Life of Mahavir
Mahavir's Kevaljnan
महावीर का केवलज्ञान · મહાવીરનું કેવળજ્ઞાન
Beside a quiet river, under a shal tree, the light that never fades
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
After twelve and a half years of silence and hardship, Mahavir sits beside the river Rujuvalika. What happens there changes him, and the gods build a wondrous hall so that every creature may hear him.
What it teaches Perseverance Enlightenment Peace
The opening of the children's telling
For many, many years, Mahavir walked from village to village as a quiet monk. He did not have a home or any things of his own. He was always calm and kind, even when things were very hard.
One day, he came to a gentle river. Beside the river stood a tall shal tree. Mahavir sat down near the tree in the warm afternoon sun and began to meditate. He made his mind very quiet and very still, like a pond with no ripples at all.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
The light is already within us; patience and peace clear away the clouds.
To talk about together
What do you think it would feel like to sit in a place where nobody is afraid of anybody?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.