Gospel of Jesus - Tallest Tale Never Told: The Story of real historical Jesus

By Chris Real

As a literary effort, "Gospel of Jesus – Tallest Tale Never Told" is a historical fiction or religious fiction covering the historical life of Jesus Christ – from birth in Bethlehem till his death at a ripe old age of eighty in Kashmir, India and his subsequent burial there. The story is based on seven years of meticulous research of documents and folklore present in the regions Jesus ever set foot in his prodigious career. The story does straddle Judea (Israel/Palestine), Assyria (Syria/Iraq), Egypt, Central Asia, Persia (Iran), Tibet and foremost the Indian subcontinent (Bharat). It steers clear of any official religious or sanitized version and sticks to historicity as it plays out incident after incident objectively. The story telling format is somewhat unique as it is written mostly in autobiographical format alternating with third party narrative. While as a writer I have taken some liberties but nowhere is history compromised. In fact all details are researched and as true to reality as we know it – whether it challenges official sanitized version or not.
Gospel of Jesus – Tallest Tale Never Told, my latest literary output, is a bold attempt at answering some of the mysteries and gaps that have been unanswered for ages in Jesus Christ's life, one of the foremost prophet and avatar in world history, and also revealing facets not known to the world at large. Not only does Jesus Christ spend his formative years (age thirteen to twenty-nine) studying in India and traveling through Central Asia, he survived crucifixion and lived till the ripe age of eighty to be buried with due honors in Rozabal, Kashmir. This is his month by month account of his life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Mar 31, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098305130

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All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Prnt ISBN 978-1-09830-512-3

eBook ISBN: 978-1-09830-513-0

FOREWORD

I was never a religious man and now, even less so. But religious personalities, especially prophets (in Abrahamic sense) and avatars (in Indic sense), always fascinated me. Jesus has a special pride of place among the prophets and avatars because his followers of the propagated religion or faith now form about 30 percent of all humanity. He is by far the tallest leader amongst prophets and avatars, if one goes by strength of adherents to the faith. It would not be an exaggeration to say Jesus might easily be the most recognized historical figure in human kind. Yet the historical Jesus seemed to be shrouded in a lot of mystery and gaps in his lifetime that defy belief. It has to be seen in the context of the Christian Church having an asphyxiating grasp on what is considered mainstream and the allowed version to be peddled around about Jesus and his life vis-à-vis that is discarded, sometimes unceremoniously, as Gnostic and hence peripheralized on the pages of history. The Nicene Creed of 325 AD literally bestowed the rights, conveniently by the Church onto itself, to decide what crossed the Rubicon and became mainstream Christianity and what fell below never to see the light of historic examination. But no matter how much the Church has tried to stifle the complete story of historical Jesus over the ages and still continues doing it successfully, gaps in Jesus’ life refuse to wither away. On the contrary, in the twenty first century the gap remains as yawning as ever when put under the microscope of history as all four ordained Gospels – Mark, Luke, John and Mathew are silent about Jesus after he becomes a teen. He literally disappears from the pages of Gospels as an inquisitive teenager whose questions were already riling the Jewish clergy and somehow returns next at the age of twenty-nine back in Judea. When he is back, he is suddenly a sermonizing prophet with vast knowledge. He can heal people’s hearts and bodies and is now trying to establish the Kingdom of his God on Earth. So, what happens to historical Jesus between thirteen and twenty-nine years?

