Lay Followers
Kumarpal's Ahimsa Rule
कुमारपाल की अमारि घोषणा · કુમારપાળની અમારિ ઘોષણા
On the night of the great festival, the temple doors are bolted and the goddess is left to choose
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
- Shvetambar telling
King Kumarpal of Gujarat has promised to protect every living creature, but his own family tradition demands hundreds of animals for the goddess at Navratri. With the festival days away, his teacher Hemchandracharya surprises everyone with his advice.
What it teaches Ahimsa Courage Wisdom
The opening of the children's telling
Long ago, King Kumarpal ruled the land of Gujarat. His teacher, Hemchandracharya, taught him to be kind to every living creature, and the king made a promise: no animal would be hurt in his kingdom.
But every year at the festival of Navratri, people took many goats and buffaloes to the temple of their goddess, and the animals were killed. People were afraid. "If we stop, the goddess will be angry," they said.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
True devotion and true kindness always point the same way.
To talk about together
Why do you think Hemchandracharya first agreed with the people before sharing his idea?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.