S.S. Zorawar, Calcutta

THE noted Russian traveler Nicolas Notovitch discovered in 187778 in Himis Monastery in Ladakh a rare manuscript written in Tibetian language describing the story of Jesus in India and Nepal. This manuscript has been translated by the Lamas from scrolls written’ in Pali describing Issa’s life from his 12th to 30th year of age, now lying in Lhasa. The writers of New Testament are silent about this period and St. Luke says, “He was in desert till the day of his showing into Israel”.

We learn from this book that Issa secretly absented from his father’s house when he was 13 years old and left Jerusalem in a train of merchants journeying towards Sindh. In his 14th year he came to this side of the Sindh and settled among Aryas. Jain devotees asked him to stay among them, but he left for Jagannath of Orissa and spent six years in Jagannath, Benaras, Rajgir and in other holy cities.

From this we can safely infer that he might have visited Prayag, Mathura, Hardwar and Gaya. He had mastered Sanskrit and Pali languages. Here are some of the excerpts from the book, The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ, , by Nicolas Notovitch, translated by J.H. Connelly and L. Lansberg, (Nababharat Publishers, 72, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Calcutta, 700 073, Rs.35):

He lived in peace with the Vaisyas and the Sudras, to whom he taught the Holy Scriptures.

But the Brahmins and the Kshatriyas told him that they were forbidden by the great ParaBrahma to come near to those who were created from his belly and his feet.

That the Vaisyas might only hear the recital of the Vedas, and this only on the festal days, and

That the Sudras were not only forbidden to attend the reading of “the Vedas, but even to look on them: for they were condemned to perpetual servitude, as slaves of the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas and even the Vaisyas.

“Death alone can enfranchise them from their servitude,” has said ParaBrahma. “Leave them. therefore, and come to adore with us the gods, whom you will make angry if you disobey them’’.

In the day of judgement the Sudras and the Vaisyas will be forgiven for that they knew not the light, while God will let loose his wrath upon those who arrogated his authority”.

The Vaisyas and the Sudras were filled with great admiration, and asked Issa how they should pay, in order not to lose their hold upon eternal life.

“Pray not to idols, for they cannot hear you; hearken not to the Vedas where the truth is altered; be humble and humiliate not your fellowmen.”

The white priests and the warriors, who had learned of Issa’s discourse to the Sudras, resolved upon his death, and sent their servants to find the young teacher and slay him.

But Issa, warned by the Sudras of his danger, left by night. Djagguernat, gained the mountain, and settled in the country of the Gautamides, where the great Buddha SakyaMuni came to the world, among a people who worshipped the only and sublima Brahma.

After six years of study, Issa, whom Buddha had elected to spread his holy word, could perfectly expound the sacred scrolls.

 

He then left Nepal and the Himalaya mountains, descended into the valley of Radjipoutan and directed his steps toward the west, everywhere preaching to the people the supreme perfection attainable by man: says the book.

But Issa, disregarding their words, remained with the Sudras, preaching against the Brahmins and the Kshatriyas.

He declaimed strongly against man’s arrogating to himself the authority to deprive his fellowbeings of their human and spiritual rights.

Issa denied the divine inspiration of the Vedas and the Puranas, for, as he taught his followers. “One law has been given to man to guide him in his actions”.

Issa denied the Trimurti and the incarnation of ParaBrahma in Vishnu, Siva, and other gods, “for”, said he:

“The anger of God will soon break forth upon man; for he has forgotten his Creator; he has filled His temples with abominations; and he adores a multitude of creatures which God has subordinated to him;

“And to gain favor with images of stone and metal; he sacrifices human beings in whom dwells part of the Spirit of the Most High;

“And he humiliates those who work in the sweat of their brows, to gain favor in the eyes of the idler who sittith at a sumptuous table.

“Those who deprived their brothers of divine happiness will themselves be deprived of it; and the Brahmins and the Kshatriya shall become the Sudras of the Sudras, with whom the Eternal will stay forever.

Article extracted from this publication >>  March 27, 1987