The Tirthankaras
The Sixth Triad: Purushpundarik and Bali
छठी त्रयी: पुरुषपुंडरीक और बलि · છઠ્ઠી ત્રિપુટી: પુરુષપુંડરીક અને બલિ
The same wrong tried twice, across two lifetimes
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- Best shared with a grown-up
- Shvetambar telling
In the time of Bhagwan Aranath, a king whose wife was once carried away is born again as Prince Purushpundarik, and on the eve of his own wedding the same old rival appears at the gate.
What it teaches Karma Respect Brotherly love
The opening of the children's telling
Long, long ago, there was a king whose wife was taken away by a bad man. The king was so sad that he could not stop thinking about it, even after he became a monk.
Many lives later, the sad king was born again as a prince named Purushpundarik. He had a big brother named Ananda. Ananda means joy, and he was as bright as the full moon. The two brothers played together every day and never wanted to be apart. The two brothers were so big and strong that even when they were babies, their nurses could not lift them.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
Habits of the heart travel with the soul, so let us grow good habits now.
To talk about together
Bali tried the same wrong deed in two different lives. Why do you think habits are so hard to change, and what helps?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.