Shalibhadra -  Story for Kids

There was a small village named Shaligram near the city of Rajgruhi. In that village, resided a shepherdess named Dhanyaa. She had a son. His name was Sangam.

Dhanyaa worked at people's houses and Sangam took the cattle to graze in the forests. In this way, they made a living.

One day, a great festival was being celebrated in the village. All the villagers were preparing delicious kheer* at their homes.

Young Sangam saw kheer being prepared at his friends' houses and told his mother, “O Mother! Make kheer for me, also.”

Due to poverty and misery, Dhanyaa's eyes were filled with tears. Seeing her tears, Sangam also started crying.

All her neighbours gathered around them. Some gave her milk, some rice, someone else gave her sugar while someone gave her Elaichi*.

Dhanyaa and Sangam were delighted.

Dhanyaa prepared hot and mouth-watering kheer. She served the kheer in Sangam's plate and went to the nearby house for work.

A saint doing continuous Maskhaman* one after another was passing by.

Sangam heartily felt, “I wish that I get the opportunity to give alms to such a great saint!”

Sangam requested the saint to come to his house for alms. The saint accepted Sangam's request and went to his house. Sangam gave all the kheer to the saint.

Dhanyaa returned home. Seeing Sangam's plate empty, she again served kheer. Sangam filled his stomach with the delicious kheer. At night, Sangam suffered from indigestion and pass away.

As a result of the heartily Supatradan* done by Sangam, he was born at a wealthy merchant's house in the city of Rajgruhi.

The merchant's name was Gobhadra and his wife's name was Bhadra.

Sangam was named Shalibhadra.

Growing swiftly with age and knowledge, Shalibhadra stepped into his youth.

With great pomp and show, mother Bhadra and father Gobhadra got him married to 32 beautiful daughters of wealthy merchants.

Shalibhadra was passing a happy and prosperous life.

Once Lord Mahavira arrived in the city of Rajgruhi.

On hearing Lord Mahavira's sermon, merchant Gobhadra developed a feeling of non-attachment (Vairagya).

He accepted Diksha by the hands of Lord Mahavira. At the end, he accepted Anshana and became a Mahardhika Deva in the next birth.

The Deva recalled his past birth. Gobhadra Deva felt very affectionate on seeing Shalibhadra.

Gobhadra Deva sent 99 divine treasure boxes each day for Shalibhadra and his 32 wives.

Shalibhadra + 32 wives = For 33 people. Each he sent 33 boxes of divine ornaments, 33 boxes of divine clothes and 33 boxes of divine food. He, thus everyday sent 99 treasure boxes in all.

Thus, Shalibhadra enjoyed divine pleasures.



 

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Once a foreign trader came to Rajgruhi. He had a precious thing called “Ratnakambal”.

The trader went to King Shrenik's court and displayed the Ratnakambal.

When King Shrenik asked about it's price, the trader answered, “1 lakh gold coins!”

The king refused to buy such an expensive Ratnakambal. The trader became sad and went away.
 

Roaming in the streets of Rajgruhi, the trader reached Merchantess Bhadra's haveli* and showed the Ratnakambal.

Bhadra asked him, “How many Ratnakambal do you have?”

The trader answered, “16.”

"But I have 32 daughters-in-law. Come on, divide each into two and give them to me,” Bhadra said.

Bhadra bought all the 16 Ratnakambal costing 1 lakh gold coins, divided them into two and distributed the 32 pieces among her 32 daughters-in-law. The wiped their feet with the Ratnakambal just once and threw them away.

On the other end, due to Queen Chellana's force, King Shrenik called back the trader to buy 1 Ratnakambal. At that time, the trader told that he had sold all the 16 Ratnakambal to Shalibhadra's wives.

Astonished King Shrenik came to Bhadra's haveli to see her wealth and prosperity. Merchantess Bhadra welcomed and honoured King Shrenik.

Shalibhadra, who was constantly enjoying sensual pleasures on the topmost seventh floor of the haveli was called by his mother Bhadra, “Son! Come down. Shrenik has come.”

"What is there to ask me? Pay whatever price is asked and keep it in the godown!”, Shalibhadra answered.

Mother Bhadra said, “Son! He is not some grocery but he is our King.” Now Shalibhadra understood that 'Shrenik' was a King!

He climbed down to meet king Shrenik. King Shrenik embraced Shalibhadra.

After king Shrenik departed, Shalibhadra was lost in thoughts, “My prosperity is now stained. Do I have to bear a king on my head and obey his orders?

Now, I will acquire such prosperity wherein I have no king or my head. Right now, I will go in Lord Mahavira's feet and accept Diksha.”

Thus, Shalibhadra developed a non-attachment towards the world.

He left 1-1 wife everyday.

He started leaving the divine pleasures each day.

Another wealthy merchant named Dhanya resided in the city of Rajgruhi.

Shalibhadra’s sister Subhadra was married to Dhanya.

While Dhanya’s 8 wives were serving him, tears rolled down Subhadra’s eyes.

Dhanya asked, “Why are you crying?”

She answered, “I am crying because my brother Shalibhadra is leaving 1-1 wife each day and detaching himself from this material word.”

Dhanya said, “Your brother is a coward. If he is really brave, ask him to leave all his 32 wives at once.”

Subhadra answered, “O Lord! It is easy to speak. Before she completed her sentence, Dhanya got up.

He left all his 8 wives at once and moved ahead to accept Diksha!
 

Dhanya reached Shalibhadra’s haveli and called out to him, “Shali, If you have the guts, leave all these worldly possessions at once and come alongwith me. We will go to Lord Mahavira Swami and accept Diksha.

Shalibhadra Stood up on listening to Dhanya’s words.

A grand Diksha ceremony of Dhanya and Shalibhadra was organised.

Both of them attained the Rajoharan from Lord Mahavira’s hand and became saints.

After renouncing the world, Muni Dhanya and Muni Shalibhadra did great penance and fasted for many day. Their delicate body dried up due to this penance.

Moving from one place to another, once they arrived in the city of Rajgruhi.

Lord Mahavira said, “Muni Shalibhadra ! today you will do parna at the hands of your mother.”

While roaming for Gochari in the city, Muni Shalibhadra reached Merchantess Bhadra’s haveli. But everyone at her house was in a hurry to go and bow down in Lord Mahavira and Muni Shalibhadra’s feet. Also, since their body had dried up due to the fasts, no one recognized Muni Shalibhadra.

Without getting any alms, he returned from there and accepted curd in alms from a shepherdess’s house on the way.

Muni Shalibhadra asked Parmatma, “Lord! How did my parna occur at the hands of my mother? A shepherdess gave me alms today.”

Parmatma replied, “Your parna occurred at the hands of your mother only. That shepherdess was your previous birth’s mother, Dhanyaa !”

Doing the Parna with curd, Muni Shalibhadra and Muni Dhanya came to Lord and requested Him, “Lord ! Give us the permission to accept anshana.”

Parmatma agreed.

Both the saints went to Vaibhargiri Mountain and accepted Padapogaman Anshan.

Mother Bhadra and king Shrenik went to bow down in the saint’s holy feet.

After doing anshana for Month, they attained Kaldharma and both the saints became Devas in the highest Sawarthasiddha Anuttar Devalok. Completing their lifespan there, they will become humans and attain salvation.

Dear children!

Do you want to attain wealth and prosperity like Shalibhadra? Do you want to attain salvation?

Then decide from today-

I will go to the upashraya everyday to request Sadhu-Sadhviji Bhagwants to come home for Gochari and will do supatradan whole-heartedly.