The Church’s silence, with the mute gospels in tow, over the years has only assumed deafening proportions. Sometimes it is brushed off as if it does not even matter. But to someone like me, who likes to piece the pieces of history like a jigsaw puzzle and complete the picture, it was an intriguing mystery that needed to be unraveled. In the non-religious or secular historical domain, the possibilities and legends about Jesus’ lost years are numerous. There are accounts of him being in Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, Parthia, Greece and even far off isle of Britain. So, the obvious question is which one of it is true? Before I embarked on my adventure of unraveling the mystery, thread by thread, I was fortuitous enough to get some help on this subject from unforeseen quarters. Seven years back I traveled to India for the release of my first novel – on eschatology - and bumped into the head of the biggest Hindu monastic order in Kolkata. He tipped me off about a book written about Jesus in India. It was written by no less a person than Swami Abhedananda. Swami Abhedananda was singularly responsible for establishing twenty plus centers of Vedanta society in USA in the early 1900s. He followed in the footsteps of the great Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda who is credited to have introduced Hinduism in the West starting with his sterling speech in the Parliament of Religions in 1893 in Chicago. Swami Abhedananda during his stay in USA learnt about a person named Nicholas Notovitch – a Russian Jew residing in Chicago and his discovery of Jesus’ folklore in India. Nicholas Notovitch was the first to publish a book in the western world in 1894 about Jesus being in India during his formative years. He based it on his experience in Hemis monastery in Ladakh, India where he was recovering from a broken leg and was shown the manuscript of Jesus’ India stories in Pali language. After translating and publishing, Nicholas Notovitch got duly lambasted by the western world with Max Mueller, the foremost Indologist of the times, dissing it to the garbage bin before one bats an eyelid. Next another person named Nicholas Roerich claimed about Jesus’ time in India after due research in the monasteries to similar outright dismissal and disdain in the West. But Swami Abhedananda was not to be trifled with. He was intrigued and completed his research by going to Hemis himself and also retrieving all material on this subject. His book was written in Bengali language – which happens to be my mother tongue as well – in a travelogue format but it does cover translated parts of the manuscript on Jesus’ India stories. It confirmed that Jesus was indeed in India in Rajputana region, Puri and Banaras – where he studied at the feet of masters and then visited Nepal, Lhasa and went back to Judea through Parthia and Assyria. I subsequently found further evidence with the Shankaracharya of Puri mutt (monastery) and the folklore in all these places – Puri, Banaras, Rajputana etc. The independent Indian government even made official documentaries on this subject – not one but multiple! Yet neither Vatican or anybody in the Christian world even raised eyebrows about it. Suddenly the contradicting claims of Egypt, Parthia, Greece, Mesopotamia did not look likewise. What if Jesus did spend time in all of these places with local folklores attesting to it? If one reads local accounts of Parthia, Greece, Egypt, Assyria during those times, the pieces do indeed start falling in place. The Aquarian Gospel of Lev Dowling was another work that put it all together – albeit with some historical inaccuracies which can easily be weeded out. The claims of Britain only though still look outlandish and try as I might, I could never reconcile it within the timeframe of Jesus’ travels and development as a preacher. I was painstakingly taking incident after incident and arranging them in chronological order as some of the dates are confusing and repetitive and some patently wrong. History writing of that period is hardly the forte in these parts. Hence it at times took some imagination or cross verification across multiple sources or even smart speculation to nail it down. But by now as I threaded the needle on Jesus’ unknown years and could now construct all that happened between ages thirteen and twenty-nine including his prodigious travels across different lands and gathering knowledge, something else that I had not bargained for tumbled out of the historical Jesus’ cupboard. Did Jesus really get crucified and then ascended to heaven as the Christian Church would have us believe? Or did he survive to lead a long life post crucifixion?

There are now quite a lot of literature on how Jesus could have possibly survived the crucifixion. Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Henry Lincoln and Richard Leigh and their later books wax eloquently on that subject and very persuasively so. But as I dug in, I discovered the accounts of Jesus post survival in the Muslim lands of Punjab in present day Pakistan and a very scholarly account of Jesus post crucifixion meticulously put together by Fida Hassnain in Kashmir, India. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who hailed from Punjab, did not only found the Ahmadiya sect in Islam in the late 19th century, he also wrote about Jesus living the latter half of his life post crucifixion in Kashmir and Punjab region. His book, bluntly titled Jesus in India, takes pain to explain and provide some proof of Jesus’ post crucifixion life. Since he himself hailed from that region, it was quite easy for him to gather the prevalent stories of Jesus – who by now for security reasons had assumed the name of Yuzu Asaph. While the Ahmadiyas remain a persecuted group inside Pakistan mainly because of heretic origins exacerbated by Ghulam Ahmad’s claims of being the Mahdi – the Islamic prophet to come after Mohammad, Ghulam Ahmad still remains respected as scholarly. Taking the cue about Jesus having survived crucifixion and not ascended to heaven, it did not take much detective work to see what roles Joseph of Arimathea, Essenes, Ananias and even the timing of Paul’s epiphany on the road to Damascus to piece the first parts of post crucifixion life of Jesus together. Fida Hassnain, another erudite person from Kashmir, India, next came under my research microscope. He had written several academic books on this subject! Not only has he captured all details of Jesus’ post crucifixion life till his death at ripe old age of eighty years in Kashmir, he has even translated authors in Parthian world (written in Farsi) and Arabic authors to capture other details as Jesus made his way to Kashmir from Judea post crucifixion. There has been no scholarly refutation to such works that I know of. They have been either summarily dismissed or plainly ignored by mainstream Christianity. Especially since such details emanated from the economic backwaters of India, Iran and Pakistan. A rich aggrandized Vatican cannot care less! Last but not the least, the burial place of Jesus in Rozabal, Kashmir with all clues to his Jewish origins and remains of post -crucifixion life still stand there as a mute testimony to historical Jesus- making the case of post crucifixion life even stronger. All I had to do now is continue piecing it all together chronologically and string the entire life of Jesus together as it transpired historically as opposed to a sanitized religious version ending with Ascension.

