Transfer of
Embryo
This great soul of Mahavira was born in sixth century
B. C. Some scholars accept 526 B. C. as the year of his birth while to
some it was 599 B. C. Born in Kasyapa Gotra of Jnatr clan of Ksatriyas, he
was also known as ‘Nataputta'. His father was Siddhartha and mother was
Trisala, the sister of Vaisala king Cetaka. His parents were the followers
of 23rd Tirthankara Parsva. ‘Svetambaras' (one of the dominant Jaina
sects) believed that Mahavira was first conceived in the womb of one
Devananada, a Brahmin lady. The embryo was later transferred to the womb
of ‘Trisala' as the gods thought that Tirthankaras were not born in
Brahmin families. ‘Digambaras' (another dominant Jaina sect) do not
subscribe to this story of transfer to embryo. The story as to what the
‘gods' thought about the eligibility of a Brahmin family to give birth to
a Tirthankara is undoubtedly jingoistic and not warranted by the basic
principles of Jainism, and mission of equality which the lord himself
carried during his life time. But the possibility of the transfer of
foetus by some surgical operation cannot be ruled out. It may be noted in
this connection that Bhagavati-sutra, the 5th anga of Jaina scripture
containing a vivid picture of the life and work of Mahavira contains a
story that after Mahavira became famous as an impressive preacher and
masses were flocking to have his ‘Darshan’, a Brahmin couple named
Devananda and Rsabhadatta came to see him. On seeing Mahavira, Devananda
was overwhelmed by motherly emotions for him and milk began to flow from
her breasts. When Gautama, the chief disciple, saw this and asked the
master the reason for this state of Devananda, the master replied that
this was because Devananda was his real mother. However, ‘Bhagavati-sutra'
does not contain the story about the change of embryo. It is therefore
reasonable to infer that Mahavira might have been adopted by the Ksatriya
family of Siddhartha and Tri-sala, This controversy about the birth is not
of any importance. What is of real importance, is the life and work of
this great soul.
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