Study of Jainism

Author(s): T G Kalghatgi
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 42

Tirthankara Rşabhadeva
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round Bahubali and came back to Bharata. This was a miracle. Bharata was ashamed of his act and stood motionless, full of repentence and humility. On this side Bahubali felt disgusted with all that happened. He felt the stupidity and meaninglessness of the glory and the achievement in the fights. That he should have to fight against his own brother was the height of ignominy. He became fully detached of this world, went to his brother Bharata, offered his prandmas and said unto him, “forgive my brother. I have no meaningless struggle. I have decided to renounce this world and seek salvation. He became a Sramana.67 He went to the thick forest and started his penance. His ascetic practices were very severe he stood in Khadgasana (standing posture) and was immersed in ineditation. For one full year he practised penance but he could not get the enlightenment. Bharata and his subjects went to Rşabhadeva to enquire why it was so, Bahubali could not get the enlightenment inspite of his severe penance, because still there was a lurking passion (kaşaya) in his mind about the enormity of his meditation and the gnawing egoity. The thought that he was standing on the land of his brother Bharata was disturbing him. This was the månakaşaya (disturbing egoity). Having come to know of the plight of Bahubali, Bharata Cakravartin came down with all ininisters and subjects to the place where Bahubali was practicing penance. In all humility, he bowed down to the ascetic Bahubali and said unto him “O Sramaņa, do not have the slightest idea that you are standing on my land. All is yours. Nothing is mine or thine". Bahubali realised the folly of his disturbing egoity (mānakaşaya). His mind become crystal clear. He attained the purity and perfection. He attained nirvāņa. Thus Bahubali attained self-realisation.69 This incident of the fierce fighting between Bharata and Bahubali has a great psychological significance. It expresses the fundamental attitudes of the Jainas as presented in their outlook of anekanta and the spirit of self-abnegation. Bahubali won the duels in empirical sense, but the success led him to the realisation, that all this struggle for power and pelf is meaningless. The only way to salvation is to develop the spirit of detachment to this world and to renounce everything; and he did renounce everything. At a later stage Bharata Cakravartin renounced his kingdom and became a sramana. He attained the enlightenment.