said: “Greater love has no one than this, that one laid
Christ in Ancient Vedas down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
When Christ was born in Palestine it was
informed the wise men of the east, the non-Jewish
world. Not only at His birth even before that, the plan
of salvation through the sacrificial death of Christ was
revealed in the ancient Vedas, the Hindu religious
books. When the ancient sages wrote about the sacrifice
of Prajapati (God), quite unknowingly they were
portraying the Lord Jesus Christ as the way of
salvation.
Prajapati’s Sacrifice as described in the Vedas
The Vedas are a collection of Hindu religious
books written before the earthly life of the Lord Jesus
Christ. The literal meaning of the word is the Lord of
all creation. He is the Creator. Therefore, the
Prajapati’s Sacrifice means the Sacrifice of God
Himself. There are several verses in the Vedas in
connection with this. Let me quote one of them from
the Tandyamahabrahmana in its second part, chapter 7:
“Prajapatirddevebhyam
Atmanam yajnam krtva prayacchat”
(Having done a self-sacrifice, Prajapati, the
Lord of all creation, offered Himself for gods.)
This concept of self-sacrifice is very significant.
Normally, God is supposed to receive sacrifices and
offerings; but here the victim of sacrifice is God
Himself.
The opinions of the Hindu Scholars
Among the Hindu scholars we cannot see any
unanimous opinion about the Prajapati-sacrifice.
According to some scholars this sacrifice has not yet
been done on this earth, yet others hold that it is only a
model of a perfect sacrifice, which is already done in
heaven. H. Aguilar, one of the Sanskrit scholars of
India, writes in his book, The Sacrifice in the Rg Veda,
as follows:
“Taken in its totality, the myth of the
Purusa/Prajapati is not unworthy of the Christian
conception of the redemptive incarnation of the logos
(Word = Jesus) by means of ‘kenosis’ (emptying),
leaving out the question whether they (Christians) can
be homologated (in agreement) or not” (The Sacrifice
in the Rg Veda, Page 69. Bharatiya Vidya Prakasam,
Delhi. India. 1976).
We can agree to the opinion of the Sanskrit
scholar when we understand the sacrificial nature of the
crucifixion of Jesus Christ for the remission of the sin
of mankind. The Holy Bible always explains the death
of Jesus Christ as sacrifice. This concept of sacrifice
involves love, self-denial, covenant, bloodshed and
burning. It is the greatest manifestation of love. Jesus
Some Important Features of the Prajapati’s Sacrifice
fulfilled in Jesus
(1) The meaning of the word ‘Prajapati’ (the Lord of
all creation) is fulfilled only in Jesus.
According to the Holy Bible, Jesus Christ is
the creator of the world: “All things came into being by
Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that
has come into being” (John 1: 3). About Him it is also
written: “Thou Lord, in the beginning didst lay the
foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works
of Thy hands” (Hebrews 1: 10). Jesus is the real
Prajapati – the Lord of all creation.
(2) According to the Vedas, Prajapati is called Purusa,
the Man of perfection. (Purusasukta, Rg Veda 10: 90:
1-16). Christ refers to Himself ‘Son of Man”
(Matt.20:28).
(3) The definitions of ‘Purusa’ in Vedic literature are
meaningful only when they applied to Jesus.
Definition #1 is quoted from ‘Yajur Veda’ 32:4:
“Purvoh jatah Purusah” which means one who is born
in the beginning. Well, Jesus has no beginning. He is
eternal. Still Jesus is called the first born in the Bible:
“He is the image of invisible God, the first born of all
creation” (Colossians 2: 15).
Definition # 2 “Purnatvad Purusah” means the One
who is perfection is Purusah is also fulfilled in Jesus.
When all men of the world are imperfect beings, Jesus
Christ, the Son of Man is the one and the only perfect
Man in this world.
Definition #3: “Sa yat purvo asmat sarvasmat sarvan
papmana ausat tasmat Purusah (He who burns out sin
before all is Purusa” (Brhadaranykoponisad 1.4.1).
The Chandogyopanisad 1.6. 6-7 says: This man is
above all sin and one who worships Him and follows
Him also raise himself above sins.”
Jesus Christ came to this world to save sinners from
their sins. At the same time He was above from sins. He
is the one and the only sinless Man in this world.
According to the Vedas the victim of the Purusa-
Prajapati’s sacrifice should be blameless. It is
completely fulfilled in Jesus.
