Recently, the 10-day long Mahamastakabhisheka for the monolith 39-foot high Bahubali statue started in Dharmasthala, Karnataka and it is being attended by millions of devotees.
Mahamastakabhisheka is an ancient ritual, held once in twenty years, to anoint the head of the Great Sacred Bull. This ritual is performed by the main branch of the Ganga dynasty belonging to Sapta Gandharva branch of East India’s great royal dynasty Varmana. The sacred head of the holy bull is worshipped as a God because of its antiquity, longevity and traditional religious significance since Vedic times.
The Mahamastakabhisheka or the Grand Consecration is one of the most important and prestigious festivals of India. Since time immemorial, this ceremony has been performed only once in twelve years. During this time, a golden tower made of sandalwood is erected at one end of the Jagannatha Temple by the priests. It is covered with a thatch and sandalwood paste till it reaches the height of eighteen feet.
The Mahamastakabhisheka Mahotsava is an anointing ceremony of the statue of Lord Bahubali.
Lord Bahubali was the son of Lord Rishabhanatha who was the first Tirthankara. Jain mythology holds up Bahubali as the one who succeeded in attaining liberty from worldly desires through a long period of sustained meditation.
The sculpture of Lord Bahubali is in upright posture of meditation known as Kayotsarga which stands for renunciation, self-control and subjugation of the ego as a reflection of his life.
This is the digambara form of Bahubali which represents complete victory over earthly desires and needs, which forms the edifice for spiritual ascent towards divinity.
Mahavir was born in a small village of a Jaina family which had its roots in the Simhagadha ruling dynasty of north India.
According to the beliefs of the Jain tradition, Mahavir was the 24th Tirthankara, who succeeded the 23rd Tirthankara, Parshvanatha.
Tirthankara is a Sanskrit word meaning 'Fordmaker', i.e., one who is able to ford the river, to cross beyond the perpetual flow of earthly life.
Mahavir attained ‘kaivalya’ or omniscience at the age of 42. He passed away at the age of 72 at a place called Pavapuri, near modern day Rajgir (in Bihar) after preaching for thirty years.
Jainism attaches utmost importance to ahimsa or non-violence. It preaches 5 mahavratas (the 5 great vows):