he opened his eyes in all amazement and looked around. But where was the elephant? He then realized that he was all the time riding the elephant of ego. He immediately overcame it and decided to go to the Lord.
During his long penance he had overcome all other defiling instincts and only the ego had remained between him and the enlightenment. Now ego was gone and humbleness prevailed in its place. Therefore as he took the first step towards the Lord, he achieved full enlightenment and became omniscient.
His life span too happened to expire that time and therefore he soon attained the ultimate liberation. As such, he is the first person to gain liberation during the present Avasarpini or the descending half of the current time cycle.
Meanwhile, Bharat had become the undisputed emperor or Chakravarti of the whole India which from his name came to be known as Bhäratvarsha. He was the first Chakravarti of the current Avasarpini. He ruled equitably and in the interest of all. People were happy during his regime. He himself was happy in every respect. After ruling as such for a very long time, while he was once in his dressing room, a ring came out of his finger. He could notice that the finger looked rather
