Moreover, a number of eminent philosophers,
historians, art crtitics and archaeologists, both Indian and foreign, have
expressed their expert opinions about the sublimity of the sculpture and
the specific features of the image. For instance, the great western
philosopher Heinrich Zimmer remarks: � It is human in shape and features,
yet as in human as an icicle; and thus expresses perfectly the idea of
successful withdrawal from the round of life and death, personal cares,
individual destiny, desires, suffering, and events.� Similarly, the
well-known historian Dr. A. L. Basham, states, while referring to
the colossal rock-cut medieval image of the Jaina saint Gommatesvara, �He
stands both upright in the posture of meditation known as �Kayotsarga�,
with feet firm on the earth, and arms held downwards but not touching the
body, and he smiles faintly. The artist must have tired to express the
soul almost set free from the trammels of matter, and about to leave for
its final resting place of everlasting bliss at the top of the universe.
Whatever the intentions of the artist, however, Gommatesvara is still an
ordinary young man of his time, full of claim vitality.�
On the same lines, the
international authority on Indian arts, Dr. Anand K coomaraswamy is
impressed by immovable serenity of the image and says, �The great image of
Gommatesvara is the most remarkable and one of the largest freestanding
images in the world. The saint, who was the son of the first Tirthankara,
and resigned his kingdom to become an ascetic, is represented in the
immovable serrenity of one practicing the �kayotsarga� austerity,
undisturbed by the serpents about his feet, the anthills rising to his
things, or the growing creeper that has already reached his shoulders.�
Further, the distinguished
authority on Indian architecture, Mr. Percy Brown consider this image as
profoundly revealing and says, � But the earliest and most stupendous of
all the great figures is the example on the Indrabetta hill depicting
which is a most astonishing production. This gigantic image stands over
fifty-six feet high, (scarcely ten feet lass than the height of the Great
Sphinx in Egypt), and was carved in situ, during the reign of the Ganga
king Rachamalla II, to the order of minister Chamunda Raya in about 983
A.D. The story of its creation is quite clear. Originally the granite
antcrop forming the hill was crowned by the conspicuoulsy lofty rock or
to, and it occurred to the imaginative mind of the Jains to fashion this
solid block of gneiss into a statue of their saint. Entirely nude, as he
is of the Digmabara or �sky-clad� sect, and representing the ideal ascetic
who stood in abstract mediation while the ant-hills arose at this feet and
the creeping plants wound themselves around his limbs, this Indian
colossus, in spite of defects in its proportions, is profoundly
revealing. Through the surge and stress of over a thousand years this
solemn and impassive figure has defied the elements, and the high finish
of its workmanship still remains.�
Moreover, Dr. Calambur
Shivaramamurti, the most reputed art-critic and author of India, praises
the sculptural skill in volved in carving out such a lofty statue and
gives his opinion thus : �This huge colossus is one of the finest image of
its kind in India and is a tribute to the fine workmanship of the Ganga
sculptor.�
Hence, in consideration of the
unique importance of this statue of Gommatesvara, it is classed as a
National Monument and it protection and maintenance rests with the
Department of Archaeology of the Government of India.
2. MESSAGE OF HUMANITY
From the detailed study of
Sravana-Belagola it is evident that the sacred complex of Sravana-Belagola
has played a dualistic part of spiritual as well as secular importance in
the history of Jainism. Its message to mankind is of great significance.
It proclaims the equality and unity of all living beings on the spiritual
basis and calls one and all to come near it for the adoration of Bahubali,
great saint of Ahimsa, whose colossus on the Vidhyagiri hills stands
smiling and looking with half-shut eyes on the earning world. He warns
the people to stop the race for material gains and to consider over the
value of life. Saint Bahubali experienced the havoc of �Himsa�, i.e.,
�violence� the barbarian of an aggressor and ultimately realised the
fruitlessness of the material pursuits of life. In view of this
realisation, Bahubali renounced he world and gained eternal joy and
happiness within his own Soul. It is said that even the celestial beings,
who enjoy the comfort in heaven did covet the peace and joy of Bahubali
and came down from heaven, to worship the glorious feet of Bahybali. But
on the other hand, the man of this world, who has listened to the message
of Bahubali and has been a hero of both the material and spiritual realms
of life, has the occasion only to rise higher and higher towards the goal
of the Final.
On the whole, the history of
Sravana-Belagola may be considered as the history of man�s progress in
life. Here the blessed spirit and scholarship of Truth and Non-violence
ever guided man towards the Right Path of Emancipation. Commencing with
Bhadrabahu Swami, the Jaina monks of Sravana-Belagola have been the
leaders of Thought and Culture. Great monks like Pujyapada, Prabhachandra,
Sridharadeva, Mallishena, and many others strove to achieve distinction
and devoted their precious lives to the persuit of scholarship in Grammar,
Poetry, Prosody, �Siddhanta, i.e., Philosophy, Medicine, Logic, Polity,
Prosody, �Siddhanta�, i.e. Philosophy, Medicine, Logic, Polity and
Literature. They incessantly rendered valuable service by their sound
advice and universal leadership to the people. Following their teaching
kings, queens, General, Ministers, Merchants and even common people
endeavored to lead of life of self-control practising �Satya and Ahimsa�,
i.e. Truth and Non-violence. It was at the instance and advice of
Siddhanta-Chakravarti Acharya Nemichandra that the great General
Chamunda-Raya got the blessed colossus of Bahubali carved and installed on
the Vidhyagiri hill. Such were the men of action who, deriving
inspiration from the example of Bahubali, devoted their time and energy in
the service of humanity and sacrificed their best for the good of all.
This utmost spirit of sacrifice for the welfare of the entire humanity is
the central message of Sravana-Belagola.
Owing to this sublime message of
self-sacrifice for the common good given by Sravana-Belagola�s saints and
monuments throughout its long period of history. Sravana-Belagola has
ceased to be merely of sectarian interest and has become, in the real
sense, a national treasure. Like and Taj Mahal of Agra and Kailasa Temple
of Ellora, the colossal image of Bahubali at Sravana-Belagola has
attracted universal attention. It is good to bear in mind, however, that
without underestmating the value of the magnificent Agra monument and
marvellour Ellora excavation, the significane of the Jaina monuments of
Sravana-Belagola is greatly deeper than the proud memories evoked by
either the exquisite and the enduring fossil of a doting Emperor�s dreams,
or the granite efflorescence of the artistic and architechtural genius of
the medieval Hindus. Great as those and other antiquties undoubtedly are,
the meaning of the Sravana-Belagola monuments is grater still as they
enshine the ultimate triumph of sprit over matter, show the path of
Liberation based on the practice of non-viloence and renunciation, and
stress the values of self-sacrifice and service for the benefit of not
only mankind but of all living beings.
Of couse, among all the
Sravana-Belagola monuments, this meaning is well represented by the gentle
calm of the colossal image of Bahubali. The basic reason for this fact is
that Indian art is essentially a religious art and is considered as a mere
translation into material form of the inspiration man recives from God.
From this standpoint the statue of Gommatesvara is crowing achivement of
Indian Art, the noblest creation of man in praise of God and a supreme
embodiment of man�s devotion, industry and patience. The statue impresses
one tremendously with its clear out outline and striking pose, and it
stands there defying time and weather. In this way Gommatesvara stands
with an experssion wonderfully calm, serene and rediant, looking down upon
humanity as though preaching to sinning world the basic spirtual values of
non-volience, self-sacrifice and universal love-values necessary for
attaining happiness in this world and beyond.
Thus we see that at
Sravana-Belagola the torch of Ahimsa and universal love was ketp burning
by the jainas during all these centuries. In this effort the image of
Lord Gommatesvara has been the becon light of Jaina culture, proclaiming
to the world the ideals of self-sacrifice, renunciation, tolerance, truth
and Ahimsa, which are milestones in the establishment of war hanging over
the length and breadth of the universe.
This human message of
Sravana-Belagola, the message of non-volience and universal peace, should
be spread all over the world today still reuires education and traning in
Ahimsa. It is absolutely necessary to bring home to the people of the
world that Ahimsa or non-volience is not merely a theoretical princiapl
but also a practical way of lilfe which can solve various problems
clamoruing for solution in the world and can thus help in estblishing for
solution inj the world and can thus help in establishing universal peace
and goodwill among the nations. For realising this purpose International
Institutes for studies in Ahimsa and Gomparative Religion will have to be
started. Obviously, Sravana-Belagola is an ideal sacred place for
carrying on this work on international scale, as it has got the noble
tradition of doing this kind of work continuously for the last several
centries. Sravana-Belagola is destined to play this in the international
field in the years to come and it has already started the work in this
direction under the spiritual guidance of the Preceptor of World Religion
and the Great Saint of India, Elacharya Munishree Vidyanand Maharaj. It
is hoped the Sravana-Belagola�, will soon become the �Visva-Tirtha� �The
world�s Sacred Place.�
