WAS
HUMAN CLONING KNOWN TO VEDIC SAGES?
ARTICLE published in THE
HINDUSTAN TIMES (in abridged form)
by Dr. Gautam
Chatterjee
The detail article is HERE
Today at the high frontier of Genetic
Engineering replacing and manipulating DNA has become the order of the
day. Since the successful cloning of adult Sheep ‘Dolly’in 1996 scientists are thinking to clone ‘human
being’ amidst much controversy. But if I say cloning was known to man
even in the Pauranic era! Does it sound absurd! Perhaps not. We get some
indications in Hindu Shastras which are studded with fictionalised ‘Maya
Manab and mayabi danab’. Even in Rg Veda we find Indra
taking different forms of himself through the mechanism called Maya.The
‘Maya’ or illusion in philosophical context has been a subject of
discussions for about four thousand years. Does Maya has some
scientific understanding like the modern science? This is still a
connundrum. Vettam Mani the author of famous Pauranic Encyclopaedia
quoted Devi Bhagavata and regional version of Ramayana in
the context of Agni Deva who is said to have created ‘Maya Sita’
for Rama so that the ‘clone or Maya’ Sita could pass the test of
fire or Agnipariksha.
Moreover, shastra tells us that
through this method ‘pious’Sita remains untouched by Ravana.
Vettam Mani wrote that " One day
Agni disguised as a Brahman approached them and said "O, Sri Rama,
thou art born to kill the demon Ravana and save the world from his
atrocities. Sita is going to be a cause for that.Time is not far for you
to finish this duty of yours. Ravana is soon to come and kidnap your
wife, Sita. You must, therefore, allow me to play a trick on Ravana
entrust Sita with me and I shall keep her safe. In place of her you can
keep a Maya Sita(Phantom Sita) which will be a live replica of
your real wife. In the end when you take back Sita after killing Ravana
you will be compelled to throw your wife into the fire to test her
chastity. At that time I will take back the replica and give you back
your real wife". Sri Rama was very much pleased to hear this.
Agni then, by his yogic powers created a
Phantom Sita and gave her to him.Rama kept this as a secret even from
Lakshmana. In the great Rama-Ravana battle Ravana was killed and Sri
Rama took back Sita to his kingdom. Then respecting public opinion and
wishing to establish in public the purity of his queen King Sri Rama put
her into the fire. At that moment Agni took back the replica and gave
back the real Sita to Sri Rama. Sita thus came out from the fire
unscathed. Later,on advice of Rama and Agni, the Phantom Sita went to
the sacred place Puskara and started doing tapas(penance)there."
Furthermore Vettam Mani explained this ‘clone or Maya’ Sita became
known as Svargalakshmi and in Mahabharata era she became
Panchali or Draupadi. (Source: Pauranic Encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani published by Motilal Banarsi Das,l993
pp10-11&548-549)
From the above discussions it is derived
that Agni through ‘Meditation’ created the replica of Sita which was
not an illusion but a real clone which got a name and also a destiny
like any other pauranic personality. It is interesting to note that the
reference of ‘Maya Sita’ is available in regional version of
Ramayana and not in Valmiki’s version.
Pauranic sources like Kurma Puran,
Brahmabaibarta Puran, and Regional Ramayana like Adhhyatmik
Ramayan, Ramchari Manas, Orriya Balaram Ramayan, Dharma Kanda Ramayan and
Kashmiri Ramayan mention about Maya Sita concept.
Indian mythology has many examples where
certain persons could not only create replica but can transform the ‘subject’
into any other animate as we find in Ramayana Mirici took the
shape of Golden Deer to allure Sita. In another context we find when
Lord Buddha was meditating Mara the Devil in order to
detract Buddha’s attention so he created many ferocious figures to
frighten Buddha and also created most beautiful females to allure him.
Thus we get an indication that creation of dangerous creatures and
beautiful damsels was within the power of some persons.
Dr. Satkari Mukhopadhayaya,an expert
Indologist and Pandit of various ancient scripts,a Linguist having
knowledge of 20 classical and regional languages said that ‘there is
no scientific proof available whether those ancient people had any
knowledge of Cloning or not. But we get some idea that replicas were
created which has many reference and much of it is related to illusions
or Maya. No scripture has ever directly dealt this concept but
indications are many. This is no hearsay that yogis can create an
identical person as himself and one person can be present at two places
at the same point of time.’ Pt. Mukhopadhayaya further said that
" yogis can even create specific aroma not out of magic but perhaps
controlling and manipulating through the method of permutation and
combination of panchabhuta.In Benaras the Guru of veteran scholar
Gopinath Kabiraj Swami Visuddhananda was known as GANDHA BABA, who could
create any ‘wished’ aroma in his hand."
It’s true that our body is created out
of five elements, which is universal for all animates. And everything be
it tree or animal and even man has these ingredients. These ingredients
are perhaps placed in such a manner that certain form emerges. However,
thats the subject of Genetic Engineering which layman cannot comprehend.
But as in modern science changing DNA or manipulating in forms and
sequence etc. can create a ‘desired’ creature, similarly, perhaps,
ancient people who could muster the panchabhutas, could create
replicas be it at illusionary level or otherwise.
