According to the Digambara sub-tradition of Jainism, in his later years, he renounced the world, led an ascetic life, and attained kevala jnana (omniscience).

He gained kevala jnana when he came to believe that the human body lacked beauty and renounced the world as a kevalajnani (omniscient), and then attained moksha.

During his digvijaya (winning six divisions of earth in all directions), he is believed to have acquired the nine nidhis (most precious treasures) and fourteen ratna (jewels).

After completing his world-conquest, he is said to have proceeded for his capital Ayodhyapuri with a huge army and the divine chakra-ratna (spinning, disk-like super weapon with serrated edges).

[14] The chakra-ratna supposedly stopped on its own at the entrance of the capital signalling that there still remain his 99 brothers who have refused submission to his supreme authority.

This is believed to have happened because Jain tradition states that such divine weapons lose their effectiveness when confronted with their master's close relations.

[19] He is said to have added the fourth varna, brahmins, to the three-fold varna-system created by Rishabhanatha which consisted of ksatriyas, vaishyas and shudras.

[22] According to Digambara texts, when Bharata discovered that he is becoming old due to a white hair in his head, he immediately decided to become a Jain monk.

Because of the effect of his growing renunciation over the years, he destroyed his inimical karmas within an antaramuhūrta (less than forty-eight minutes) and attained Kevala Jnana (omniscience).

[27] Ādi purāṇa, a 10th-century Jain text deals with the ten lives of the first tirthankara, Rishabhanatha, also known as Adinatha, and his two sons, Bharata and Bahubali.

[28][29] Bharatesha Vaibhava : also known as Bharatesvara Charite depicts the life story of Bharata Chakravartin was written in the 16th century by Ratnakaravarni.