Gomateswara temple, Shravananbelagola

#Mystictemplesseenbyme#

49. Gomateshwara Temple,Shravanabelagola

The Gommateshwara statue (ಗೊಮ್ಮಟೇಶ್ವರ) is a 57-foot (17 m) high monolithic statue located on Vindyagiri at Shravanbelagola in the Indian state of Karnataka.

Gommateshwara
(Bahubali)
ಗೊಮ್ಮಟೇಶ್ವರ
Gommateshwara statue ಗೊಮ್ಮಟೇಶ್ವರ
The 57ft high monolithic statue of Bahubali built in 981 A.D

Religion
Affiliation
Jainism

Deity
Bahubali

Location
Shravanbelagola, Hassan district, Karnataka, India

Tallest nude statue symbolizing Peace, Non violence, sacrifice worldly affairs, and simple living.

Vindyagiri Hill is one of the two hills in Shravanabelagola; the other is Chandragiri, which is also a seat of several ancient Jain centers, much older than Gommateshwara statue.

The Gommateshwara statue is dedicated to the Jain figure Bahubali. It was built around 983 A.D. and is one of the largest free standing statues in the world. The construction of the statue was commissioned by the Ganga dynasty minister and commander, Chavundaraya. Neighboring areas have Jain temples known as basadis and several images of the Tirthankaras. Chandragiri is dedicated to the Jain figure Bharat, the brother of Bahubali and the son of the first tirthankara Adinatha.

One can have a beautiful view of the surrounding areas from the top of the hill. An event known as Mahamastakabhisheka attracts devotees from all over the world. The Mahamastakabhisheka festival is held once in 12 years, when the Gommateshwara statue is anointed with milk, saffron, ghee, sugarcane juice (ishukrasa) etc. from the top of the statue Heinrich Zimmer attributed this anointment as the reason for the statue's freshness. The next abhisheka will be in 2030.

In 2007, the statue was voted as the first of Seven Wonders of India in a Times of India poll; 49% of the total votes went in favor of it.

Mahamastakabhisheka at Shravanabelagola

The statue depicts the prolonged meditation of Bahubali. The motionless contemplation in kayotsarga (standing still) posture led to the growth of climbing vines around his legs.[5] The image of Gommateshwara has curly hair ringlets and large ears. The eyes are open as if he is viewing the world with detachment. His facial features are perfectly chiseled with a faint touch of a smile at the corner of the lips that embodies a calm inner peace and vitality. His shoulders are broad, the arms stretch straight down and the figure has no support from the thigh upwards.

There is an anthill in the background which signifies his incessant penance. From this anthill, emerge a snake and a creeper which twine around both the legs and arms culminating as a cluster of flowers and berries at the upper portion of the arms. The entire figure stands on an open lotus signifying the totality attained in installing this unique statue. On either side of Gommateshwara stand two tall and majestic chauri bearers in the service of the Lord. One of them is a yaksh and the other one is a yakshini. These richly ornamented and beautifully carved figures complement the main figure. Carved on the rear side of the anthill is also a trough for collecting water and other ritual ingredients used for the sacred bath of the statue.

In the introduction to his English translation of the Gommatsāra, J. L. Jaini writes:
The grandeur of the Image, as also its serene-looking and peace-inspiring presence, are well-known to all Jainas and non-Jainas who have the good fortune of visiting it. When I visited the sacred place in 1910, I met some English men and women missionaries, who out of respect for the Holy Image took off their shoes and visited it on their bare feet. They also held the opinion which I have given above. The Image is about 57 feet high; even so, every limb and minor limb thereof is in exquisite proportion. It is impossible to convey its glory and artistic excellence by words. Anyone who has a chance to see it personally will easily agree with the hitherto general opinion. This gives an answer to some critics also who call the Jainas idolatrous. The Jainas do not worship the stone, silver, gold or diamond of which the Images are made. They worship the qualities of total renunciation of the world, the acquisition of undisturbable Harmony with the Infinite, and the identity of the liberated soul with peace everlasting, which these images represent.

Mahamastakabhisheka

The event has been attended by multiple political personalities including Krishna-Rajendra Wodeyar in 1910, and Narendra Modi and Ramnath Kovind in 2018.

Legend

According to legend, after completing construction of Gommateshwara statue, Chavundaraya organised a mahamastakabhisheka with five liquids, milk, tender coconut, sugar, nectar and water collected in hundreds of pots but liquid could not flow below the navel of the statue. Kushmandini appeared disguised as a poor old woman holding milk in the shell of half of a white Gullikayi fruit and the abhisheka was done from head to toe. Chavundaraya realised his mistake and did abhishek without pride and arrogance and this time abhisheka was done from head to toe.

