Lay Followers
Draupadi in the Jain Tradition
जैन परंपरा में द्रौपदी · જૈન પરંપરામાં દ્રૌપદી
A bitter dish, a long journey of many lives, and a queen who held to her faith across the ocean
- 5 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- Best shared with a grown-up
- Shvetambar telling
Long before she was the famous queen of the Pandavas, Draupadi's soul made one careless, unkind choice that echoed through many lives. The Jain scriptures tell how she travelled from that mistake to become one of the sixteen great satis.
What it teaches Karma Steadfastness Forgiveness
The opening of the children's telling
Long ago, a woman named Nagashri cooked a dish that turned out very bitter. Instead of throwing it away carefully, she gave it to a monk who came for food. That was not kind.
The monk's teacher said, this food is not good to eat. Please put it somewhere it will not harm anyone. When the monk let one drop fall, little ants came to it and were hurt. Oh no, thought the monk. He chose to protect every tiny ant, and he finished the dish himself. He was very peaceful, and soon he left this world and went to a happy heaven.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
Every small choice travels with us, so let each one be kind.
To talk about together
Dharmaruchi chose to protect even tiny ants. What small creatures can we be careful of today?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.