As if that was not enough, another facet of historical Jesus was how Thomas, his doubting disciple, and his own life gets intertwined especially in India. Thomas received Jesus in India who came with his caravan of followers fleeing Judea post crucifixion and after years of wandering in the Central Asia. Jesus spent the last years in Kashmir while Thomas who was briefly in Kashmir with him, left for down South of India. While Islam and its much vigorous propagating sword clearly converted Kashmir to Islam by the hordes a few hundred years back, the South of India has been immune to it through the ages. Thomas’ preaching down South of India has left an indelible mark in Indian history with the sizeable Syrian Christian community of Kerala abounding with Thomas’ legend. But for some reason (best known to them), the Christian Church once again used its vice grip and a broad broom to sweep all things on historical Jesus and contrarian history under the carpet. But the vibrant Christian community in India tracing its roots to Thomas refuses to be wished away even today.

It took me all of seven years to piece it all together, fill the gaps and write the entire historical Jesus story in a fictional story format. Most of the accounts and research papers that I browsed through are difficult to fathom and read as a story. Nonetheless I have already mentioned the important ones I have referenced again and again for this narrative. My endeavor was to chronologically sequence it all and make it palatable as a story to grasp the enormity of what Jesus achieved during his stay of formidable eighty years on Earth. The first hand autobiographical format of storytelling which I have followed in writing the book alternating with third person narrative (in this case Jesus’ companion Babad) was my attempt at personalizing Jesus and making him human and historical in the same breath. One of the greatest pleasures as a detective I had was when the same characters like Ajainin, Barato Arabo appear both in the early missing years as well as the post crucifixion life of Jesus. It confirmed that I was on the right track and perhaps the seven years of labor was now worth savoring and sharing.

Happy reading.

Chris Real

June 17th 2019

Glossary of Characters

Those characters who are important to the story are mentioned here in alphabetic order-

Abdagases: Brother of Cush Gondopharnes, who was involved with Thomas and Jesus in Taxila

Ahasver: Jewish shoemaker who is now known as the Wandering Jew.

Ajainin: Wealthy merchant from Bharat who sponsored Jesus during his stay in India

Ananias: Follower of Jesus who helped with Jesus’ escape from Judea to Damascus post crucifixion.

Anna: Jesus’ grandmother

Annas: Father of Caiaphas – the head priest of Jerusalem temple. Annas was himself a head priest in his time.

Anne: Old lady who recognized Jesus as the messiah

Apollo: Famous philosopher in Greece who met Jesus during his formative years

Ashbina: Famous philosopher and learned man in Assyria. Met and helped Jesus during his formative years.

Asvaghosha: Famous Buddhist writer who met Jesus during the 4th Buddhist Council in Kashmir

Babad: Jesus’ companion in Kashmir till his death. Acted as his caretaker.

Balthazar: One of the Wise Men or magi to visit Jesus during his birth. He was a learned person from Heliopolis, Egypt.

Barato Arabo: A fellow student of Jesus during his days in Nepal.

Caiaphas: The Jewish head priest who organized the revolt against Jesus and had him crucified.

Cush Gondopharnes: The son of Gondopharnes who ruled Taxila. Provided help to Jesus and his caravan of followers.

Dismas: One of the thieves crucified with Jesus. He recognized the prophet Jesus and was blessed by Jesus.

Elihu and Salome: Husband and wife who helped Jesus during his time in Egypt. Salome was a distant cousin of Mary, Jesus’ mother.

Elizabeth: Cousin of Mary, Jesus’ mother. Mother of John the Baptist.

Essene Suddi and Daniel: reclusive group of people who were like the rishis in India. Helped Jesus post crucifixion to treat and recover. Jesus studied with them for a brief while in his childhood days.

