Lay Followers
Mairavati
A princess who told the king the truth about karma, and paid the price gladly
- 5 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
A young princess contradicts her proud father in front of the whole court, and he decides to teach her a lesson she will never forget.
What it teaches Karma Equanimity Faith
The opening of the children's telling
Long ago there was a princess named Mairavati. Her mother taught her that the good and the hard things in our lives come from our own past actions. This is called karma.
One day her father, the king, asked his court, "Who makes you all happy?" Everyone said, "You do, Your Majesty!" But Mairavati said gently, "Father, each person's happiness comes from their own karma. You cannot make everyone happy."
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
A calm heart is the same in a palace and on the road.
To talk about together
Mairavati stayed happy when she lost everything. What helps you feel calm when things go wrong?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.