The Tirthankaras
Life of Bhagwan Abhinandan Swami
भगवान अभिनंदन स्वामी का जीवन · ભગવાન અભિનંદન સ્વામીનું જીવન
The king who thanked people for pointing out his faults
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
- Shvetambar telling
In a past life, King Mahabal welcomed criticism as a gift. When that humble soul was born again in Ayodhya, a gentle change spread through the whole city, and it gave the fourth Tirthankar his name.
What it teaches Humility Courtesy Respect for all
The opening of the children's telling
Long ago, there was a king named Mahabal. He was strong, but even more than that, he was humble. That means he did not think he was better than anyone else.
When someone told the king, 'You made a mistake,' he did not get cross. He smiled and said, 'Thank you for helping me. Now I can do better.' When a farmer said, 'This rule is not fair,' the king listened and changed it. Everyone loved their kind and humble king.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
Humility turns criticism into a gift, and courtesy can fill a whole city.
To talk about together
How do you feel when someone points out a mistake, and how could we answer them kindly?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.