Gondopharnes (Gasper): One of the Wise Men or magi to visit Jesus during his birth. He was a learned person from Taxila, Bharat.

Gestas: One of the thieves crucified with Jesus. He mocked Jesus.

Herod the Great: The autocratic Jewish ruler of Judea who was obsessed in getting rid of the newly born King of the Jews.

Herod Antipas: Son of Herod the Great who ascended the throne after his father. Less of an autocrat than his father. He delivered during Jesus’s trial.

Hor, Lun and Mer: Three students and compatriots of Melchior in Parthia. They came in Jesus’ life whenever he was in Parthia.

John the Baptist: Cousin of Jesus. Studied with Jesus during his early years. Later baptized Jesus when he was thirty years old.

Joseph: Father of Jesus who passed away during Jesus’ stay in India.

Joseph of Arimathea: Uncle of Jesus who helped Jesus with his travel to the East and also helped him recover post crucifixion.

Kanishka: The famous Kushan king who converted to Buddhism. Met Jesus during the 4th Buddhist Council.

Lakshmi: Nautch girl who was saved by Jesus in Mathura.

Lamas: Jesus’ teacher in Puri.

Llamo and Tashi: Two Tibetan brothers who gave company to Jesus during his sojourn in Lhasa.

Mary: Jesus’ mother. She accompanied Jesus when fleeing Judea after crucifixion.

Melchior: One of the Wise Men or magi to visit Jesus during his birth. He was a learned person from Ctesiphon, Parthia.

Nicodemus: Follower of Jesus. Came to his help post crucifixion to hide and recover.

Philo: Famous Jewish philosopher based in Alexandria, Egypt. Organized religious conference in that period.

Pontius Pilate: Roman consul for Judea who famously washed his hands off Jesus. However helped Jesus survive crucifixion.

Procula: Pontius Pilate’s wife. She had a dream which set in motion the plot to save Jesus during crucifixion.

Raja Gopananda: King of Kashmir. Accepted Jesus’ request to come to Kashmir and settle down.

Ravanna: Trader from Orissa who helped Jesus in coming to Bharat (India).

Ruth and Asher: Couple who were followers of Jesus. They followed Jesus in his caravan all through Central Asia and Bharat.

Saul of Tarsus: later christened as Paul the Apostle. A Jewish scholar who met Jesus in Damascus.

Siddhartha: The Jain digambar muni with whom Jesus spent some time in Elephanta caves.

Subrat: Jesus’ fellow student in Puri. Became close friends with Jesus.

Sukhram: Trader from Lavapuri who helped Jesus in Ladakh.

Suleiman: Parthian minister of King Gopananda who rebuilt the Shiva temple on Solomon’s hill. Also built Jesus’ tomb in Rozabal.

Thomas: The doubting disciple of Jesus who spread the word on God in Syria, Parthia and then Bharat. Met Jesus in Taxila and followed him to Kashmir. Was martyred in Mylapore.

Tsenpo: Learned wise man in Lhasa. Met Jesus during his time in Lhasa.

Udraka: Jesus’ teacher in Banaras.

Vidyadhar: Jesus’ teacher in Nepal.

Zacharias: Husband of Elizabeth and father of John the Baptist.

Zoser: Egyptian priest whose son’s malady was taken care of by Jesus. Also was present when Jesus went through tests in Heliopolis, Egypt

