Jain Journal 2006 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 27

JAIN JOURNAL: VOL-XLI, NO. ! JULY 2006
and the other for compelling all asleep in furtherance of his wicked deed." But the robber-chief was astonished to see that his spell had not worked at all upon Jambūsvāmī. As the robber chief was eager to know the reason of the ill-success of his spell upon Jambūsvāmī, he was told by the latter that the next morning he was going to embrace the life of a Jaina monk and as such he had triumphed over all the enchantments. The good at the heart of the robber-chief tried to dissuade the young bridegroom from his determination to embrace the life of an ascetic. In the meantime, Prabhava had taken away the influence of his spell from Jambūsvāmī's eight brides who also implored him to give up his premature design and enjoy life together with them."
Jambú told them many stories with the apt illustrations of snares and sorrows of married life; the brides, on the other hand, replied with other stories upholding the honour of the married life. But they failed to dissuade Jambū from his determination. So, at last, the eight brides declared that they, too, would follow Jambū and enter the monastic order and so did Jambu's parents and relatives.
The next day Jambū was ordained by Sudharman, the fifth ganadhara of the Jainas. Prabhava, the robber-chief is now a changed man after his ineeting with spiritually advanced Jambūsvāmī; he, too, renounced the world after a few days.
A perusal of the story makes it clear why the Jainas preserved a place of honour and respect in their hearts for this perpetual celebate patriarch. The Jaina believes that he was the last kevalin. and no body could obtain the kevalijñana. After him nobody could reach the “Manaparyaya” and the “Paramabodhi" stages of supernatural knowledge. To
6. Ibid
Ibid 8. Ibid 9. Ibid 10. Ibid
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