The Tirthankaras
Life of Bhagwan Suparshvanath
भगवान सुपार्श्वनाथ का जीवन · ભગવાન સુપાર્શ્વનાથનું જીવન
Falling leaves on a palace roof, and a king who understood what they meant
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
In the city of Varanasi a prince is born after his mother dreams of resting on the hoods of serpents, and one quiet afternoon, many years later, a few falling leaves change his life.
What it teaches Impermanence Body and soul Detachment
The opening of the children's telling
Long ago, in the city of Varanasi, a queen named Prithvi was going to have a baby. One night she had a wonderful dream. She was resting on a big soft couch, and above her were the gentle hoods of many snakes, like a roof. She was not scared at all. She felt calm and safe.
Her baby was born healthy and golden. The queen had stayed so lovely while she waited for him that the king named the baby Suparshva.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
The body changes like leaves on a tree, but the soul inside is what we truly are.
To talk about together
Suparshvanath learned something from falling leaves. What have you noticed in nature that made you think?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.