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A
traditional acount of Gommata is given in an inscription of poet
Boppanna of circa 1180 A.D. and is repeated with some additions and
variations in the details in several literary works such as the
Bhujabalisataka, Bhujabali-Charite, etc. The particulars mentioned
about Gommata in the inscription are that he was the son of Purudeva,
the first tirthankara and the younger brother of Bharata and that
his name was Bahubali or Bhujabali. In a struggle for the empire
between the brothers, Bahubali won, but generously handed over the
kingdom of the earth to the defeated elder brother and retired from
the world in order ro do penance. He thus became a 'Kevali' and
attained such eminence by his victory over Karma that Bharata
erected at Paudanapura an image in his form. In course of time the
region around the image became infested with innumerable Kukkuta
sarpas or cockatrices. The image afterwards became invisible to all
but the initiated. But Chamundaraya having heard a description of
it, set out with the desire of seeing it. Finding that the journey
was beyond his power, he resolved to erect such an image himself at
Shravanabelagola. An arrow shot by him from Chandragiri struck a
boulder on Indragiri, which appeared to him in the form of Gommata.
With great effort Chamundaraya succeeded in getting this statue made
under the supervision of the monk Arishtanemi. The literary works
mentioned above support this tradition but differ only in minor
details.
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