Contents

PREFACE: Jesus the Chronicler

Chapter 1: Birth to 40 days 5 BC – Early Days

Taxila, Punjab, India - December 5 BC

Ctesiphon, Parthia - December 5 BC

Heliopolis, Egypt – December 5 BC

Bethlehem, Judea– December 25th, 5 BC

Bethlehem, Judea– January, 4 BC

Jerusalem, Judea– February, 4 BC

Chapter 2: Forty days to age 9 – 5 A.D. –

Egyptian episode

Jerusalem, Judea– April, 4 BC

Bethlehem, Judea– April, 4 BC

Bethlehem, Judea– May, 4 BC

Jerusalem, Judea– May, 4 BC

Zoan, Egypt– Oct, 4 BC

Zoan, Egypt– November, 4 BC

Zoan, Egypt– September, 2 BC

Alexandria, Egypt– March, 3 AD

Bubastis, Egypt– January, 3 AD

Heliopolis, Egypt– August, 5 AD

Heliopolis, Egypt– December, 5 AD

Chapter 3: Age 9 to 13 – 9 AD Early days

in Judea

Bethlehem, Judea– May, 6 AD

Khirbet Qumran, Judea– December, 6 AD

Khirbet Qumran, Judea– January, 7 AD

Nazareth, Judea– March, 7 AD

Nazareth, Judea– Early April, 7 AD

Jerusalem, Judea– Middle April, 7 AD

Jerusalem, Judea– April, 8 AD

Nazareth, Judea– January, 9 AD

Chapter 4: Age 13 to 15 – 11 AD En-route

to India

Jerusalem, Judea– January, 9 AD

Nazareth, Judea– February, 9 AD

Basra, Mesopotamia– March, 9 AD

Arabian Sea– April, 9 AD

Port Debal, Sind Province, Bharat– May, 9 AD

Minnegarha, Sind Province, Bharat– May, 9 AD

Port Debal, Sind Province, Bharat– May, 9 AD

Port Debal, Sind Province, Bharat– August, 9 AD

Elephanta Caves, near Mumbadevi, Bharat– April, 11 AD

Chapter 5: Age 15 to 21 – 17 AD Indian

adventures

Near Mathura, north Bharat– December, 11 AD

Mathura temple, north Bharat– December, 11 AD

Mathura, north Bharat– January, 12 AD

Puri, East Bharat– February, 12 AD

Puri mutt, East Bharat– March, 12 AD

Puri mutt, East Bharat– October, 13 AD

Puri mutt, East Bharat– January, 14 AD

Banaras, Gangetic Plain, Bharat– April, 15 AD

Banaras, Gangetic Plain, Bharat– August, 16 AD

Chapter 6: Age 21 to 22 – 18 AD Indian Revolt

Puri, Jagannath temple – July 17 AD

Dhauli, Orissa – December 17 AD

Cuttack, Orissa – July 18 AD

Rajagriha, Bihar – Sept 18 AD

Banaras, Gangetic Plains, Bharat – Oct 18 AD

Banaras, Gangetic Plains, Bharat – Nov 18 AD

Jagannath Temple, Puri, Bharat – Nov 18 AD

Durgakund, Banaras, Bharat – Nov 18 AD

Chapter 7: Age 22 To 24 – 20 AD Buddhist

adventures – Maitreya is here

Kapilavastu, Nepal – Dec 18 AD

Kapilavastu, Nepal – March 19 AD

Kapilavastu, Nepal – May 19 AD

Tsang Province, Tibet – June 19 AD

Lhasa, Tibet – July 19 AD

Leh, Ladakh– October 19 AD

Kashmir Valley – November 19 AD

Lavapuri – January 20 AD

Chapter 8: Age 24 To 26 – 22 AD Parthian

adventures- Saoshayant is here

Taxila, Northwestern Bharat – February 20 AD

Kabul, Afghanistan – February 20 AD

Ctesiphon, Parthia – April 20 AD

Ctesiphon, Parthia – May 20 AD

Sacred Groves of Cyrus, Parthia – August 20 AD

Ctesiphon, Parthia – January 21 AD

Healing Fountain, Parthia – March 21 AD

Chapter 9: Age 26 – 22 AD Central Asian & Assyrian adventures: Dualism and Middle Path

Bokhara, Parthia – April 22 AD

Samarkand, Parthia – June 22 AD

Ur, Assyria –July 22 AD

Babylon, Assyria –August, 22 AD

Nafud, Arabia –September, 22 AD

Nazareth, Judea –October, 22 AD

Nazareth, Judea –October, 22 AD

Chapter 10: Age 26 To 27 – 23 AD Greek

adventures – Oracular experience

Nazareth, Judea –November, 22 AD

Athens, Greece –November, 22 AD

Delphi, Greece –January, 23 AD

Aegean Sea – February, 23 AD.

Chapter 11: Age 27 To 29 – 25 AD Egyptian

adventures – Jesus becomes THE CHRIST

Zoan, Egypt – March, 23 AD.

Heliopolis, Egypt – April, 23 AD.

Heliopolis, Egypt – April, 23 AD.

Test One: Delusion

Test Two: Fear

Test Three: Desire

Test Four: Greed

Test Five: Pride

Test Six: Envy

Chamber of the Dead, Heliopolis, Egypt – August, 24 AD.

Heliopolis, Egypt – September, 24 AD.

Chapter 12: Age 29 – 25 AD Egyptian

adventures – First days as CHRIST

Chamber of the Dead, Heliopolis, Egypt – April, 25 AD.

