Book Title: Jainism For Beginners Level 02
Author(s): Sayampurnashreeji
Publisher: Sayampurnashreeji

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Page 107
________________ returned to Bharat and Bahubali remained unharmed. Bahubali became enraged by Bharat's violation of the rules of the duel. He thought of smashing the elder brother with his mighty fist. As he-raised his hand for that purpose, the onlookers trembled at the thought of Bharat's imminent death. Bharat and Bahubali both agreed to the rules. The day of the duel arrived. Bharat tried to beat Bahubali by using his various permissible weapons. All his attempts to defeat Bahubali failed. Bharat contemplated how unbearable and shameful his defeat would be. His ambition to rule the entire world was also at stake if he did not defeat his brother. He grew desperate and ignored the rules of the duel by unleashing his miracle wheel, the Chakraratna, at Bahubali. Bharat forgot one important characteristic of the miraculous weapon that it would not harm any blood relatives of the bearer. Therefore the wheel Just as he was about to unleash his wrath, a flash of insight came to him. "What am I doing?” thought Bahubali. "Have I gone mad? Am I going to kill my elder brother for the sake of some worldly possession that my revered father willingly abandoned and which my other brothers have given up?" He shuddered at the prospect of the imminent death of Bharat. At that moment he changed his mind. He saw the evil in killing a brother he respected. Instead of lowering his hand to hit his brother, he used it to pull out hair (as the monks do during Diksha renunciation ceremony) as a symbol of giving up everything and of renouncing the worldly life. STORIES PRECEDING BHAGWAN MAHAVIR But Bahubaii had not lost his pride and ego. He realized that if he went to his father and stated his intent of renouncing the world he would be required to bow down and be subservient to his 98 younger brothers who were senior to him in monkhood. This was unacceptable to him. Instead, Bahubaii decided to seek 99

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