Life of Mahavir
Mahavir's Parents in Earlier Lives
भगवान महावीर के पूर्व माता-पिता · ભગવાન મહાવીરનાં પૂર્વ માતા-પિતા
A mother who held her son for eighty-two days, and found him again many years later
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
- Shvetambar telling
A Brahmin couple from Brahmankund come to hear Bhagwan Mahavir speak, and something happens to the mother that makes Gautam Swami ask a question. The answer reveals a secret from long before Mahavir was born.
What it teaches A Mother's Love Gratitude Renunciation
The opening of the children's telling
In a village called Brahmankund, there lived a kind man named Rishabhdatta and his wife, Devananda.
Long, long ago, before Bhagwan Mahavir was born, something special happened. Our books say that his soul stayed with Devananda for a short time, eighty-two days. Then, by heavenly wish, the little soul was gently carried to Queen Trishala, who became his mother. Devananda felt sad, but she did not know why.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
Love that is truly given is never lost; it finds its way back.
To talk about together
How do you think Devananda felt when she heard Mahavir say, she is my mother?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.