Acharya Sthulabhadra did not teach all 14 Purvas to his disciples because his own Guru, Acharya Bhadrabahu, had strictly forbidden him to do so.

In short:

1. Sthulabhadra learned the Purvas from Acharya Bhadrabahu

- First he learned 10 Purvas properly (with meaning / arth). - About the last 4 Purvas, there are two important points: - Bhadrabahu only taught him the text (sutra) of these 4, - But did not teach him their deep meaning (arth).

1. Reason – misuse of labdhi (special power)

Traditional Jain stories say that Sthulabhadra once used the special powers gained from Purva‑knowledge for a trivial / playful purpose (for example, creating an illusion to surprise his sisters, or similar). - Acharya Bhadrabahu felt this showed immaturity and danger: knowledge of such powerful scriptures could be misused. - As a punishment and also a protection for the Sangh, Bhadrabahu: - stopped his full teaching, - later allowed him to learn the last 4 Purvas only in words, without meaning, - and put a condition: > “You must never teach these last 4 Purvas to anyone.”

1. Because of this condition:

- Sthulabhadra taught his disciples (like Ārya Mahāgiri and Ārya Suhastin) only 10 Purvas, - He did not teach the last 4 Purvas to anybody, - And he himself did not have their full arth, so the complete living tradition of all 14 Purvas stopped with Bhadrabahu and Sthulabhadra.

So, why didn’t Sthulabhadra teach Purvas to his disciples (all 14)?

• He was bound by his Guru’s vow not to pass on the last 4 Purvas.
• He knew only the text, not the full meaning, of those 4.
• Out of Guru-bhakti, discipline, and fear of misuse, he obeyed, and therefore taught only 10 Purvas further, not all 14.

If you’d like to read a simple overview of what the 14 Purvas were, you can see a basic explanation here: