Article: Sulasā

Giving alms to Śvetāmbara monks
Image by Victoria and Albert Museum © V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Sulasā and her husband, Nāga, could not have children. One day Nāga told Sulasā about his fears that he would die without a son and thus his soul would be bound for hell.

Sulasā gave him a lecture on Jain dharma. She reminded him of the teaching that one’s own virtuous acts are the only way to prevent a rebirth in hell and that having sons to perform one’s funeral, as in Hindu belief, makes no difference.

When Nāga remained unconvinced, Sulasā suggested that he take a second wife. He told her that he could not because he had vowed to have only one wife. Then Sulasā said that they should just be good Jains.

One day the god Hariṇaigameṣin came to Sulasā’s house posing as a Jain monk on his alms rounds, and after seeing her religious dedication he offered her a boon. Sulasā asked for a son for her husband.

Sulasā conceived thirty-two sons, but she was told that they would all die on the same day. When they grew up they were guards for King Írenik and, as foretold, they all died in battle.

Nāga was desolate but Sulasā told him that he should simply focus on liberation.

Sulasā rededicated herself to religion and was later singled out by Mahāvīra as the ideal lay woman.

Sulasā later died and went to heaven. She will be reborn as the 15th Jina, Nirmama-swāmī, in the next ascending cycle of time.