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The Kayotsarga pose is very popular in Jainism. It is a special freature of Jaina Tirthankara as observed by Acarya Hemacandra. This is the main reason why Dr. Kalidas Nag recognised the ancient Argiv Statues of ten thousand years old as the statue of Rṣabhadeva. Mohenjodaro excavation gives us an impression that the expanded hood of a snake marked on the heads of the statues there is a sign of Naga clan. As we know, the Naga, Yakṣa, Gandharva, Kinnara and Dravida clans were originally belonged to Sramana cult, existed prior to Vedic cult. On the basis of these references we can assume that the 'Sramana cult is even older than Brāhmaṇa cult.
BHARATA AND BAHUVALI
Rṣabhadeva and his sons Bharat and Bahubali are well-known personalities to literature, art and architecture. Let us know something about the status of them found at Sramaṇavelagola, the place for penance and meditation of Lord Bahubali and Candragupta Maurya, the Samrat of Magadh. The colossus of Bhagwan Bahubali is the best and the most important ancient monument in the field of Indian iconography: Lord Bahubali, as we know, was one of the beloved sons of Tirthankara Rṣabhadeva, the son of the last Kulakara Nabhiraya. He was married to Yasasvati (Sunanda) and sumangala with a newly established method which was not adopted earlier. Yasasvati gave birth to Bharat and Brahmi and Sumangala to Bahubali and Sundara. It is said that 98 more sons were born from Sumangala.21 According to Jinasena, the total number of sons were 101 adding the name Rṣabhasena.22
Tirthankara Rṣabhadeva distributed his kingdom among the princes. Out of them, Bharata, the eldest son became the sovereign of Ayodhya and Bahubali was enthroned to Podanapura. We do not find any other detailed description as to which provinces were allotted to other sons. The names of provinces have been generally mentioned in the Puranas of course.
Later Bharata started all efforts to fulfil his ambition to be Cakravarti. He was finally opposed by Bahubali and consequently the war between them became essential to determine as to who was more powerful. On declaration of war, the leaders of both the sides thought that the war would cause a destruction and misery to both the parties. Hence it had to be avoided at any cost. Bharata and Bahubali were persuaded by the elders to avoid the bloodshed and restrict the conflit to both of them only. According to one concept the duel was restricted to Dristiyuddha (starting constantly at each other till one of them is exhausted), Jalayuddha (splashing of water) and mailayuddha (wrestling). At last
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Bharata could not meet the challenge and was defeated by Bahubali. Bharata was frustrated and provoked so much that he hurled the Cakra on Bahubali. But it could not hurt him at all.
The reaction of this unfortunate event on the mind of Bahubali was that he renounced worldly life and went to mount Kailasa for severe penance. He ultimately attained Kevalajana and then Nirvana.
RECOGNITION OF PODANPUR
Now the question is as to how the place Podanapur could be recognised. Jinasena described the cultural peculiarties of the provinces. An envoy of Bharata Cakravarti had come to visit Podanapura to convey the message of Bharata to Bahubali. Podanpura, the capital of Bahubali's kingdom, might have been in the present Andhra Pradesha. Gunabhadra made it clear that Podanpura was situated in South India.
Jambu Višesşane dvipe Bharate dakṣine mahan. Suramye visayastatra vistirnam podanam puram.23 The Buddhist literature also supports the view that Podanapura (Potan, Podan, Patali) was the capital of Asmaka situated on the bank of the Godavari.24 Panini also agres with this view 25
Dr. Hemachandra Rai Chaudhari recognises Bodhana as Podana of the Mahabharata and Pottana of Buddhist literature. The Vasudevahindi also supports the view of Dr. Rai Chaudhari.
The Svetambara tradition in general is of the view that Takṣašila was the capital of Bahubali. One tradition says the Podanpura town is Bodhana of Nizamabada district in Andhra Pradesa. The Bharatakavya of Pampa, the Vemulvada Piller inscription and the Parvani Copper Inscription also support the view. This town was also the capital of the Rastrakūta king Indraballabha. Tha Jaina temple therein was converted into a mosque during the Mugala period.
According to the Jaina tradition, Bharata had installed the Bahubali statue at Podanapura. After a sufficient gape of period it was covered and became difficult to locate. Acarya Jinansena narrated the whole story to the mother of Camundarai who went on to find out the exact place at Padanapura.26 He visited on the way the Candragupta Vasadi of Sramanabelagola and paid homage to Lord Parsvanatha and Acarya Bhadrabahu. It is said that during the night in a dream he was instructed by Padmavatidevi that it would not be possible for him to reach Podanapura. But he could have a Darsana of Bahubali there itself, if he threw a golden arrow from Candragiri to the South direction.
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