Monks and Acharyas
Sage Kapil's Song
कपिल मुनि का गीत · કપિલ મુનિનું ગીત
Five hundred thieves ask a monk to dance, and his song changes them forever
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
- Shvetambar telling
Kapil Kevali walks alone into a forest ruled by five hundred thieves, who capture him and demand that he dance for them.
What it teaches Awakening Non-attachment Greed
The opening of the children's telling
Long ago there was a wise and gentle monk named Kapil. He owned nothing at all, and his heart was full of peace.
Near a big forest lived five hundred robbers. Everyone was scared to walk through that forest. But Kapil knew something no one else knew. Deep inside, those robbers were ready to become good.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
The right words, spoken without anger, can turn a heart around.
To talk about together
Why do you think Kapil's song worked better than shouting or fighting would have?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.