________________
150
THE JAINA GAZETTE throw him down on the ground, out of pity, and regard as Bharata was king, elder brother, Chakravarti, and of vast power. So he brought him down gently to the ground where he placed him erect. Bahubali's trumpets sounded victory. Baffled thus, Bharata ordered his Chakra to cut down Bahubali. The disc unable to carryout the order came to Bahubali and rested there. Bahubali saw the sad plight of Bharata, was moved deeply by the situation, and regretted very much the disgrace wrought upon Bharata of the Manuvamsa. He gave away the Chakra saying to his brother, “Why should I aspire for your kingdom which you love ? Rule the Shad-khanda yourself : May your Empire prosper and your glory live for ever! Forgive my disobedience in acting against you. I shall wash down this sin by tapas." Bharata tried to reconcile his brother saying "You are the only scion of Manuvamsa left. Do not renounce and take to tapas." While Bahubali's feet were watered by Bharata's tears, as Bharata spoke, Bahubali himself shed streams of tears which seemed to be the sacred waters of the coronation ceremony of Bharata.
Bahubali however succeeded in leaving Bharata without a rival in his kingdom, placed his own son Mahabali as Yuvaraja in Paudanapura, and marched to the Samavasarana. He begged the Lord, " Pleased as you were to make me Yuvaraja on earth, kindly favour me with the status of Yuvaraja in Renunciation." So he took to lapas, learnt the twelve angas and the purvangas, went on ekavihara (solitary travel) for a year, and took to more austere lapas. But he did not attain_Kevalabodha. Bharata asked Lord Sri Vrishabhasvami as to the cause. "The muni feels it is still on your land that he stands. This is his only trouble. If you go and kneel before him, and disown your right, he will attain Kevalabodha," was the reply.
Thus instructed Bharata went, made puja, and said, “It is your gift, Sage, this land that has come to me. Think not otherwise. Think of your self." Then disburdened of the one trouble, the muni attained Kevalabodha. Instantly came the deoas, came the umbrella, the chamaras, the throne, and all. The
devas worshipped the Kevali, and went their ways. Bahubali Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
