Human cloning known to Vedic Sages?

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WAS HUMAN CLONING KNOWN TO VEDIC SAGES? By Dr. Gautam Chatterjee

ARTICLE published in THE HINDUSTAN TIMES (in abridged form)

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 beingE

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

danabE/I>. Even in Rg Veda we find Indra taking different forms of himself

through the mechanism called Maya.The ‘MayaEor 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 EI>Maya SitaE/I> for Rama so that the ‘clone or

MayaESita 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 MayaESita 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 ‘MeditationEcreated

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 SitaE/I> 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 ‘subjectEinto 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.E

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 ‘wishedEaroma 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 ‘desiredEcreature, 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

surveyEin 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 questEfor

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-scientificE

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 EmanipulationEof 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

madeEsaid 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 ‘regainEthe 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!

 

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Dr. Gautam Chatterjee