Lay Followers
Sati Padmavati of Champa
चंपा की सती पद्मावती · ચંપાની સતી પદ્માવતી
A runaway elephant, a hidden child, and a nun who stepped between two armies
- 5 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- Best shared with a grown-up
- Shvetambar telling
Queen Padmavati of Champa is carried far from home by a runaway elephant, and her life takes a path no one could have imagined. Years later, when two kings march to war, only she knows the secret that could stop them.
What it teaches Courage Peacemaking Faith in hardship
The opening of the children's telling
Queen Padmavati lived in the city of Champa. One rainy day she rode on the royal elephant with the king. But the elephant got excited and ran away, deep into the forest!
The king caught a branch and climbed down, but the elephant carried the queen far away. At last it stopped at a lake, and Padmavati climbed off. She was all alone, but she stayed calm and said her prayers. She held on tight and took a deep breath.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
A few brave, true words can turn a fight into friendship.
To talk about together
Padmavati helped two people stop fighting. What can we do when we see others quarrelling?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.