BAHUBALI(GOMATESWARA)

                 Bhagavan Bahubali (Vahuvali or Bhujavali) also known as Gommatesvara was the younger son of the first Tirthankar, Rishabhdeva. He was the king of Podanpur. On his renunciation of the material world, the King gave his elder son, Bharatha, Ayodhya to rule and to Bahubali, he gave Poudanapura. Soon, armed with a ‘Chakra’, Bharata set out to conquer different kingdoms and obtain the status of a ‘Chakravarthi’. After achieving total sovereignty, he returned to Ayodhya but the ‘Chakra’ could not enter the city, indicating that there was still a kingdom to be won, Bahubali’s Poudanapura. Bahubali refused to accept the supremacy of Bharatha.
                Bharat tried to attack Bahubali's kingdom. Their ministers negotiated and agreed that instead of war, there would be three contests between the brothers. In all three contests (Drisht Yudha, Jal Yudha, and Wrestling) Bahubaliji defeated his elder brother. Bhagavan Bahubali had been very much hurt by the behavior of his elder brother. He decided to surrender his kingdom to Bharat and left for the path of meditation. He did not want to bow before his other brothers who had already accepted ascetic life. This ego of Bahubali deterred him from visiting his father's court. Hence he went on meditating but could not attain the Keval Jnana, the supreme knowledge.

                 Bhagavan Bahubali was so much involved in his Samadhi, that his body got covered by vines, ants, and dust. Finally he was woken up from his ego when his sisters called him to release the false pride he was suffering from. Bhagavan Bahubali got enlightened and decided to see his father. His sisters Brahmi and Sundari, Bahubali was now a changed person with more knowledge and better understanding. He was welcomed in his father's court. The world got the benefit of his wisdom.
                

                 Bhagavan Bahubali is a symbol of learning. At Sravana Belgola on Vindhyagiri , Chamunda Raya erected a colossal image of Vahubali, more commonly known as Gommat Svami or Gommatesvara. This colossal monolithic nude Jain statue is among the wonders of the world. This one stone statue of Bhagavan Bahubali in Karnataka stands fifty-seven feet in height, with a width of 13 feet across the hips. For thousands of years it has shown to the world the way of knowledge and austerity.