Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

RELIGIONS

SAINTS, SAGES AND GURUS

The consecration rites of the image were conducted by Chamunda- raya in A.D. 981. The first Mahamastakabhisheka or head anointing ceremony of which there is a written record took place in AD 1398. Since then it has been held at certain conjunction of the heavenly bodies at intervals of 12 to 14 years. The ritual bathing of the statue consists of pouring over it holy water from 1008 ornamental vessels. This is followed by anointing it with sugarcane juice, milk, sandalwood paste and showering it with flowers.

BAHUBALI The legend of Bahubali occupies a central place in the sacred lore of Jainism. The town of Shravanabelgola in Karnataka where a massive 17.07 metre high monolithic image of the saint was carved in A.D. 981 from the top of the Vindhyagiri hill is the subject of a spectacular anointing ceremony that is held once in 12 to 14 years. The last ceremony was held in December 1993. Bahubali was born many aeons ago as the youngest son of Adi- natha Rishabha, the first of the twenty-four Jain Tirthankaras, the founders of Jainism. Rishabha was the king of Ayodhya. When after many years Rishabha renounced his kingdom and retired to the for- est to meditate and perform pen- ance, he appointed his elder son Bharata as the ruler of Ayodhya and gave Bahubali the principality of Podanapura. But Bahubali refused to accept Bharata as his suzerain. A battle ensued between the armies of the two brothers, resulting in much carnage and bloodshed. The elder statesmen of both sides unable to bear the sight suggested that since the dispute for su- premacy was between the two brothers, it could be settled over a duel with one another. Accordingly, the two brothers went through drishti yuddha (the fight of staring each other down), jala-yuddha, (fighting in water) and lastly malla-yuddha (a wrestling bout). Bahubali emerged the victor. But in his moment of triumph, Bahubali realised the futility of worldly success. He gave his kingdom and all his worldly posses- sions to Bharata and retired to the forest to begin his penance. In the forest Bahubali pulled out his hair and stood still in total meditation. Creepers wound themselves around his arms and legs, anthills sprang up at his feet and birds nested in his hair and beard. But in spite of all his severe self-mortification, he did not attain Keve- lajnana. Perturbed over Bahubali's condition, Bharata and his two sisters went to their Tirthankara father who told them that the reason was the thought that he had to stand on Bharata's land. This rankled within him. Adinatha said to Bharata, "Go and offer homage to the meditating muni." Thereupon Bharata and his two sisters went to the forest and whispered to Bahubali," Dismount from the elephant, oh revered brother!" In a flash he understood that the elephant alluded to was the elephant of pride. And when Bharata paid obeisance to him, his act of affection and humility dissolved all resentment within Bahubali. He immediately attained Kevalajnana and thereafter moksha. The statue of Bahubali at Shravanabelagola was commissioned by Chavundaraya, the Prime Minister and commander-in-chief of the Ganga King Rachamalla. The Gangas ruled the southern part of Karnataka between the 4th and 10th centuries. They were greatly devoted to the Jain faith. Chauvndaraya had the statue of Gommata sculpted. It was customary in South India to name the shrine and the main image after the king or chief who commissioned it. Since Chauvndaraya was hailed as Gommata the image is also known as Gommateshwara (Lord of Gommata).

ZARATHUSTHRA (or ZOROASTER) (628 B.C. - 551 B.C.)

(Zarathusthra means He of the Golden Light) was born near Teheran. He turned away from all worldly pleasures and de- voted himself day and night to the worship of Ahura Mazda when he was fifteen. When he was twenty, he bade farewell to his parents and went to meditate in a cave. Like Gautama Bud- dha and Mahavir, Zarathusthra wanted to know the meaning of the mystery of life. For ten

The founder of Zoroastrianism,

years he lived alone in a cave on Mount Ushidaren eating roots and berries. A she-goat came daily to give him milk. On Mount Ushidaren which means "bestowing awareness" Zarathusthra acquired enlighten- ment when he received a vision of Ahura Mazda. His first follower was the ruler of Bactria in eastern Iran, King Vishtaspa, who in a dream saw Zarathusthra. He was followed by his son and his wife. Although Zarathusthra could have lived a life of ease he continued his mission- ary labours for thirty years travelling as far afield as Tibet and China after which he settled at Balkh, the capital of Bactria (Afghanistan). According to tradition, Zarathusthra's death was sudden and tragic. When he was seventy-seven years, he was praying in the Fire Temple at Balkh when a hostile tribe entered the city. Their leader, Tur-bara- Tur, sought out the Prophet and stabbed him in the back when he was lost in prayer. GAUTAMA BUDDHA (566 B.C. - 486 B.C.) The Great Renunciation of Siddhartha Gautama took place at the age of twenty-nine when the sight of old age, disease, and death made him realise the uselessness of pleasure and he left his wife and newly- born son to lead a life of asceticism. For six years he led the life of an ascetic but decided that asceticism was not the path to salvation and dis- carded it. He then resolved to discover the means of salvation through

meditation. He attained enlighten- ment at the age of thirty-five beneath a large pipal tree, on the outskirts of the town of Bodhgaya in Bihar, where he sat and meditated for forty-nine days. He had become the Buddha, the Enlightened One. For another seven weeks he remained under the Tree of Wisdom meditating on the great truths he had found. He then proceeded to the deer park near Sar- nath, close to modem Varanasi