WHEN JESUS CAME TO INDIA
by B. D. Mukerji.
There was a "period of obscurity" in the eventful life or Jesus Christ, which none could account for, although theologians have written volumes over His teachings and to explain the inconsistencies in the stories of His life by the four apostles - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, till Levi, an American citizen impounded his Aquarian Gospel.
The first and the last anecdote, connected with the childhood of Jesus, relates to a period, when He was 12 years old, and had gone to the Temple in Jerusalem with his parents to attend the passover ceremony. When going hack to Nazareth, after the ceremony was over, his parents found that the boy was missing. They went back to Jerusalem in search of Him, and found Him discussing serious questions of law with the teachers of law. "Son" His mother said to Him, "Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere."
But why did you need to search" He asked, "Didn't you realise that I would be here at the Temple, in my father's house?" But they did not understand what He meant.
THE MISSING YEARS
Then follows a long gap of 18 years, when Jesus became a full grown man of thirty, first appearing as a preacher, teacher and healer, in Galilee.
It is nowhere explained how Jesus became so proficient in law, at the early age of twelve. Who taught Him law? Did He remain at Nazareth during the long period of 18 years, after the incident referred to above, if so, what were His activities? Who taught Him the art of healing? When did He take the decision to become a teacher? Why did He consider it necessary to be baptized by John? When and how did He formulate the subject matter of His subsequent teaching? Why did He suddenly take the decision to annoy the high priests in Jerusalem? All such questions remain unanswered even after 2000 years of the passing away of the Prophet, who created so much stir in the world.
The life of Mary is still more hidden in obscurity. Not much is known about her life in Egypt, where she remained two years in exile. What type of education did she receive and from whom, or was she unlettered? Joachim, her father was a master of law and a wealthy man. Can it be possible that he kept his only child uneducated and ignorant?
The popular belief is that Jesus remained at Nazareth during these 18 years and helped his parents by arpentry. But the account by Luke does not support this view. He writes: When Jesus came to Nazareth, His boyhood home, all who were there spoke well of Him and were amazed by the beautiful words that fell from His lips, "How can this be?" they asked, "Isn't this Joseph's son?" (Luke, 4-22). Now, if Jesus had been at Nazareth all along this period, why should people be amazed at His words? He must have spoken to them also before this.
Then, Jesus showed his first miracle at Cana, when He hanged water into wine, at a feast. The fact that He could perform miracles was known only to His mother. It is not explained from whom He learnt to do miracles. How is it that He did not demonstrate this power to perform miracles to anyone in Nazareth before this incident? If Jesus could heal the sick, cure the leper, give eye to the blind, set right the cripple, bring back to life the dead, why did he choose the last three years of His life to help the needy?
COMPARE THE SCRIPTURES
There is a striking similarity between the central teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and those taught by Jesus, as will be evident from the following passages from the two world scriptures.
In chapter 4, verse 35 of the Gita, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that by acquiring this knowledge you will see all beings first in your own self, and then in God.
Jesus, speaking on the same subject, while addressing His disciples says, "I have given them the glory God gave me - the glorious unity of being one. I in them and God in Me, all being perfected into one …" (John 17-22 and 23).
Again, in chapter 7 verse 4 of the Gita, Lord Krishna says: "All this is permeated by Me in My un-manifested aspect and all beings abide within Me."
Again, John, in chapter 17, verse 21, quotes Jesus as saying: "Father, that just you are in Me and I am in You, so they will be in us."
In chapter 7, verse 3 of the Gita, Lord Krishna says: "Among thousands of men scarce one striveth for perfection. Of the successful strivers scarce one reacheth the eternal."
Matthew, in chapter 7, verse 14, quotes Jesus as saying: "The gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and few people find it."
Examples to illustrate the similarity of teachings of the two world scriptures can be multiplied, and in the Aquarian Gospel Levi actually tries to show that Jesus came to India. It was here that He learnt the art of healing and the power to perform the miracles. Levi gives a detailed account of His visit to Puri, Benares, Bihar, Nepal, Tibet, Laddakh, Lahore, Sind and then on to Persia.
It was not, as Mr. Fulton Curster, in his book - The Greatest Story Ever Told - would have us believe that all along Jesus lived at Nazareth, as a carpenter. The so-called "obscure period of His life" was in fact a preparatory stage, when he widely travelled through North India, Himalayas, Middle East and Egypt.
