The Story of Bharata and Bahubali (Part 1)

In the first half of "The Story of Bharata and Bahubali," Dalsukh Malvania surveys the earliest Jain sources for the legend of the two brothers. He retells the basic story: Rishabha divides his kingdom among his sons; Bharata conquers the world and demands submission from his brothers; Bahubali refuses, and to prevent bloodshed the brothers settle their dispute through contests of staring, water fighting and wrestling. Bahubali wins but then renounces his kingdom, stands in motionless meditation and attains omniscience. Malvania focuses on the Prakrit Vasudevahindi, noting that it portrays Rishabha and Sumangala as twins who act as husband and wife and give birth to Bharata, Bahubali and forty‑nine other pairs of twins. Rishabha teaches his daughters Brahmi and Sundari writing and mathematics and instructs Bharata in sculpture and Bahubali in painting. After Rishabha’s renunciation, Bharata’s digvijaya (world conquest) is described in detail: he sends his general Susena to subdue various regions, establishes his sovereignty over Jambudvipa and only then demands submission from his brothers. Bahubali refuses because of pride; he will not bow before his younger brothers without first attaining omniscience. In this version, the nuns Brahmi and Sundari travel to Bahubali and convey their father’s message that enlightenment cannot arise "on an elephant’s shoulder" (a metaphor for pride), prompting him to renounce and achieve kevala‑jnana. Malvania also summarises the Jambudvipaprajnapti, a canonical text that treats the stories of Rishabha and Bharata independently and mentions neither Bahubali nor the nuns by name. This evidence suggests that later authors fused separate traditions to craft the familiar legend of Bharata and Bahubali.

Summary reviewed by a volunteer editor.