Parables of Wisdom
Kamalsen
कमलसेन · કમળસેન
A joking boy, a very strange vow, and a bald head in the forest
- 5 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
Kamalsen wants nothing to do with sermons or vows, and when he finally takes one, it is the silliest vow anyone has ever heard. But he keeps it faithfully, and one ordinary afternoon it leads him somewhere he never expected.
What it teaches Keeping vows Faith Humour Change of heart
The opening of the children's telling
There was once a boy called Kamalsen. His mother and father loved to pray and listen to wise teachers. But Kamalsen only wanted to play.
One day a teacher gave a talk, and Kamalsen went along. Afterwards he said, I was just watching his throat go up and down! His parents sighed.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
A promise kept every day, even a small one, can change a whole life.
To talk about together
Why do you think the teacher gave Kamalsen a funny vow instead of a serious one?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.