Alexandria, Egypt – May, 25 AD.

Alexandria, Egypt – June, 25 AD.

Chapter 13: Age 29 – 33 – 29 AD Gospel period–

From Preaching to Crucifixion

Gospel Period, Judea – June, 25 AD to April 29 AD.

Jerusalem, Judea – April, 29 AD

Roman Palace, Jerusalem, Judea – April, 29 AD

Bethlehem, Judea – April, 29 AD

Roman Palace, Jerusalem, Judea – April, 29 AD

Jewish Quarters, Jerusalem, Judea – April, 29 AD

Roman Palace, Jerusalem, Judea – April, 29 AD

On the way to Golgotha, Judea – April, 29 AD

Golgotha, Judea – April, 29 AD

Chapter 14: Age 34 to 35 – 31 AD Post

crucifixion– Survival and flight

Roman Palace, Jerusalem, Judea – April, 29 AD

Golgotha, Judea – April, 29 AD

Golgotha tomb, Judea – April, 29 AD

Temple of the Jews, Jerusalem, Judea – April, 29 AD

Golgotha tomb, Judea – April, 29 AD

Grotto of the Essenes, Judea – April, 29 AD

Golgotha tomb, Judea – April, 29 AD

Essene Quarter, near Jerusalem, Judea – April, 29 AD

Emmaus, Judea – April, 29 AD

Jerusalem, Judea – April, 29 AD

Galilee – May, 29 AD

Mount of Olives, Bethany – May, 29 AD

Jerusalem – May, 29 AD

Qumran – May, 29 AD to 33 AD

 Damascus – July, 35 AD

Damascus – August, 35 AD

 Jerusalem – December, 35 AD

Damascus – December, 35 AD

Nisibis – January, 36 AD

Ctesiphon, Parthia – April, 42 AD

Chaldea – May, 42 AD

Thomas Chronicles –Organa, 43 AD

Herat, and Alexandria– 43-49 AD

Chapter 16: Age 53 to 80 – 76 AD -

Life in Kashmir– Serene life

Thomas Chronicles, 43-49 ADCranganoor

Attock

Taxila

Taxila, Bharat– July 49 AD

Mari, Bharat– May 50 AD

Kashmir, Bharat– May 50 AD

Aish Muqam, Kashmir, Bharat–50- 52 AD

Pahalgam, Kashmir, Bharat–53- 54 AD

Temple on Solomon Hill, Kashmir, Bharat– 54 AD

 Thomas Chronicles, 56-72 AD

The Fourth Buddhist Council, Kashmir, Bharat– 76 AD

Chapter 17: Age 80 – 76 AD - Burial in

Kashmir– Saint of Kashmir

Srinagar, Kashmir, Bharat– 76 AD

Rozabal, Kashmir, Bharat– 76 AD

Sources

PREFACE:

Jesus the Chronicler

Yeshua Ben Joseph - Jesus (Issa) - On banks of Lidder river, Pahalgam, Kashmir, Bharat - 70 A.D

I, Jesus the Christ – fondly called Issa Masih by the locals here, have to start it all with a deep deep sigh. I sit nestled on the soft grass on the banks of Lidder river in the upper reaches of the Himalayas in Kashmir. Lush greenery surrounds me in its warm embrace. The majestic mountains look arrogantly down on me while the sweet smell of flowers pervade all around. All varieties of fish including brown trout (a local staple food) frolic at gay abandon in the river’s crystal blueish waters. The icy soft clouds dance in the azure sky above. The serenity of the nature here is punctuated only by the occasional clanging bells of sheep that graze in these foothills. The shepherds laze around in the valley tending their flock. This is Kashmir – my abode for the last so many years – the famed heaven on Earth. Perhaps an ideal abode for the Son of God in so many ways. It has been a long and event filled life for me. If I sit and watch the events waft past me in my mind’s eye, I can only help myself to a wry and discerning smile. This is how a Son of The God was supposed to lead his life on terra firma? Perhaps so.

