Queen Trishala's Happy Dreams

Long ago, in a palace near Vaishali, there lived a gentle queen named Trishala. She was kind to everyone. She was kind to people, to animals, and even to the tiniest ants.

Queen Trishala was expecting a baby. Every evening, she sat by her window. She watched the sun go down. She listened to the birds fly home. Then she rested with a calm, happy heart.

One night, the palace was very quiet. A cool breeze moved the soft curtains. The moon peeped in through the window. Trishala closed her eyes and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

And then, she began to dream.

First, she saw an elephant. It was big and white, and it walked slowly. Its steps were gentle. Its eyes were kind. It lifted its trunk, as if to say hello.

In her sleep, Trishala smiled.

Then she saw a lion. Its golden mane shone like the sun. It was strong, but it was calm. It sat quietly on a hill and looked far away. It simply rested in the warm sunshine.

Next, she saw the moon. It was full and round and silver. Its cool light spread over the whole land. Fields and rivers and rooftops glowed softly.

In her sleep, Trishala smiled.

Then she saw a lake. The water was clear and still. Lotus flowers floated on it, pink and white. Bees hummed among the flowers. Swans glided slowly across the water.

There were more dreams too, each one bright and beautiful. Each dream felt like a gift.

In her sleep, Trishala smiled.

When morning came, the birds began to sing. Golden sunlight touched her face. Trishala opened her eyes slowly. Her heart felt light and full of joy.

She went to King Siddhartha and told him all her dreams. The king listened with a happy face. "These are dreams of goodness and light," he said gently.

Trishala placed a hand on her belly. She smiled a soft, happy smile. "Little one," she whispered, "I dreamed of you all night."

In time, her baby was born. The world came to know him as Lord Mahavira. He taught everyone to be kind to all living beings, big and small.

But on that bright morning, all was calm. There was a happy queen, a warm sun, and a heart full of dreams.