Gommatsara Jiva-Kanda (Sacred Books of the Jainas)

..."the leader in battle," Vira Martanda "the sun among the brave," Rana Raja Sinha "a great lion in battle," Vairi Kula Kala Danda "the scepter of death for the hosts of enemies," Bhuja Martanda "the sun among the powerful-armed," Samara Parshurama "Parshurama in battle," and Satya Yudhishthira "Yudhishthira in speaking truth." He was also a great scholar. He wrote a commentary* on Gommatasara in the Canarese language in the presence of the author, Shri Nemi Chandra Siddhanta Chakravarti. He also composed the Chamunda Raya Purana in Canarese and Charitra Sara, a treatise on the practices of ascetics in Sanskrit.

Appreciative mention of Raja Chamunda Raya is made by the author in Karma Kanda Gathas 966 to 972. Raja Chamunda Raya took the vows of a layman from the great saint Ajitasena, who was a disciple of the order of Acharya Aryasena, as stated in Gatha 734 of Jiva Kanda. Raja Chamunda Raya constructed a beautiful Jaina temple, now called the Chamunda Raya Basti, at Chandragiri in front of Vindhyagiri at Shravana Belgula, district Hassan, Mysore, containing a beautiful image of Shri Nemi Nath, to whom our author offered obeisance on several occasions in Gommatasara.

In 983 A.C., he constructed the great and wonderful image of Shri Bahubali, called Gommata Swami or Gommateshvara, "the Lord of Gommata," after his name.

Bahubali was one of the sons of the first Tirthankara, Rishabha Deva, and ruled at Podnapore. He had a contest with his eldest brother, Bharata, and defeated him. But he felt so distressed by this that he renounced all temporal power and adopted an ascetic life. He practiced the severest austerities. He stood unmoved for a whole year in a standing posture, in meditation so deep and concentrated that creepers spread and entwined themselves around his legs and arms. He was the first who obtained omniscience in this Avasarpini the descending era of time cycle in Bharata Kshetra, even before Lord Rishabha. His unsurpassed, severe austerities have been very often extolled in Jaina Shastras. The wonderful image at Vindhyagiri represents this exemplary attitude of meditation.

The grandeur of the image, as well as its serene-looking and peace-inspiring presence, are well known to all Jainas and non-Jainas who have had the good fortune of visiting it. When I visited the sacred place in 1910, I met some English missionaries who, out of respect for the holy image, took off their shoes and visited it in their bare feet.