|
|
Mysteries surrounding the birth of Mahaveera
|
|
Mahaveera - Stepson of Trishala ??
Devananada - Mahaveer’s foster-mother??
Both Swethamabar and Digamabar version associated with the birth of Mahaveera accept the fact the Mahaveera was the son of Trishala and Siddhartha. He belonged to a clan of the Ksatriyas called Jnatrkas (known as Natikas in the Buddhist works), and that he was a Kasyapa by gotra.
But the Swethamabar scriptures claim that the embryo of Mahaveera was transferred from the womb of devananda to Trishala.
|
Since a Tirthankara can be born only in the family of Kshatriyas…………. Devananda was not a kshatriyani, thus Indra transferred the embryo of Mahaveera frm Devananda’s womb to Trishala’s womb.
To boost this factor, Acharanga sutra (Buddhist scripture) says,” in the third month of the rainy season, the fifth fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Asvina, on its thirteenth day, while the moon was in conjunction with Uttaraphalguni, after the laps of eighty-two days, on the eighty-third day current, the compassionate god (Indra) transferred the embryo of Mahaveera from the womb of Devananada to Trishala”
The Digambara account rejects this legend as ‘absurd’, but the Svetambaras strongly uphold its truth.
There is reference to the visit to Mahavira’s camp by the Brahmana Rsabhadatta and his wife Devananda. On the sight of Mahavira, Devananda had a sudden maternal emotion and milk started coming out of her breast. Asked by his chief disciple Gautama to explain the reason of this unusual occurrence, Mahavira plainly stated that Devananda was his mother. He made no mention whatever of Trisala or of the episode of the change of embryo.
Well I am very much confused to give any conclusion on this. The key reason is, “Kalpasutra” written by Acharya Badhrabahu also describes the transfer of embryo. Kalpasutra is accepted as one of the sacred text by Digamabars also!!!!
Baghavtai sutra directly says that Devananda was the mother of Mahaveera and there was no transfer of embryo. And it contains no reference to Trishala. Baghavathi sutra can be accepted as authentic source of information as it contains information on every day of Lord Mahaveera.
|
|
