Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

I havent seen any related cases in sastra. The preferred way seems to be an adoption.

A few years ago I knew a big family from Jaipur that one brother "gave" a son to a childless brother. Of course they were living in the same big big house with all relatives. You get the idea.

There are many injunctions regarding the male seed; a brother can impregnate the younger brothers wife in certain cases. We also have the example Srila Vyasadevji being requested to impregnate the widowed queens of King Vicitravirya. But these injunctions and incidents relate to the male seed, and I have never read anything regarding the female egg.

[quote][cite] deena:[/cite] But these injunctions and incidents relate to the male seed, and I have never read anything regarding the female egg.[/quote]

While that is true, there are many cases in the shastras that relate to performing special yajnas in order for a woman to conceive, sometimes involving not natural practices like raising offspring in pots with ghee. That is precisely how the Kauravas were raised, after their mother delivered a big lump of flesh at the end of her 2 year pregnancy. That would indicate shastric openness to the idea of securing progeny in a less than natural way, such as invitro fertilization or egg donation.

tkd108... just pray to Lord Krsna for guidance and do what your heart tells you. Ultimately, everything can be used in the service to Krsna.

[quote][cite] Kula-pavana:[/cite]
While that is true, there are many cases in the shastras that relate to performing special yajnas in order for a woman to conceive, sometimes involving not natural practices like raising offspring in pots with ghee. That is precisely how the Kauravas were raised, after their mother delivered a big lump of flesh at the end of her 2 year pregnancy. [/quote]

Well we all know how that turned out, dont we? :P

Thanks for your input. In my opinion, it would seem a bit weird if a woman (especially a devotee) donated an egg to another (non-devotee) woman because it seems like the child is basically the 1st womans child. Same genes, traits etc. To me, this would create quite the mental trip--a non-devotee family raising a child that was the result of a donated egg. Does this make sense? I only brought this up because I know of someone who may be put into this predicament at some point.

> because it seems like the child is basically the 1st womans child

There is quite a bit of discusison in the Manu-samhita on whose child the baby is, but again this is in terms of the male seed not the female egg. The discussion takes the following form; "Who owns the produce of the field? Is it the tiller of the field or the owner of the field?"