________________
Acc..
2538
THE STORY OF BHARATA AND BĀHUBALI"
Dalsukbhai D. Malavania
I Introductory The colossal Bahuball (Gomatesvara (983 A. D.)) at Śravana B'lguļa in Sovih bodia is one the wonders of the world. Generally the Jainas worship the idols of Tirthařkaras but the worship of Bahubali is an exception. Though Bābuball is not a Tirthankara he is not only worshiped but also gets an abhiseka with grand celebrations just like Kumbha celebrations at Prayāga, after each period of twelve years, In South India there are many idols of Babubali but in the North Iodia idols of Bahubalı are rare.
Though he was able to conquer the Cakravarti Bharata ja his physical fights, he renounced the world and became an ascetic. This may be the reason of his worship. Rāma is worshipped by the Hindus as Maryada Puruşottama, (comp. Tato bhanati Bahubali - jai tumam logut tamasuo hoüņam majjayamatikkamasi pihujane ka ganana ? VH.p. 187) who as the greatest hero established the limits of morality and propriety. So is Bahubali for the Jainas in establishing the fact that to conquer the physical world or the Cakravarti, the conqueror of the physical world, is not enough. One should conquer his spiritual world, his pride, the inner vices and bls soul. Other important point also may be mentioned for his worship. When Bharata asked bim to surrender his kingdom or have a battle with him, he asked for a duel so as to avoid the horrors of violence and unnecessary killings of the innocent people and destruction of the cities etc. In this manner he was the pioneer to establish the theory of no-war in this world. According to the Jainas Babubali's father Rşabha was the first Tirthankara, bis elder brother Bharata was the first Cakravarti and in the same manner Bahubali was the first man to establish no-war policy in this world, and hence there should be no surprize if he is given importance and worshiped just like a Tirtharikara.
The first colossal statue of Bābubali 58 feet high was established by
Paper read at the Third International Sanskrit Conference held at Paris in 1977 1. Mottum kasäyajujjbam sam jamajuijena jujjhimo inbim/Parisahabhadehi samayam
jāva thio uttamatthemmi // PC. 4 51 2. For description of this colossal see, K. R. Srinivasan, Aspecies of Jaina Art and
Architecture, Ahmedabad, pp. 176-179. Sambodbi 6, 3-4
