Tell me the story of wife of Vardhamana
According to Jain traditions, there are two main views about Vardhamana Mahavira’s wife:
- Svetāmbarā (Śvetāmbara) tradition: Mahavira was married to Yaśodharā (Yashoda), and they had a daughter named Priyadarśanā (also called Anojja in some texts). He waited until his parents had passed away and then renounced family life at the age of about 30. This is the common narrative in Śvetāmbara accounts. You can read more on this view here .
- Digambarā (Digambara) tradition: Mahavira did not marry and left home to become an ascetic. This viewpoint emphasizes his early renunciation and denies the marriage narrative. You can read more on this view here .
Story at a glance (shared elements in many texts)
- Vardhamana was born into a royal family and lived a luxurious life before renouncing it for spiritual striving.
- In Śvetāmbara versions, his wife Yaśodharā bore him Priyadarśanā, and Mahavira later renounced worldly life to become a monk.
- In Digambara accounts, Mahavira’s marriage is not accepted, and the emphasis is on his renunciation as a householder life being avoided.
If you’d like, I can summarize a short, traditional narrative from Kalpa Sutra or other Jain texts, with notes on how the two traditions differ.