Lay Followers
Shalibhadra's Mother Bhadra
शालिभद्र की माता भद्रा · શાલિભદ્રની માતા ભદ્રા
The richest mother in Rajgruhi learns what can and cannot be held
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
- Shvetambar telling
Bhadra, mother of the famous Shalibhadra, could buy what even a king could not. This is her own story: her generosity, her love for her son, a morning at her own door that she would never forget, and the path she finally chose for herself.
What it teaches Generosity Grace Letting go
The opening of the children's telling
In the city of Rajgruhi lived a kind lady named Bhadra. She was the mother of Shalibhadra, and she was very, very rich. But she was also very generous, and she loved to help.
One day some traders came from far away with beautiful blankets that sparkled with jewels. They were so costly that even the king did not buy one. The traders felt sad.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
What we give away freely, and what we let go of with love, makes us richer than what we hold.
To talk about together
Why do you think Bhadra bought all the blankets, even though she did not need them?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.