Kolkata-based author Debashree Chakraborty writes a novel about the 19 years of life of Jesus, which, according to some contemporary texts, he spent traveling extensively in the Middle East, Sindhu region and India
[Author’s Note: In the Old Testament of the Bible, there is no information about the life of Jesus for 19 years. There are some contemporary texts where eyewitnesses have stated that he traveled extensively in the Middle East and crossed the Sindhu region to enter India. Through this novel, I have tried to portray the diary of a profound spiritual journey of his life in the initial and final chapters. Foreign powers have tried to erase the history of our continent, Asia. That is why, when Notovitch returned from Hemis in Ladakh and mentioned that ancient text over 2000 years old, Max Müller sent people to Hemis to destroy that ancient manuscript. The mysterious manuscript is also mentioned in the book by Swami Abhedananda about Kashmir and Tibet. What was it that caused Max Müller so much concern over this manuscript? It is noteworthy that love cannot come into the life of the son of God, and he cannot have any children. Even the Gospels attributed to him have been confined to the secret, dark chambers of the Pope’s city, with words implanted into his mouth according to their wishes. In his name, imperialistic aggression is being carried out across the world. His only daughter, Sara, has not been recognized. His entire existence has been imprisoned. There lies an unknown chapter of his life hidden throughout the Middle East, the Sindhu region, and India. I have brought forth this history through this novel. “An Unknown Life” is in no way a novel imitating “Jesus lived in India.” This novel provides detailed descriptions of his presence across the vast land from Israel to India, not just his own, but also the mysterious narratives of many people associated with him. Was Jesus truly the founder of Christianity? If not, why must he still bear the burden of the “Roman Cross”? Is there ever to be a possibility of his release? All answers are coming. Debashree Chakraborty]
An Unknown Life
At Dichen’s house, he and his mother lived together. Dichen’s sister is married, and his father passed away a long time ago. Ratul felt very comfortable being invited to their small home; he felt he had found his mother in Dichen’s mother after such a long time. It seems that all mothers in the world are alike, a divine being woven from tenderness, affection, and care, incomparable to anyone else. To Dichen’s mother, just like Ratul’s mother, every child in the world is her own son or daughter. For the first time in a long while, Ratul felt maternal love, and he thought there must be some divine intention behind coming to Dichen’s house. The dance-drama he witnessed today had a striking resemblance to the person he was searching for in the main character. In these few days, everything he heard from Adinath about the Nath Yogi Community and Buddhist tantra practice made him feel as if he had experienced a time travel into the life of a yogi. Who is this person?
Dichen, what is the name of the main character in the dance-drama I saw after coming to this village? Is he a real person?
Yes, a real person. Two thousand years ago, Ishanath came to India from Israel. He was a very important practitioner of our Buddhist religion. For many years, he lived in Hemis Monastery, where he learned the teachings of Buddhist tantra, and he built a deep relationship with the people of our village and surrounding areas. To remember him, we have created some songs, dance-dramas, and stories in his honor so that he is never forgotten from our hearts.
Dichen, did he have a lifelong relationship with you all?
Yes, he maintained his relationship until his death.
Hearing Dichen’s words reminded Ratul of Adinath. Adinath had spoken of signs; that even after many years, the signs of a significant event remain scattered around the area where the event took place. One only needs to collect these signs to reach the original truth. If he hadn’t come to Dichen’s village today, many things would have remained unknown.
That night, Ratul arrived in Hemis and couldn’t close his eyes for a moment. He didn’t even know how the night passed. It was as if he was just waiting for dawn. Every moment, he thought of Adinath, feeling a dire need to speak with him; it seemed he could not find peace without their conversation. He somehow restrained himself and lay on the bed. Then, when the morning light seeped through the window into the room, he hurriedly got out of his room and rushed towards Adinath’s chamber.
Outside the room, he encountered a Lama, who informed him that Adinath was meditating under a tree behind the gompa. Without further ado, Ratul began to run in that direction.
Adinath’s meditation had just recently been broken, and he was gazing calmly at the landscape before him. Upon seeing Ratul rush towards him, a gentle smile broke onto his face. It was as if he already knew everything, leaving no need for Ratul to explain anything anew. Over the past few days, Ratul had come to understand Adinath very well. Whatever he was thinking or feeling, Adinath played a unique role behind it all. Ratul sat down in front of Adinath, looking at him. Within that gaze lay questions that Adinath understood.
