A Story of Jambu Swami

In Rajgruhi there was a wealthy merchant named Rushabhadatt who was also known as Arhadas. His wife Dharini ( also named Jinmati) gave birth to a very handsome son in the yaer 542 BCE. The boy was named Jambu. He turned out to be very bright and intelligent and everyone liked him.

As he grew up, many families were eager to get him married to their daughters. Since it was the time of polygamy, his parents selected eight girls of reputed families and Jambu was duly engaged with them.

Prior to the marriage Jambu once went to the assembly of Sudharmaswami and was very much impressed by the sermon. He developed a very high sense of detachment and decided to renounce. His parents were of course not willing to let him renounce at that young age and the parents of the girls engaged to him were also much perturbed. They were worried about their daughters, since no one else would accept them on account of their being already engaged to him.

All of them pressed Jambu to give up his intention. They pointed out the rigors of ascetic life that he would not be able to face. They also told him that it is very hard to lead the life of a Muni and advised him to go in for the comfortable family life. He however remained firm.

The parents thought that he would change his mind, if he gets married. They therefore insisted upon his getting married before renouncing. Jambu agreed on condition that he should be allowed to renounce the day after his marriage. Since the girls to whom he was engaged were very beautiful and attractive, everyone thought that he would surely gain attachment for them, once he is married. The elders therefore accepted that condition.

The wedding took place on a grand scale. Jambu’s parents and those of the girls vied with one another in show of their prosperity. No effort was left out to make the wedding a memorable ceremony. Highly distinguished guests graced the occasion. Jewelry and other precious gifts that were heaped on the newly-weds, were the envy for the whole city. Rajgruhi had rarely witnessed such pomp and splendor. Every one congratulated Jambu for getting such beautiful and glamorous wives and wished him perfect happiness. At night Jambu was closeted in elegantly decorated bedroom along with his wives and the elders heaved a sigh of relief.

Jambu was however not at all affected by the glamour nor was he overcome by the beauty of those lovely girls. He had made up his mind to renounce the next day and wanted to make use of the night for orienting those girls for the purpose. He sat in front of them and started explaining the purely temporary and transitory character of life and everything pertaining to that.

At that time in the vicinity of Rajgruhi, there was a burglar named Prabhav. He had been a prince of Vindhya but had fallen out with his parents on the issue of some property. He therefore left the place and had embarked upon burglary. He had gathered with him 500 companions who were willing to undertake any sort of adventure at his command. He had acquired the art whereby he could put any one to sleep and he could break any type of lock. He came to know of the fabulous treasure accumulated on the occasion of Jambu’s wedding and had decided to grab it.

At dead of the night he came to the place along with his followers and saw that everyone had gone to sleep on account of the exhaustion of the ceremony. He asked his companions to pick up the valuables and himself proceeded towards Jambu’s bedroom for the jewelry on the bodies of newly-weds.

From a little distance he heard Jambu talking to his wives. He could not believe that the newly-weds were still awake so he came close to the door and tried to listen to their presumed amorous gossip, but to his utter astonishment Jambu was talking about the true nature of life. His words were so persuasive that Prabhav could not stop listening.

Jambu words appealed not only to his wives but also to Prabhav, and so the culprit started thinking that he had fallen out with his parents and others for the sake of some possessions and was leading the nasty life of a burglar, while here was a young boy planning to give up everything that he had effortlessly gained.

Jambu’s speech was still going on. The more Prabhav listened, the more he hated himself. His companions came to him with bundles of valuables, pointing out that it was getting dawn and they should leave, but Prabhav was not listening to them. He had developed disdain for his current life and was keen to change it. Ultimately he told his followers to leave him alone, because he had decided to give up burglary. They could therefore go on their own. All of them were exasperated at that. They said that they were not to go anywhere without him. If he was giving up the occupation, they were also willing to give it up.

By that time Jambu had finished. His wives were convinced of the futility of the worldly life and had decided to renounce with him. Then Prabhav came inside and said that he had come up for the burglary but had decided to renounce after listening his talk to his wives. He and his 500 followers made up their mind to be Jambu’s pupils.

In the morning, news spread everywhere that Jambu was going to renounce that day along with his wives. His parents were disappointed that their intention did not materialize but they did not have any incentive to continue the household life and decided to renounce too. And so was the decision of the girls’ parents. A spectacular procession was organized leading all those people to the assembly of Sudharmaswami. Jambu became his pupil and Prabhav together with his colleagues became Jambu’s pupil.

Thenceforth, Jambu Swami studied the entire teaching of Lord Mahavir and he became the head of the order after Sudharmaswami. Many Jain scriptures are composed in the form of a dialogue between Sudharmaswami and Jambu Swami.

Jambu Swami himself attained Kevalgnan in the year 514 BCE, i.e. eight years after Sudharmaswami attained it. He was the last Kevalgnani of the current time cycle and attained Nirvana at the age of 80


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