From the very start, my life was always weighed down by the weight of expectations around me – starting from the Three Wise Men, my parents – especially Mother Mary, my siblings, my Jewish people, The Romans, The Roman Consul and even my Jewish severe detractors. No wonder I began my life in a whirlwind where I was on the run with my family. No sooner than I had dipped my toes into the teens, I was traveling all round the civilized part of the world and continued so for a good part of adult life. It was my personal quest and learning of the Truth of life. The Three Wise Men already lay out the roadmap for me and supported me all through my foray into the distant lands in my quest. I cannot ever forget the multitude of people who I met during my wandering years in Egypt, Assyria, Parthia, India and even Tibet and Greece. So many of them had so many good things to say about me, teach me, give me the key to their hearts and mind, share their everyday sorrows and elations. The love of the common people and their Himalayan kindness always flowed like the simmering blueish transparent water of the Lidder river.

Yet the darker side of priests and their penchant for collaring power and knowledge across all religions in all parts of the civilized world, the rituals and its serpentine forms, never ceased to leave me aghast. Every time I would be wringing my hands and shaking my head in despair at the deviousness of it all. I knew that the onus was on me to liberate one and all from yoke of these priests and the oppressive powerful and show the common man a way to finding peace, happiness and revel in God’s endless grace and magnanimity. The power of faith in one’s own God (The One & Only) and discovering it all in oneself. It all took me a fair part of my early life’s journey across seven seas and far off lands to find and seek the Truth about life, understand the pathway to God, faith and spirituality and to dedicate the larger part of later life in propagating it. And it was never smooth. I had to subject myself to the utmost test and even paid the price for the sins of humanity on the crucifix. Yet I survived it all. My faith and the grace of God helped me see through it all.

Now as I indolently lay on the banks of the river and pen these lines, I find my life is on its last stretch. The people of Kashmir, my fellow Jewish Bene Israelis and especially the erstwhile Raja Shalivahana and his successor Raja Gopananda have all been very kind. The one time King of Travelers as I used to be called by the caravan folks in Silk Road is now tame and domesticated for the last two decades. My limbs can no longer bear hours of traveling by foot. The strength in my frame has visibly worn off over time. My shock of red hair which so easily distinguished me in India and Kashmir, in particular, is now gone. My diet, while always vegetarian, has been reduced to Kashmiri bread (czot or lavasa) and dal and chickpeas once a day. Since my days in this Heaven on Earth are now numbered, I thought it is best to pen parts of my life wherever I can and leave it as a testimonial to my life on Earth. My wife Marjan is no longer there (she passed away a decade back) while my son Ely-Kim has taken after me and traveling all round the civilized world as I am penning this. So my humble abode near the Dal lake is empty and forlorn but for me praying my time away. Only my ever-faithful disciple Babad comes around to check on me every day. Like he brought me here today in Pahalgam to enjoy the serene parts of this Valley and start penning my life’s journey. I have over the years recounted my life’s story in vivid detail to Babad. He has promised to pen it from my birth till teenage years and then again of my time in Kashmir. From teens to old age I will write based on my experience and recollections. Babad will still collate my writings, fill the gaps and piece it all together for the world at large. I was always a good speaker and preacher and never a good writer, you see!

As if on cue, I can see Babad walking over to me in a distance. He too is now bowed down with age and suffering from gout and pain in his legs. I can see him dragging his left foot and know that the pain must be affecting him again. Perhaps he is not using the ointment that I made for him. People come from far and near for cure and yet my dear ones do not listen to me! But now that I have put pen to paper, I promise to let the pages of my life come alive for you.

Yours truly,

Issa.

Chapter 1: Birth to 40 days 5 BC – Early Days

(BABAD)

Taxila, Punjab, India - December 5 BC

"At the foot of the Bodhi tree,

I keep my back straight and my posture stable

Body, speech, and mind are calmed.

There is no longer any thought of right

and wrong.

Mindfulness is shining on the five skandhas.

The original face will be found,

and the shore of illusion will be left behind.

Sisters and brothers, diligently bring your mind

into meditation.

Namo Shakyamunaye Buddhaya.

