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came forward as a prophet. But as the real state of things could not totally have been erased from the memory of the people the story of the transfer of the embryo was invented.
The most authentic proof of Devananda being the real mother of Mahavir and Mahavir having horn of her comes from the most revered 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 Bhahman Kunda (ब्राह्मण कुण्ड) when Jamali and Priyadarshana (his son in law and daughter respectively) are said to have taken Sanyas and joined Mahavir's Religious order (धर्म संघ). There Devananda came to pay her respects to the Lord. This incident is vividly described in stanza (गाथा)4 and 5 of part (उद्देशक) 33 of Chapter (शतक)9 of the Bhagvati Sutra as follows:
(तएणं सा देवाणंदा माहणी आगयपण्हाया, पप्फुयलोयणा संवरियवलयबाहा, कंचुयप रिक्खित्तिया धारा हयकलंबगं पिव समूसवियरोमकूवा समणं भगवं महावीरं अणिमिसाए दिट्ठीए पेहमाणी देहमाणी चिट्टइ। .
(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 गोयमें समणं भगवं महावीरं वंदइ णमंसइ, वंदिताणमंसित्ता एवं वयासी - किणं भंते ! एसा देवाणंदा माहणी आगयपण्हया, तं चेव जाव रोमकूवा दवाणुप्पियं अणिमिसाए दिट्ठीए पेहमाणी पेहमाणी चिट्ठइं।
("Oh Lord !” addressing thus, Muni Goutam (Titara Fant) saluted and asked Mahavir - "How is it that this lady's (देवानन्दा ब्राह्मणी) body is shivering with excitement and milk is oozing out of her breasts and she is standing staring continuously at you”).
गोयमाइ ! समणे भगवं महावीरं भगवं गोयमं एवं वयासी - एवं खलु गोयमा! देवाणंदा माहणी ममं अम्मगा, अहणं देवाणंदाए माहाणीए अत्तए, तएणं सा देवाणंदा माहणी तेण पुव्व पुत्त सिणेहरागेणं आगयपण्हया, जाव समूस वियरोम कूवा मम अणिमिसाए दिट्ठीए पेहमाणी पेहमाणी चिट्ठइ। तएण समणे भगवं महावीर उसभदत्तस्स माहाणस्स देवाणदाए माहणीए तीसे च महतिमहालियाए इसिपरिसाए जाव परिसा पडिगया।
