________________
Bhagawan Mahavir ]
[ 521
defeated and turned back. Jambu-Kumara was victorious throughout. When the battle between the self-restraint of Jambu-Kumara and the army of cupid was going on, a strange event took place in the following manner:
There lived a very notorious thief named Prabhava near that city. The Government was trying to arrest him, but he was not caught. All the efforts of the Government to arrest him were baffled. Prabhava heard that the marriageparty of Seth Rishabha's son had returned and that 99 crores of rupees were given to Jambu-Kumara in dowry. He, therefore, made up his mind to steal all that wealth that very night. As soon as night fell he started with 499 of his companions towards the house of Jambu-Kumara. Prabhave was a master of two arts. First, he knew how to unlock the strongest locks, and secondly he could cast a sleeping man into swoon simply by looking at him. Soon after entering the house, he searched for the wealth of Jambu-Kumara and then sitting in one corner considered with his companions as to how to carry away that huge wealth. When every thing was settled, the money was tied into bundles, but as they were preparing to go, Indra, on account of his Avadhi-janana, ( i. e. clairvayant knowledge) came to know of this occurrence. He said to himself " It would not be good if the thieves steal away the wealth of Jambu-kumara, for tomorrow he is to adopt self-restraint. If the thieves steal away all his wealth to-day, his spiritual power will not be put on test and people will form differnt ideas about him. They would say, Jambu-kumara has accepted self-restraint because his wealth has been stolen and he has been reduced to the position of a beggar. Had he got
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
