Bharata (Jainism)

In Jainism, Bharata was the first ''chakravartin'' (lit. 'holder of a ''chakra''', i.e., emperor) of the Avasarpini (present half-time cycle). He was the eldest son of Rishabhanatha, the first ''tirthankara''. The ancient name of India was named Bhāratavarsha or Bhārat or Bharata-bhumi after him. He had two sons from his chief-empress Subhadra, named Arkakirti and Marichi. He is said to have conquered all six parts of the world and to have engaged in a fight with Bahubali, his brother, to conquer the last remaining city of the world.

According to the Digambara sub-tradition of Jainism, in his later years, he renounced the world, led an ascetic life, and attained '' kevala jnana'' (omniscience). According to the Śvetāmbara Jains, he attained ''kevala jnana'' (omniscience) after which he renounced the world. He gained ''kevala jnana'' when he came to believe that the human body lacked beauty and renounced the world as a ''kevalajnani'' (omniscient), and then attained moksha.

Life in traditional accounts

Early life and family

In a Jain legend, Yasasvati Devi, senior-most queen of Rishabhanatha (first Jain ''tirthankara''), saw four auspicious dreams one night. She saw the sun and the moon, the Mount Meru, the lake with swans, earth and the ocean. Rishabhanatha explained her that these dreams meant that a ''chakravartin'' ruler will be born to them who will conquer whole of the world. Then, Bharata was born to them on the ninth day of the dark half of the month of ''Chaitra''. He was a ''Kshatriya'' born in Ikshvaku dynasty. His education included special emphasis on law and the science of polity of kings. He also had interest in dancing and art. Bharata married many princesses during his world conquest and Subhadra was his chief queen. He was succeeded by his son Arka Kirti (founder of Suryavansha). Bharata also had another son named Marichi, who was one of the previous incarnation of Mahavira, the twenty-fourth ''tirthankara''.

Conquest and administration

Bharata is believed to be the first ''chakravartin'' (chakra possessing emperor) of the present half cycle of Jain cosmology. According to Jain legends, Rishabhanatha distributed his kingdom to his hundred sons while becoming a ''muni'' (Jain monk). Bharata is said to have got the city of Vinita (Ayodhya) whereas Bahubali is claimed to have got the city of Podanapur ( Bodhan). Legends further state that Bharata's coronation was followed by a long journey of world conquest. During his '' digvijaya'' (winning six divisions of earth in all directions), he is believed to have acquired the nine '' nidhis'' (most precious treasures) and fourteen ''ratna'' (jewels). After completing his world-conquest, he is said to have proceeded for his capital Ayodhyapuri with a huge army and the divine ''chakra-ratna'' (spinning, disk-like super weapon with serrated edges).

The ''chakra-ratna'' supposedly stopped on its own at the entrance of the capital signalling that there still remain his 99 brothers who have refused submission to his supreme authority. 98 of them are claimed to have become monks giving him their kingdoms. Bahubali refused to submit and challenged him for a fight. Three kinds of contests are depicted to have been held between Bharata and Bahubali. These were eye-fight (staring at each other), ''jala-yuddha'' (water-wrestling) and ''malla-yuddha'' (wrestling). Bahubali is said to have won all the three contests. In the last fight, Bahubali lifted Bharata up on his shoulder instead of throwing him down on the ground. He is said to have gently placed him on the ground instead, out of an affectionate regard for him. Humiliated and infuriated, Bharata is believed to have called for his ''chakra-ratna''. Instead of harming Bahubali, the weapon is believed to have circled around him before coming to a rest. This is believed to have happened because Jain tradition states that such divine weapons lose their effectiveness when confronted with their master's close relations. After this Bahubali, developed a desire for renunciation and gave up his kingdom to become a monk.

Bharata is claimed to be the first law-giver of the current half-cycle in Jain tradition. He is said to have added the fourth ''varna'', ''brahmins'', to the three-fold varna-system created by Rishabhanatha which consisted of '' ksatriyas'', ''vaishyas'' and ''shudras''. Their role, as mentioned in tradition, was to meditate, learn, teach and search for knowledge.

Renunciation

According to Digambara texts, when Bharata discovered that he is becoming old due to a white hair in his head, he immediately decided to become a Jain monk. Because of the effect of his growing renunciation over the years, he destroyed his inimical karmas within an ''antaramuhūrta'' (less than forty-eight minutes) and attained '' Kevala Jnana'' (omniscience). Śvetāmbara traditional accounts reject the claim of his renunciation and maintain that he gained omniscience after the death of his father.

Legacy and adoration

According to Jain and even many Hindu scriptures like ''Adipurana'' and ''Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra'', Rishabhanatha was the son of Nabhiraja, and Rishabha had a son named Bharata, and after his name, the land the conquered was known as Bharat. India was named "Bhāratavarsha" or "Bhārata" or "Bharata-bhumi" after him. In the Hindu text, Skanda Purana (chapter 37) it is stated that "Rishabhanatha was the son of Nabhiraja, and Rishabha had a son named Bharata, and after the name of this Bharata, this country is known as Bharata-varsha." Bharata also finds his mention in ''Bhagavata Purana''.

Temples

Some Jain temples contain images of Bharata as a ''Jain'' monk, including one at Shravanabelagola. The Koodalmanikyam Temple in Kerala was originally a Jain temple dedicated to Bharata as the main deity. In May 2017, the tallest statue of lord Bharata with a height of 45 ft (35 ft body + 12 ft pedestal) weighing about 50 tons was erected in Mangalgiri (Shri kshetra bharat ka bharat), Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India. Earlier, a 57 ft tall monolithic statue comprising 45 ft body and 12 ft pedestal weighing about 100 tons was planned to be erected. However, it was broken in the process of erection and therefore, a shorter statue was created and successfully erected.

In Literature

'' Ādi purāṇa'', a 10th-century Jain text deals with the ten lives of the first ''tirthankara'', Rishabhanatha, also known as Adinatha, and his two sons, Bharata and Bahubali. ''Bharatesha Vaibhava'' : also known as ''Bharatesvara Charite'' depicts the life story of Bharata Chakravartin was written in the 16th century by Ratnakaravarni.

Rajasthani

* Bharateshwara Bahubali Ghora composed by ''Vajrasena Suri'' in 1168, is a poem with 48 verses describing the battle between Bharata and Bahubali.

Gujarati

* Bharateshwara Bahubaliras composed by Shalibhadra Suri in 1184, is a poem with 203 stanzas describing the struggle of power between Bharata and Bahubali.

See also

* Chandragupta Maurya

References

Citations

Sources

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

{{Authority control

Solar dynasty
Salakapurusa
People in Jain texts