Book Title: Jain Vidyalay Granth
Author(s): Bhupraj Jain
Publisher: Jain Vidyalaya Calcutta

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Page 264
________________ Some passages in Kalpa Sutra depicting hatred towards Brahmins also seem to be later-age creations giving credence to the Additon-theory. The Stanza (गाथा) 17 of Kalpa Sutra is explicit in this regard : तए णं तस्स सक्कस्स देविंदस्स देवरन्नो अयमेयारूवे अज्झथिए चिंतिए पत्थिए मणोगए संकप्पे समुप्पज्जित्थन्न एयं भूयं, न एयं भव्वं, न एयं भविस्सं, जं नं अरहंता वा चक्कवट्टी वा बलदेवा वा वासुदेवा वा अंतकुलेसु वा पंतकुलेसु वा तुच्छकुलेसु वा दरिद्दकुलेसु वा किविणकुलेसु वा भिक्खायकुलेसु वा माहणकुलेसु वा आयाइंसु वा आयाइंति वा आयाइस्संति वा एवं खलु अरहंता वा चक्कवट्टी वा बलदेवा वा वासुदेवा वा उग्गकुलेसु वा भोगकुलेसु वा राइण्णकुलेसु वा इक्खागकुलेसु वा खतियकुलेसु वा हरिवंसकुलेसु वा अन्नतरेसु वा तहप्पगारेसु विसुद्धजातिकुलवंसेसु आयाइंसुवा आयाइंति वा आयाइस्संतिवा। (Lord Indra oversees from his heavenly abode by Awadhigyan (अवधिज्ञान) that Lord Mahavir has incarnated on Earth into the womb of Devananda (देवानन्दा) Brahmani (ब्राह्मणी). He contemplates over it and thinks that Thirthankers, the enlightened ones can not take birth in low castes (अन्त्य कुल, अधम कुल, नीच कुल, तुच्छ कुल, दरिद्र कुल, कृपण कुल, भिक्षुक कुल अथवा ब्राह्मण कुल) such as the most down trodden shudras, criminals, poverty stricken, misers, beggars and the Brahmins. Therefore Indra thinks it to be his duty to transfer the embryo of Mahavir to the womb of a lady of Khsatriya Kul, a race of pure blood. Then Indra proceeds to instruct his man to execute the plan.) This kind of bias against Brahmins showing them at par with the low castes is not depicted any where else in the Agamic literature of ancient times. On the contrary Uttar Purana' contains references of some Tirthankars (eg. Shantinath, Kunthunath and Arhnath) whose spouses belonged to Mlechha community of extremely low and out castes. Muni Punyavijay (मुनि पुण्य विजय) a learned Commentator on ancient Agamic literature has in his introduction to an modern edition of Kalpa Stra expressed his doubt about the authenticity of a number of Stanzas in it. Trisala's dreams in elaborate poetic form are thought to be such doubtful additions to the original text of Kalpa Sutra. The Embryo-transfer episode could well be one of such additions by later Acharyas. This appears to be more so because the author of Kalpa Sutra Acharya Bhadrabahu was a born Brahmin. He was the 8th successor to Lord Mahavir. Brahmins in those times were ardent followers of Jins. Admittedly the Agamic literature were for the first time reduced to writing in 453 A.D. As discovered by scholars, the second and third part of Kalpa Sutra namely Sthaviravali and Sadhu Samachari contain passages definitely written by later Acharyas. Some historians go to the length of suggesting that Jamali was the son of Nandivardhan, Trishala's own son and elder brother of Lord Mahavir. According to them Mahavir's daughter Priyadarshana was given in marriage to Nandivardhan's son Jamali. If that be so, Mahavir could not have been the son of Trisala. He might have been adopted after having born to Devananda, the Brahmin lady. The most authentic proof of Devananda being the real mother of Mahavir and Mahavir having born of her comes from the most reverred Jain scripture Bhagvati Sutra itself. Lord Mahavir is said to have attained enlightenment in 557 B.C. and two years later he visited his birth place Brahman Kunda when Jamali and Priyadarshna (his son in law and daughter respectively) are said to have taken Sanyas and joined Mahavir's Religious order. There Devananda came to pay her respects to the Lord. This incident is vividly described in stanza (गाथा) 4 and 5 of parn (उद्देशक) 33 of Chapter (916C) 9 of Bhagvati Sutra as follows: तएणं सा देवाणंदा माहणी आगयपण्डाया, पप्फुयलोयणा संवरिवलयबाहा, कंचुयप रिक्खित्तिया धारा हबकलंबगं पिव समूसवियरोमकूवा समणं भगवं महावीरं अणिमिसाए दिट्ठीए पेहमाणी देहमाणी चिट्ठइ। (Looking at the Lord her (Devananda's) whole body shivered with ecstasy and excitement. Tears burst out of her eyes and milk oozed out of her breasts. The sensation pulsating in her limbs inflated the wet breast covering). प्रश्न - भंते! ति भगवं गोयमे समणं भगवं महादीरं बंदइ णमंसइ, चंदिताणमंसित्ता एवं वयासी - किंणं भंते। एसा देवाणंदा माहणी आगयपण्डया, तं चेव जाव रोमकूवा देवाणुप्पियं अणिमिसाए दिट्ठीए पेहमाणी पेहमाणी चिट्ठई। शिक्षा-एक यशस्वी दशक विद्वत् खण्ड/८५ Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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