WHAT THE HINDU SCRIPTURES REVEAL ABOUT CHRIST?

Many people in India say that Jesus Christ was a great saint who founded the Christian Religion. The Bible tells us that all mankind have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom.3:23) and that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was sent by God to this world, to become the propitiation for our sins. Who is this Jesus? Apart from the Bible, let us know about Him from the ancient Hindu Scriptures. An Indian saint who had a thorough knowledge of the ancient Hindu Scriptures presented Jesus from the Hindu Scriptures. He is the late Adhyaksha Anubhavananda Kesava Raya Sarma Mandapaka. The message written by him is quoted below:



All mankind have sinned, having transgressed the law of God. Therefore, they devise various ways and means as to how to escape the wrath of God, and live. In our own country, the Brahmins perform sacrifices, and the non-Brahmins offer animals in sacrifice.



An examination of the Vedas reveals that sacrifice is spoken of as the only means of salvation. “Prathamani Dharmani”; “Sacrifices are the foremost of our first duties.”



“Yagnovai Bhuvanasya Nabhih”- “Sacrifice is the mainstay of the world”.



“Yagne Sarvam Pratishthitam” – “It is sacrifice that bestows all things”.



“Yagnovai Sutarmanowh”- “Sacrifice is the bark (boat) that enables one to live well”.



“Yagnena Va Deva Divangatah” – “Only by means of sacrifice, the gods attained heaven”



“Rutasyanah Pathanaya Ati Viswani Durita”- “Deliverance through the path of sacrifice”



The above doctrines proclaimed by the Vedas emphasize that sacrifices should be the foremost of all penances that must be performed for the atonement of sins.

Let us also see what the Bhagavad Gita says:

Slo. “Sahayagnah Prajasrushtva Purovacha Prajapatih Anena Prasavishyadhwam Eshavvostvishta Kamadukh” – “In the beginning alone, along with the creation of man, God instituted the sacrifice, and told them, “May this grant the desires of your heart”

“Yagnakshapitakalmashah” – “Those whose sins have been effaced by means of sacrifice”

“Nayam lokostyayagnasvah kutanayah kurusattama” – “Oh, noble Guru, there is no place in this world for him who does not perform even a single one of these sacrifices; how then shall he obtain heaven?”

In this manner, the importance of sacrifice is taught.

Further, in the Mundakopanishad, we see, “Plava hyere adrudhayagnarapah” – “The timbers of the bark of sacrifice are unsound”.

In Skanda Puranam Yagna Vaibhava Khandam, 7th chapter, we read:

Slo. “Plava eyete sura yagna adrudhasheha na samshayah” – “Ye gods, sacrifices are like the timbers of a bark; there is no doubt that they are unsound”

Tandya Maha Brahmanam says, Sru: “Yagnota avati tasyachhaya kriyate” – “It is a sacrifice that saves. What is being performed, is the shadow of sacrifice”.

In Rig Veda, we read, Sru: “Atmada baladah yasya chhaya-mrutam yasya mruatyuh” – “He whose shadow and death become nectar shall, by his shadow and death, confer the spirit and strength”.

The above sayings clearly reveal that the sacrifices performed do not themselves confer salvation but they are the type and the shadow of a great salvation-giving sacrifice.

Aitareya Brahmanam says, Sru: “Yaja-manah pashuh yajamanameva suvargam lokam gamayati” – “He who offers the sacrificial animal; therefore, he who performs sacrifices goes to heaven”

In the Satpatha Brahmanam, we read, “Prajapatir yagnah” – “God Himself is the sacrifice”.

In Tandya Maha Brahmanam of Sama Veda, we read, Sru: “Prajapatir devebhyam atmanam yagnam krutva prayachhat” – “God would offer Himself as a sacrifice and obtain atonement for sins”

Satapadha Brahmanam says, “Tasya prajapatirardhameva martyamasidardhamrutam” – God became half mortal and half immortal”. This means that He united in Himself the human and the divine.

In the Purusha Sukta, we read that the God Brahma is sacrificed. What is evident from the above teachings is that the true and great redeeming sacrifice would be the one performed by the Sovereign Lord of this world, who putting on both mortality and immortality and becoming incarnate as God-man, would Himself be the sacrificial animal and offer Himself as a sacrifice to redeem mankind from their sins.

This is what the Rig Veda says about the sacrificial animal:

I. It must be a goat without blemish

II. The “balusu” bush must be placed round its head;

III. It must be bound to a sacrificial post.

IV. Nails must be driven into its four legs till they bleed.

V. The cloth covering the goat should be divided among the four priests.

VI. None of its bones must be broken.

VII. The goat should be given a drink of Soma juice.

VIII. After it has been slain, it must be restored to life again.

IX. Its flesh should be eaten.

Now these details lead us to conclude that the sacrificial death of the incarnate God-head must have answered this description in full.

Thus, it is said that God Himself must become man, and then become a sacrifice to save sinners. But we do not read any such thing written about the incarnations of our country nor in the Sastras. There is no God-incarnate man, who died a sacrificial death to save sinners. But there is a country called Palestine in the west of Asia, on the Mediterranean coast, in the center of the great land mass of the world. In this country was born of a holy virgin’s womb, the incarnate God, in Whom were fulfilled all the details of the description given about the God-man. He was absolutely without blemish. He lived a perfectly holy life. He was both mortal and immortal. That is to say, He was both human and divine. From the beginning, He foretold His sacrificial death to save the mankind and then of His living again as death’s conqueror. He voluntarily surrendered Himself into the hands of wicked men, who loved sin, hated His teachings and wanted to kill Him. If we examine the way in which he was killed, we find that like the sacrifice of God Brahma as described in Purusha Sukta, everything said about the sacrificial animal in the Rig Veda, was clearly fulfilled in this incarnation in the following manner.



I. He was the sinless God-man (I Pet.2:22)

II. A crown of thorns (balusu) was placed on His head (Mark 15:17).

III. He was crucified on the cross (sacrificial post) (Mark 15:24-25)

IV. He was nailed hands and feet to the cross (John 19:18).

V. Those who nailed Him to the cross divided His garments among themselves (Matt.27:35).

VI. Not one of His bones was broken (John 19:36).

VII. He was given vinegar (Soma juice)to drink (Matt.27:34)

VIII. He rose again as death’s conqueror (Matt.28:5-6).

IX. Before His death, He told His disciples that they should eat His flesh and drink His blood which were sacrificed for the redemption of the world, and that they should, while often remembering His death, symbolically partake of bread and wine; and for this purpose, He instituted a Sacrament. This sacrament continues to be observed to this day (Matt.26:26-29).

Since in the incarnation that took place in Palestine was fulfilled the atoning sacrifice for the salvation of sinners, it is evident that this was the true Incarnation of God Whom sinners should take hold of for their salvation. This incarnation is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Name “JESUS” means the One Who saves His people from sins (Matt.1:21). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name (except Jesus Christ) under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).