Open main menu
Wikipedia
Search
Bahubali
Language
Download PDF
Watch
Edit
For other uses, see Baahubali.
Bahubali (English: One With Strong Arms), a much revered figure among Jains, was the son of Rishabhanatha (the first tirthankara of Jainism) and the younger brother of Bharata Chakravartin. He is said to have meditated motionless for twelve years in a standing posture (kayotsarga) and that during this time, climbing plants grew around his legs. After his years of meditation, Bahubali is said to have attained omniscience (Kevala Gyana).

Other names
Gommateshwara, Kammateshwara

Affiliation
Jainism

Height
525 bows (17 metres)

Personal information

Born
Ayodhya

Parents
Adinath Tirthankar (Rishabhanath) (father)
Sunanda (mother)

Bahubali's other names are Kammateswara, Gommateshwara because of the Gommateshwara statue dedicated to him. The statue was built by the Ganga dynasty minister and commander Chavundaraya; it is a 57-foot (17 m) monolith (statue carved from a single piece of rock) situated above a hill in Shravanabelagola in the Hassan district, Karnataka state, India. It was built circa 981 A.D. and is one of the largest free-standing statues in the world.

Legends

The Ādi purāṇa, a 9th-century Sanskrit poem, deals with the ten lives of the first tirthankara, Rishabhanatha and his two sons Bharata and Bahubali. It was composed by Jinasena, a Digambara monk.

Family life

According to Jain texts, Bahubali was born to Rishabhanatha and Sunanda during the Ikshvaku dynasty in Ayodhya. He is said to have excelled in studying medicine, archery, floriculture, and the knowledge of precious gems. Bahubali had a son named Somakirti (also known as Mahabala). When Rishabhanatha decided to become a monk, he distributed his kingdom among his 100 sons. Bharata was gifted the kingdom of Vinita (Ayodhya) and Bahubali got the kingdom of Asmaka from South India, having Podanapur as its capital. After winning six divisions of earth in all directions (digvijaya), Bharata proceeded to his capital Ayodhyapuri with a huge army and divine chakra-ratna—spinning, disk-like super weapon with serrated edges.But the chakra-ratna stopped on its own at the entrance of Ayodhyapuri, signalling to the emperor that his 99 brothers have yet not submitted to his authority. Bharata's 98 brothers became Jain monks' and submitted their kingdoms to him. Bahubali was endowed with the final and superior body of extraordinary sturdiness and strength (vajra-ṛṣabhanārācasaṃhanana) like Bharata. He hurled open defiance at the chakravartin and challenged him to a fight.

The ministers on both sides gave the following argument to prevent war; "The brothers themselves, cannot be killed by any means; they are in their last incarnations in transmigration, and possess bodies which no weapon may mortally wound in warfare! Let them fight out the issue by themselves in other ways." It was then decided that to settle the dispute, three kinds of contests between Bharata and Bahubali would be held. These were eye-fight (staring at each other), water-fight (jala-yuddha), and wrestling (malla-yuddha). Bahubali won all the three contests over his elder brother, Bharata.

Renunciation

Sculpture depicting Bahubali's meditation in Kayotsarga posture with vines enveloped around his body (Photo: Badami caves)
After the fight, Bahubali was filled with disgust at the world and developed a desire for renunciation. Bahubali abandoned all possessions-kingdom, clothes, ornaments-to become a monk and began meditating with great resolve to attain omniscience (Kevala Gyana).

He is said to have meditated motionless in a standing posture (kayotsarga) for a year, during which time climbing plants grew around his legs.However, he was adamant and continued his practice unmindful of the vines, ants, and dust that enveloped his body. According to Jain text Ādi purāṇa, on the last day of Bahubali's one year long fast, Bharata came in all humility to Bahubali and worshiped him with veneration and respect. A painful regret that he had been the cause of his elder brother's humiliation had been disturbing Bahubali's meditation; this was dispersed when Bharata worshipped him. Bahubali was then able to destroy the four kinds of inimical karmas, including the knowledge obscuring karma, and he attained omniscience (kevala gyana). He was now revered as an omniscient being (Kevali). Bahubali finally attained liberation (moksha) and became a pure, liberated soul (siddha). As per texts, he was one of the first Digambara monks to have attained moksha in the present half-cycle of time.(Avasarpiṇī).

Bahubali referred here is not to be confused with Amarendra and Mahendra Bahubali in the movie produced by Rajamouli which is full and full a fantasized movie concept.