The Tirthankaras
Lord Rishabhdev
भगवान ऋषभदेव · ભગવાન ઋષભદેવ
The king who taught the world to plough, write and count, and then walked away from it all
- 5 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
At the very dawn of our age, when the magic trees that fed everyone began to fail, one wise prince showed people how to live, and then showed them something even greater.
What it teaches Renunciation Patience Generosity
The opening of the children's telling
Long, long ago, there were magic trees that gave people everything. Food, clothes and shade all came from the trees. But one day the trees began to give less and less, and people felt hungry and worried.
A wise and gentle prince named Rishabh was born. When he grew up, he became the first king. He taught people how to grow grain in the fields and how to cook it. He taught them how to make pots, build houses and share fairly. He taught his daughter Brahmi how to write letters, and his daughter Sundari how to count numbers.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
Patience and a giving heart can wait a long time, and still be sweet when the moment comes.
To talk about together
Shreyans gave a simple cup of juice, but it was remembered forever. Why do you think the way we give matters so much?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.