Looking at the scenery in front of them, Adinath said, “Ratul, look at the tree ahead; old age is consuming it, and it doesn’t have much life left. Yet, see how fresh a few of its branches still are. Our Nath community is just like this tree. This ancient community is being overtaken by old age, and we do not know how long these few fresh branches will remain. Observe the surrounding trees; they are born from the seeds of this tree, they are youthful and therefore vibrant. The branches that have emerged from our philosophy over time are now young, while old age is overtaking us.”
Is there any text that describes the original yogis of the Nath community?
Ratul, I was born in Nepal, and my father dedicated me to the Kal Bhairav temple in Kashi. The priests of this temple are all Nath yogis. I came to the attention of the chief Mahant of Kal Bhairav, my guru. From my guru, Bhatuknath, I learned that a monastery called Gorakh Tila, governed by the Nagarī Pracārini Sabha, is located not far from the Kal Bhairav temple. This monastery is almost engulfed by a sacred fig tree. The idols of Matsyendranath, Gorakhnath, and Jalandharanath were supposed to be there, but all have been stolen. The chief mahant of the temple was murdered in Haridwar for an unknown reason, and he had many rare scriptures of our community. It is said that there were scriptures that contained writings about many mysterious practitioners of our community. He used to carry these scriptures with him; after his death, they have not been found.
Maharaj, so did he get killed for these scriptures?
Ratul that is what I think. I had learned from my guru Bhatuknath that it is said that Ishaanath stayed at Bhairav Tila for many years, and there are descriptions of that time written in many scriptures of our Nath mysticism, but those texts have been lost. Even in our main pilgrimage site, the Gorakhnath temple, you will not find those scriptures. The ghost hides in the mustard. Those who have searched extensively about this subject have been removed. However, I can give you some ideas about this, and perhaps you can use those ideas to reach the original truth. Just as there is a connection between our ancient community and Buddhist Tantra, there is also a connection with the Sant, Sufi, and Ras Eswar communities. I have seen many Sufi practitioners come to the Bhairav Tila monastery from Patna.
Even though they have converted to another religion, they secretly continue to pursue their original practices. Ratul recalls that in ancient times, the practitioners of Persia, the Nath sadhakas, performed their sadhana the most. They fully absorbed the mysterious aspects of Lord Shiva’s tantra. From my guru Bhatuknath, I have learned that Meenath practiced sadhana for a long time in Persia. The early chapter of Ishanath’s life was spent among the Persian practitioners. From there, he entered into Sindh. Ratul believes that the lamas originated from the Vajrayana practice. For ages, the widespread regions of Ladakh and the entire Tibet have practiced sadhana related to Shiva and Shakti, as well as the practices related to ghosts and spirits. They are practitioners of Lord Shiva in the form of Kal Bhairav. Not only Kal Bhairav, but they worship all kinds of Bhairavas. Alongside that, Kali is their deity. Kali has many forms, such as the Green Tara and the Blue Tara. They are extremely fierce deities. Long before the promotion of monotheism by the Aryans, this land and the entire world engaged in this energy sadhana, which has its roots in the land of India. This is why Ishanath’s arrival in India is significant. The Shivatantra reached Tibet from India through Padmasambhava, from which the Vajrayana originated. Even today, Buddhist practitioners believe that Padmasambhava resides among them in a formless union. The Rath Yatra of our Matsendranath is celebrated by the Buddhists of Nepal, and the Tibetans also worship Matsendranath. Ratul, we believe in reincarnation. It has been stated that the positions of the stars at the time of the births of Matsendranath, Meenath, and Ishanath were the same. The one who is currently called the propagator of Christianity has been placed by the Nath community in the place of their practitioner, just as the Buddhists have placed him in the position of their Lama. So, use your own judgement and reasoning to discern who he truly was. As a Nath yogi myself, I am here in the Buddhist gompa of Ladakh among these lamas, trying to find answers to what I am doing, what that sadhana is—all of this. I have to get up now.
Adinath stood up and left, but Ratul remained seated. Everything felt kind of empty; he seemed to have lost the strength to think. Behind the gompa, the lined flags fluttered, making a rustling sound, and Ratul listened intently to that sound. (Continues)
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Debasree Chakraborti is a renowned novel writer of Bengali language. Based in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, she has done Master’s in Modern History from the Kolkata University, and authored some thirty books, mostly the novels, with historical perspective and themes. Her novel is ‘Maharaja Dahir’ that covers the history of Sindh from 662, the year of first attack on Sindh by the Arab armies till date, was published last year and translated by Nasir Aijaz into Sindhi language.