Here is a simple Jain story of Bahubali (Gommateshwar):

1. Family and birth

- Bahubali was the younger son of Bhagwan Rishabhdev (Adinath). - Mother’s name: Sunanda. - Elder brother: Bharat Chakravarti. - He was very tall, very strong – therefore called Bahubali (“one with mighty arms”). ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Division of the kingdom

- When Rishabhdev Bhagwan took diksha and left the kingdom, he divided his empire among his sons. - Bharat got Ayodhya / main capital, - Bahubali got another large kingdom (often called Asmaka or Taxshila region in stories). ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Bharat’s conquest and conflict

- Bharat wanted to become Chakravarti (universal emperor). - He conquered all directions. All brothers accepted his rule except Bahubali. - To avoid a bloody war, they agreed on three non‑violent contests between Bharat and Bahubali: 1. Drishti‑yuddha – staring contest 2. Jala‑yuddha – fight in water 3. Malla‑yuddha – wrestling - In all three, Bahubali won. ( jainknowledge.com)

1. The chakra episode and inner change

- Bharat could not tolerate defeat. In anger, he broke the rules and threw his chakra‑ratna (divine discus) at Bahubali. - But the chakra never harms one of the same blood, so it returned without hurting Bahubali. - Bahubali became very angry and lifted his fist to kill Bharat. - At that very moment he thought deeply: - “For what am I killing my own elder brother? For a kingdom which father has already left, and which all other brothers have renounced? This is all temporary; real victory is spiritual.” - At once his vairagya (detachment) awakened. ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Renunciation (diksha)

- Bahubali could not put his raised hand down towards his brother, so he used that hand to pull out his own hair (like kesh‑lohchan) as a sign of diksha. - He gave up his kingdom, clothes and ornaments and became a naked (digambar) monk, leaving everything worldly. ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Ego and solitary meditation

- All his 98 other brothers had taken diksha earlier with Rishabhdev Bhagwan and stayed in the Lord’s sangh. - Bahubali thought: - “If I now go to the Lord’s assembly, I must bow to my younger brothers, as they took diksha before me and are senior. My mind does not like this.” - This tiny ego (“I”) stopped him from going to his father’s samavasaran. - So he decided, “I will do sadhana alone here itself.” ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Kayotsarg – the famous standing meditation

- Bahubali stood completely still in kayotsarg posture – arms relaxed, body straight, mind focused only on the soul. - He stood for a very long time; - Creepers climbed up his legs, - Ant-hills formed near his feet, - Birds sat on his head – yet he did not move. - Outwardly his penance was very strong, but due to a subtle ego (“I will get keval‑jnan on my own, without bowing”), he still did not attain omniscience. ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Advice from his sister and destruction of ego

- Seeing this, his sister (often named Brahmi) came and reminded him: - “You are doing great tapas, but a little mana (ego) is left. Let go of this ‘I’.” - Bahubali reflected inside: “Yes, what is this ‘I’? Kingdom, body, strength – all are temporary. Only the soul is real.” - When he fully dropped this last ego of greatness, his inner veils of karma broke. ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Keval‑jnan and moksha

- Immediately, Bahubali attained Keval‑jnan (omniscience). - In Digambar tradition, he later attained moksha and became a Siddha – a liberated soul, forever free from birth and death. - In both Digambar and Shwetambar traditions, he is not counted as a Tirthankar, but is highly revered as an ideal of renunciation and victory over ego. ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Shravanabelagola statue and message

- In memory of his long standing meditation, a 57‑foot monolithic statue of Bahubali is installed at Shravanabelagola (Vindhyagiri hill, Karnataka). - Bahubali is shown nude, in kayotsarg, with creepers around his legs – symbol of total detachment. - Every 12 years, the grand Mahamastakabhishek (abhishek of his head and body) is performed there. - His story teaches: - Real victory is victory over anger, pride and ego, - Non‑violence and forgiveness are higher than physical strength, - Renunciation and self‑control lead to true happiness. ( jainknowledge.com)

You can read more on Bahubali’s life and significance here and here