His father was Sakatala, a minister in Nanda kingdom before the arrival of Chandragupta Maurya.

When his brother became the chief minister of the kingdom, Sthulabhadra became a Jain monk and succeeded Bhadrabahu in the Pattavali as per the writings of the Kalpa Sūtra.

[2] Sthulabhadra was a son of the Dhana Nanda's minister Sakatala and brother of Shrikaya.

[3] He loved and lived with a royal dancer in Dhana Nanda's court named Rupkosa.

[6] He spent his chaturmas at Rupkosa's home, during which she tried to lure him away from ascetic life but failed.