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514]
[A brief life-sketch of Jambu-Svami
by the religious precepts of the Acharya that a feeling of detachment rose up in his heart. He expressed his desire of being consecrated before the Acharya who said in reply, "Jambu do as you plese. Even a moment's delay is dangerous for the accomplishment of good thoughts." Jambu-Kumara accepted his advice and returned home after bowing down before him.
On his way home, Jambu-Kumara met with a strange occurrence. As he was passing through the gate of the cityramparts, a portion of the gate suddenly crumbled and fell in front of him and his attendants. Fortunately, no body was hurt. Jambu-Kumara then thought, "Surely, it is due to our good deeds done in our previous lives that we were not killed today. It was very probable that we might have been crushed by stones and reduced to dust in a minute. Perhaps this is the good reeult of seeing the feet of our Religious Preceptor, on account of which we could effect a narrow escape from this imminent danger. Had we proceeded one step forward, we might have lost our lives in a moment. Although man is the most precious jewel of the Nature's market, yet he is very simple. His life is given to him for the purpose of breaking loose of Karmic bondage, but his association with worldly surroundings, compel him to forget the object of his life. He entangles himself in worldly matters so that the object of his life is never before him. It is for the purpose of saving him from this indulgence that sudden accidents are sent to him by nature. He should take a lesson from such Occurrences. He should apply himself to complete those good acts to do which he has come here. The light of life is diminishing like lamp-light at every moment. The wealth of
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