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BY
Dr. N.
Sharath Babu, M. A., M. Phil., D. Min
God is the father of all the human beings. Some human
beings may not know him as their own father. Since God is the creator, he
is the father of all.
Bible presents clearly that God is love (1 John 4:8). He
loves with an everlasting love (Jer 31:3). “For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The loving God does
not want any one to perish. So he revealed himself in various ways
including as the incarnate God called Jesus Christ (Heb 1:1, 2). Since
God does not want anyone to be lost, he lightens every human being who is
born into this world (John 1:9). So the loving God has graciously
revealed himself through the Hindu scriptures in order that the teeming
millions of Hindus may not be lost in the total darkness of sin. It is so
amazing to see the Hindu scriptures bear witness to Jesus Christ by name
and his vicarious death. I have gleaned the following scriptural
references from Hindu scripture books about Christ. These Hindu
scriptural passages show clearly that Christ was born to a virgin, is holy
and blameless, he suffered and died, and redeemed the sinners by shedding
his holy blood.
All the Hindu scriptures which are referred are written in
Sanskrit language and the Vedas quoted here are written between 2000 and
1500 B.C. The Upanishads are written between 10th century and
2nd century B.C.
References to the Birth
of Christ
The
following quotations speak clearly about Jesus Christ. The second
quotation even mentions the name of Jesus.
After creating the sky,
waters, and the earth, the supreme spirit of the Lord almighty thought “I
created the worlds. Now to provide for and to save these worlds I have to
create a savior.” Thinking thus He gave birth to a man from himself. (Ithareya
Upanishad 1.1.3)
The Puranas explain the Vedic truths in the form of
stories. The Bhavishya Purana1
is the ninth in this set of eighteen sacred books. Its third part is
entitled Bharath khand, and the second chapter in the third part is
entitled Pratisarg. This chapter has thirty-four verses that
clearly tell the story of Jesus Christ and His incarnation. The following
verses show the main parts.
Verse 31:
Yeesh moorti parapta
nitya shuddha shivakari:
Yeesha masih itticha mam
nama prathishtatham
Translation:
The revelation of God
who is eternal, Holy, Compassionate and giver of salvation; who dwells
within our heart is manifested. His name is yeesha Masih [Jesus
Christ].
Speaking of this Savior and God incarnate, the sages call
Him Purusha shubham (blameless and Holy person), Balwaan
raja gaurang shweta vastrakam (sovereign king in a holy person robed
in white) Yeesh putra (Son of God ), Kumari garbha sambhavam
(one who is born of a virgin), and Satya Varatha Paraayanam
(one who is the sustainer of the path of truth).
Rigveda, the first scripture, also presents Christ without mentioning His
name, but referring to Him as the Word who is God.
This man is all that has
been, all that is and all that has to be. He controls the eternal life
and it is for the redemption of mankind. He surpasses His immortal sphere
and descends to the mortal sphere. He comes to give every one reward as
per their deeds.
Venerable words from the Vedic scriptures affirm:
“The word is the
indestructible God.” (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 4:1, 2).
The Supreme Leader who
is the cause and governor of all creation who to protect and save sinful
mankind, Himself appeared upon the earth wrapped in a body that is Holy
and without sin. (Rigveda 10.125)
References to the
Suffering
and Death of Christ
Christ underwent immeasurable physical and mental pain when
he was crucified. The Hindu scriptures highlight his physical suffering.
Some of these statements seems to refer to Christ because there was no
Hindu god or goddess who bore such suffering on behalf of sinners.
The crown of thorns was placed on his head: “The
sacrificial victim is to be crowned with a crown made of thorny vines” (Rigveda
10.90.7, 15).
His clothes were divided among those who offered him.
“After death, His clothes are to be divided among the offerors” (Ithareya
Brahmanam).
The person tied to a wooden cross: “His hands and legs are
to be bound to a yoopa (a wooden pole) causing blood shed” (Brhadaranyaka
Upanishad, 3.9.28).
While the victim was at his greatest agony on the cross, he
was given a herbal drink which had an intoxicating effect: “Before death,
He should be given a drink of somarasa” [an intoxicating herbal
juice] (Yajur Veda 31).
Though the victim was hung on the wooden cross, none of his bones were
broken: “None of His bones be broken” (Ithareya Brahmanam 2.6).
The Hindu scriptures point to the efficacy of the blood of
Jesus Christ which cleanses from sin.
If you want to be
delivered from the sin which you commit through eyes, mouth, ears and
mind, bloodshed is necessary. Without shedding the blood, there is no
remission for sin. That must be the blood of the Holy one. God is our
creator. He is our King. When we were perishing, He came to save us by
offering even his own body on our behalf. (Maha Brahmanam 4.15)
God
is the ruler of people. He will offer His body as a sacrifice, for His
people; for the remission of their sins (Sama veda, part 2, Thandiya Maha
Brahmanam).
These statements clearly describe the suffering and the
death of Christ. No one else qualifies. These Hindu scriptural references
will be a great help to present Jesus to the orthodox Hindus. As a second
step Jesus can be presented as the true incarnated God, meeting their full
expectations by using Hindu scriptures themselves. ma
These scattered but clear-cut references to Christ led some
Hindu seekers of the truth to the Bible and Christ. Such people have
openly embraced Christianity through baptism and witnessing marvelously
for Christ.
1Bhavishya purana is one of the
eighteen puranans. Bhavishya means future. It contains a number of
future events, including the information about the virgin birth of Christ
and his name. It is the only scripture book which contains the name of
Jesus. See Krishna Dwaipuayana Vyasa, Bhavishya Purana (Mumbai:
Kemraj Shrikrishnadas, 1959).
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