Though it is poohpoohed that Pauranic
sources are myths and mere imagination, yet they give a concept which is
fathomable by scientific mind of this century. For example Ramayana
talked about Pushpak Vimana (aerial chariot), which was created
by Viswakarma for Kuber and later Ravana stole it and used it to kidnap
Sita and take her to Lanka through the aerial route. And again, we find,
after defeating Ravana, Rama took the aerial chariot and once he used it
for aerial survey to know the cause of epidemic which endangered infants
in his kingdom(see Uttara Ramayana). This is quite similar to the
modern ‘aerial survey’ in case of flood etc. Many ancient documents
talk about divine weapons which may prove to be ‘fact’in the next
century. Thus concepts hidden in the ancient documents do indicate that
there are many potential concepts available which can be tooled by our
scientific community to achieve a technological landmark.
In ancient texts we find that concepts
were there but no formulas of creation were passed down to us! Thats
perhpas, ancient sages knew the human tendency of misusing their
acquired powers. As today we are talking about creation of human clone
in thousands, at the hour when population explosion is knocking at our
doors disbalancing the nature in many way and causing world-wide
distress!
Nevertheless,its matter of interest
whether there is any hidden knowledge available in ancient texts which
can enthuse the modern Genetic Engineers! Actually Genetic Engineering
by the term as we know today is not decipherable in ancient texts. But
if one reads through the roots of creation there are some concepts
available which can become a subject of ‘scientific quest’ for
exploring newer frontiers of human knowledge and research. Let us have a
look at the Geneology from Pauranic sources.
Pauranic Shastras state that all living
beings sprang up from Kashyapa--the Chief among Prajapatis or the
creator of animate world. However, Mahabharata claims all being were
created out of four Gotras or clans: namely Angiras, Kashyapa,
Bhrigu and Vasistha. Other Gotras evolved later.
It is said that Kashyapa had 21 wives.
Kashyapa’s first wife Aditi gave birth to 12 Aditiyas,
8 Vasus and 12 Rudras who were termed as
divine beings. Daityas were born out of Diti, the second wife of
Kashyapa. And Danavas were mothered by Danu. Thus we see the socalled
divine and demons came out as offsprings of one Kashyapa. Is it not
astonishing!
Man came out of Manu another wife of
Kashyapa. Again we see varied creatures and vegetation also came as
Kashyapa’s progenies. Vinata gave birth to the mighty bird Garuda and
Surasa mothered nagas. Another wife of Kashyapa Ira gave birth to Grass
on earth. This is also one of the reason that the Durva Grass is
an important aspect of Hindu rituals and worship. Then again from
Surabhi the cow emerged. Furtheremore, Kashyapa and Anala became parents
of trees and creepers of the world.
It may be noted that Aditi, the mother of
Gods, Diti the mother of Daityas, Danu the mother of Danava and Anala
who created vegetation are interestingly daughters of Daksha. And all
the sisters from their single husband Kashyapa gave birth to offsprings
who varied radically. For modern man all these sound very absurd and
ridiculous! But again when we deeper further it indicates some conscious
planning of Science which is ‘pre-scientific’!
Ancient sages suggest that all things in
this world are created out of Panchabhuta or five elements. But
DNA or RNA order or sequence cannot be the same for all. Does it
indicate that there was some knowledge system available in ancient times
which made possible allowed them the ‘ manipulation’ of some
scientific order to create different offsprings out of one father
Kashyapa. All these seems to be enigmatic!
Let us look into the Panchabhuta
and its divisions which created all the things.Pauranic Encyclopaedia
while discussing Isvara quoted Devigita extensively to
explain concept of creation and Godhead.Devigita announces that
from primordial principle the five elements were born. Those are Air,
Fire, Water, Ether and Earth. These five elements got divided into two
part each giving a total of 10 parts. Then half of the five elements
divided itself in four parts. ‘These 1/8 parts are joined to the other
halves and by combining them in other fractions, the material bodies(sthulasriras)of
all being are made’ said Vettam Mani. Then the Cosmic Body, which is
the sum total of those individual material bodies went towards creating
inner conscience and body parts like ear etc. Mani further said that
"Antahkarana,due to differences in state assumes four forms.
When once conception and doubt arises in a subject, then it is called
mind. When there is no doubt, but there is assuredness it is called
understanding(buddhi)".
Then came from coarse(sthula) five
sense organs and five organs of actions namely mouth for words, foot,
hand, execretory and genetal organs. Devigita also mentions about
five pranas or breath of life and their location in human body.
Those are Prana located in the heart, apana in the anus, samana
in the navel, udana in the throat and Vyana all over the
body.
Thus we see ancient sages during their
discourse tried to reach the sukshma or fine aspects from the
sthula the gross aspect. Though in the context of modern Genetic
Engineering, they were on a different track, but for sure they give us
the tattwa jana or knowledge of composition and materials
which are a definitely a pointer for modern researchers.
It is perhaps the time when subject and
language scholars, pandits and scientists should probe together the
hidden knowledge to ‘regain’ the lost heritage of the world which
cannot be drabbed anymore as black-magic! Moreover, concepts and initial
ideas are the first thread for any quest, and Vedic sources are replete
with ‘ideas’and many of them are yet to be explored!