Life of Mahavir
Fearless Prince Vardhaman
निर्भय राजकुमार वर्धमान · નિર્ભય રાજકુમાર વર્ધમાન
How a boy at play earned the name Mahavir
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
When a heavenly being comes to test whether young Vardhaman is truly as brave as Indra claims, a children's game turns into something far more surprising.
What it teaches Courage Calmness Self-control
The opening of the children's telling
Prince Vardhaman lived in a palace with his parents, King Siddharth and Queen Trishala. He was kind to everyone, people and animals alike. His eyes were calm like a still lake, and he never seemed afraid.
Up in heaven, Indra, the king of the gods, told the other gods, "On earth there is a prince named Vardhaman. No one can make him afraid." One proud god, often called Sangam, did not believe it. He decided to go and see for himself.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
Real courage is a calm mind, not a loud voice.
To talk about together
Think of a time you felt afraid. What helped you stay calm, or what might help next time?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.