MARY
Levi also refers to the early childhood of Mary. When she was three years old her parents took her to the Jerusalem. The high priest was a prophet and a seer, and when he saw the child he said, behold this child will he the mother of an honoured prophet and a master of the Law; she shall abide within the holy temple of the Lord, and Hillel, child or the Sanhedrin, taught her all the precepts of the Jews and she delighted in the law of God.
Levi further writes that when Mary was in Egypt in exile, she received regular lessons from Elihu and Salome, who ran a school of Prophets in Zoan, in Egypt. The School run by them taught all the religions of the world and Mary imbibed them all to pass on later to Jesus.
Mary's father, Joachim, was himself a master of law and he taught all the prevalent Jewish laws to his only daughter. It was the result of her teachings of Jewish laws that enabled Jesus to discuss intricate questions of law with the high priests in Jerusalem, when He was only 12 years old.
Levi writes that Jesus, while in India, read the Hindi and Buddhist literature. On the other hand Mr. Fulton Curster says in his book that Jesus learnt the Mahabharat and other scriptures from Indian travellers to Nazareth. No doubt Indian merchants visited Nazareth, which is near a port town, but they used to go there to trade and not to teach the Mahabharat.
WHO WAS LEVI?
The pertinent question, therefore is who was Levi, the author of the Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ? Suffice it to say that he was an American citizen, born in 1844 and died in 1911. When but a boy he was impressed with the sensitiveness of finer ethers and believed that in some manner that they were like sensitised plates in which sounds, even thoughts were recorded.
Levi employed a most astounding method to reach the past, which he called, "deciphering of the Akashic records". Akash is a Sanskrit word, and means "primary substance", that stuff out of which all things were formed. He at first built up a hypothesis that Akash was the first stage of the crystallisation of spirit. He believed that all primary substance is spirit, and that matter is spirit moving at a lower rate of vibration becoming as it were coagulate.
This primary substance is of exquisite fineness and is so sensitive that the slightest vibrations of an ether any place in the universe registers an indelible impression upon it.
The primal substance is not relegated to any particular part of the universe, but is present everywhere. It is in fact the "universal mind". When the mind of man is in exact accord with the universal mind man enters into a conscious recognition of these Akashic impressions, and may collect them and translate them into any language of earth with which he is familiar.
Levi spent forty years in study and meditation and then he found himself in that stage of consciousness that permitted him to enter the domain of these superfine ethers and become familiar with their mysteries.
AKASHIC DISCOVERY
The manuscripts, prepared by Levi were a direct transcription from the Akashic records. His works were transcribed between the early morning hours of two and six: the "absolute quiet hours." His work stands unimpeachable. His findings have some corroboration in the history of Orissa and also in many Buddhist scriptures, which were sold by the Nepal Government, and are now in American hands. A book written in the Tibetan language, entitled Christ-Gita was reported discovered in the archives of a monastery, before the Chinese destroyed it. When the book was deciphered it provided ample material in corroboration of Levi.
About 2000 years ago Elihu, who conducted a school of the prophets in Zoan, in Egypt, referred to Levi.
"This age will comprehend but little of the works of purity and love, but not a word is lost for in the Book of God's Remembrance a registry is made of every thought and word and deed.
"And when the world is ready to receive, God will send a messenger to open up the book and copy from its sacred pages all the message of purity and love.
"Then every man of earth will read the words of life in the languages of his native land, and men will see the light."
"And man again will be at one with God" -- Aquarian Gospel, 7:25-28.
It is obvious that the above account cannot be regarded as conclusive evidence to explain the missing 18 years of Jesus' life. Books are always open to interpretation and alteration. This article is published as an interesting viewpoint on a controversial subject - Ed.
WORDS WE USE
Ashram: "shelter", a spiritual community of Guru Maharaj Ji's devotees who have dedicated their lives to spreading Knowledge of God.
Darshan: the physical presence of Guru Maharaj Ji and/or members of his Holy Family.
Knowledge: the spiritual experience gained through practising four meditation techniques (Light, Music, Word and Nectar) revealed by Guru Maharaj Ji.
Mahatma: "great soul". A disciple of Guru Maharaj Ji empowered to reveal Knowledge.
Premie: "Lover of God". A disciple of Guru Maharaj Ji.
Satsang: "Company of Truth". Discourses about the Knowledge revealed by Guru Maharaj Ji.
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