Young Yogi Jambukumar Diwakar Chitrakatha 018

Author(s): Rajendramuni, Shreechand Surana
Publisher: Mahavir Seva Trust Mumbai

Page 2

YOUNG YOGI JAMBU KUMAR
Water naturally flows downwards. Human mind too, naturally, runs after pleasure and comfort. Man always desires to get such pleasures even in the face of tortures, hurdles, and insults. But there also exist those rare individuals who become free of attachment. The veil of ignorance lying over their mind is destroyed. They consider all mundane pleasures to be sources of misery.
Sixteen years before the Nirvan of Bhagwan Mahavir was born one such unique detached individual. This great man renounced unlimited means of pleasure and comfort, enormous wealth, loving care of his parents, and his eight beautiful and newly wedded wives on his wedding night and took to the harsh path of ascetic discipline. To discipline the mind is much more difficult than disciplining the body. The resolute young man who accepted this difficult path became famous in history as Jambu Kumar. The strong determination, sacrifice, and detachment of young-yogi Jambu Kumar is famous as a unique example of ideal renunciation in Jain history: so much so that it is hard to find another such spiritually inspiring tale in the religious literature throughout the world.
To Jambu Kumar the feeling of detachment did not come as a result of some preaching, but intuitively as a consequence of inner awakening. That appears to be the reason behind its intensity and inspirational and emotive quality. These attributes imparted an unfailing mesmerizing power to his sermon. All his eight newly wedded wives were so impressed by his preaching that they followed his suit. A die-hard smuggler like Prabhav heard his sermon and underwent a change of heart. He also followed Jambu Kumar and renounced the world along with his 500 fellow. thieves. This astonishing incident happened during the first year of Nirvan of Mahavir (1 A.N.M. or 470 B.V. or 526 B.C.). It has become a memorable date in the history of mankind.
The dialogue between Jambu Kumar and his wives is interesting as well as inspiring. The tales interspersed within the dialogue are also very instructive. The limited space has allowed us to include a few only, but we shall try to include more in other forthcoming issues. We are indebted to Dr. Rajendra Muni Shastri, a scholarly disciple of Acharya Shri Devendra Muniji, for providing the script of this picture strip.
Written by: Dr. Rajendra Muni Shastri
Managing Editors: Dr. Mansukhbhai Jain, Sanjay Surana
Compilation: Srichand Surana 'Saras'
English Translation: Surendra Bothara
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