(4) The Sacrificial Man should be closely tied to the
sacrificial pillar (Sathapathabrahmana 3.7.3.1). Christ
was closely nailed to the cross, the sacrificial pillar.
(5) The blood of the Sacrificial Man should be shed,
according to the Vedas. Fulfilled in Jesus’ crucifixion.
(6) The Sacrificial Man should return to life after the
sacrifice. (Brhadaranykopanisad 3.9.28.4,5). Fulfilled
in Jesus’ resurrection
 There are many other features of the Prajapat’s
sacrifice in the Vedas fulfilled in Jesus. For a detailed
study read the book, Christ in Ancent Vedas, written
by Dr. Joseph Padinjarekara.
The Katopanisad another Hindu book written
around 600 B.C. says, “the one who knows this Purusa
becomes free and attains immortality” (ch.6.8).
Dear friends, the Upanisads also say that
knowing Him is the one and the only way for your
Mukti - salvation. The Svetasvataropanisad firmly
declares that “there is no other way to enter into eternal
life.” (ch.3.8). The same thing was told by Jesus: “I am
the way, the truth and life; no one comes to the Father,
but through Me” (John 14:6).
The answers to the prayer of the ancient sages in the
Upanisads are found only in Jesus
Dear friends, the ancient sages prayed in the
Brhadaranykopanisad, (1.3.28):
“asatoma satgamaya
(from unreal lead me to the truth”
In answer to this Jesus said:
“I am the truth” (John 14:6).
The sages prayed:
“tamasoma jyotirgama
(from darkness lead me to light)”.
Jesus answered:
“ I am the light of the world’ (John 8;12).
They prayed:
“Mrtyorma amrtam gamaya
(From death lead me to immortality)”
Jesus responded:
“I am the resurrection and life; he who
believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25).
“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the
sin of the world” (John 1:29). John the Baptist
introduced Jesus to the world as the victim of the
perfect sacrifice of God. In order to communicate the
meaning of His sacrifice Jesus Himself said to His
disciples: “I am the living bread. . . If any one eats of
this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh
which I will give for the life of the world (John 6:51).
Again Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. The good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
If we believe in Him we are His sheep.
However, as the Prophet Isaiah has written,
“All of us like sheep have gone astray” (53:6). The
Bible says: “There is none righteous, not even
one”(Romans 3:10). “For all have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God (Romans 3: 23). In order to save us
from our sins, Jesus gave His life in sacrifice because
He loved us. Jesus says: “Greater love has no one than
this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John
15:13). If we miss the point – the sacrificial love from
the crucifixion – it would be a mere senseless
bloodshed. “For God so loved the world, that He gave
His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3: 16).
Friends, the ancient Vedas of India also say
that the way of salvation for all mankind is to believe in
sacrifice of Almighty God (Prajapati). This concept
God’s sacrifice is completely fulfilled in Jesus’
Crucifixion and resurrection. Would you believe in this
sacrifice? Jesus died for your sin. Accept Him as your
personal Savior. “We are sanctified through the blood
of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10: 10). And
this is the covenant of God to them that believe in this
perfect sacrifice: “Their sins and iniquities I will
remember no more”(Hebrews 10:17). Therefore, there
is no more sacrifice needed for the remission of sin and
attain immortality. Thus the Scripture says: “And where
these have been forgiven, there is no longer any
sacrifice for sin”(Hebrews 10: 18).
The Holy Bible says: “If you confess with your
mouth that Jesus as your Lord, believe in your heart
that God raised Him from the dead you shall be saved;
(Romans 10 9). Would you confess with your mouth
that Jesus as your Lord today? Would you believe in
His perfect sacrifice and resurrection? If you can say
‘yes’ please pray:
O God, I am sorry about my sin. I need Jesus
who died for my sins. I believe in this perfect sacrifice
and the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus, come into my heart.
Forgive all my sins. I accept you as my Lord and
Savior. Thank you Jesus for saving me. In the name of
Jesus, Amen.
Signed_________________Date_______________
(Summarized from the book, Christ in Ancient Vedas
(220 pages) written by Dr. Joseph Padinjarekara)For
the book and more details write to INTERNATIONAL
MUKTI MISSION, 283HOMEWOOD AVE,
WILLOWDALE, ON. M2R 2N6. Phone: 416 512-1786.
Email:muktimission@yahoo.ca