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 10^th century and 2^nd 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).