Namo Shakyamunaye Buddhaya

Namo Shakyamunaye Buddhaya"

Gasper had just finished his evening Buddhist meditations with his guru. The famous university where students came from far and near to study art – the eighteen shilpas, law, medicine and military science loomed in the background. The halls and the student and teacher quarters were dedicated to or named after Charaka (the master of Medicine), Chanakya (politics and law), Panini (literature and yoga) and others. They all stood silently adding to somber shadows. While Gasper’s skin was now baked by the sun in India for a few generations and acquired a sun-burnt reddish brown hue, his aquiline nose, jutting chin, shock of curled black hair (liberally peppered with hoary white), clipped whitish beard betrayed his Greek origins. He was a late follower of the Buddhist faith. He knew he had to be patient as his guru took him through his path of learning the Truths of life and final enlightenment. The guru was a revered teacher in the Taxila University on Mahayana Buddhism. But Gasper had been preparing for it for years and years. He was an illustrious alumnus of the university. By now he was considered one of stalwarts in Indian philosophies…his had learnt the Upanishads, was well versed with the astika (according to Vedas) schools of thought - Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Uttar & Purva Mimansa. However he had now changed his leanings from his astika school to the nastika (non-Vedic) vein in Buddhism. For him life was all about learning and enriching oneself – he found unalloyed pleasure in the learning process and the journey as opposed to attaining the end goal. Today he felt a little light in the head and was thinking of retiring to bed right away. Gasper had another identity that he could not shake away no matter how much he tried. He was the current ruler with his kingdom extending from Kabul in the north, Punjab, Pashtun and parts of Rajputana areas with Sind flanking the south till the seas. He inherited it from his Greek ancestors who were left behind after the travails and adventures of Alexander the Great. To his credit, Gasper was quite well accepted amongst the tribal Pashtuns who had given their chieftain’s daughter in marriage to Alexander but always remained militant. The people in the plains and banks of River Indus were much more sedate.

Suddenly his guru stiffened and his head was cocked upwards with his gaze in the skies. Gasper followed his gaze and could see a start shining brighter than the rest in the vast expanse. Gandapur, do you see the light? Oh my Lord Buddha! Guruji liked to call Gasper by his Indianized name, Gandapur.

Guruji, what is it that bothers you about the light? I see it shining brightly. But then you need to know where to look. A common man would not be worried about it. Now I see what is unique, it is more a triangle! Gasper asked, with concern dotting his voice.

Yes, Gandapur –this is at least brighter than Lubdhaka – the brightest star in the night sky. But needs a trained eye to see through the triangle. This is not normal.

Yes, Guruji but the triangle is because three planets are aligned – The Mangal, Brihaspati and the Shani. That is unbelievable and I am not sure how often it happens.

Yes, this is actually an omen - the omen for Maitreya – the Buddha who is yet to come! Don’t you remember that our Lord Buddha before dying had prophesized that his teachings and hence Buddhism will start losing its significance in 500 years. These 500 years have just passed us by since Buddha left us. Now is the time for the next Buddha – called Maitreya to come to Earth. The shining triangle is almost speaking to us. It is telling us that the time for Maitreya is coming. Maitreya is due anytime now.

Guruji, how does this light and Maitreya go together even if we understand it is an omen?

Yes, Gandapur, all you have to do is follow the light. From the looks of it, you have to head west. Get prepared and head out. I am too old to follow this auspicious omen. You have to follow the triangle light and welcome Maitreya on earth. He is sure to be born somewhere soon. The triangular light will guide you to him.

And what do I go to the Maitreya with? Cannot welcome him with bare hands.

Yes, you are right, Gandapur. You should carry spices that are rare and available in Bharat (India) and also frankincense oil.

Yes, saffron and frankincense oil, I got it, Guruji. I will make arrangements to travel with my gifts and follow the light to welcome Maitreya. Gasper felt excited. Suddenly he did not feel like sleeping any more.

Ctesiphon, Parthia - December 5 BC

Melchior ran his hands through his white beard. He had just finished his weekly session on Gathas with Queen Musa. The King Phraates IV, the lord of Parthia, was absent. Something did not feel right. Perhaps the Queen and the King were not doing well between themselves. Queen Musa, though maintained her dignified silence as Melchior went through the hymns and explained the insights. Clearly Melchior could see her mind was not there but he continued and concluded with his bow and walked out of the palace. He had been walking ever since and passed by the numerous gardens. Some parts of Ctesiphon still showed the signs of plunder and fire that raged when Alexander the Great pillaged through it in anger. One of the fountains and the park benches surrounding it, still lay charred as this was never repaired. Finally as he reached the quarters of the royal Magi, the huts of his disciples Hor, Lun and Mer came into view. Hor was standing in front of his hut and screwed his eyes to make out who was walking towards him.

Hello Hor, what keeps you outside your hut at this time of the night? Melchior asked in his soft voice.

Oh, it is you, Melchior, my teacher. Yes, did you see the triangle in the sky? Isn’t it bright too?

Melchior stopped in his tracks and looked up. Indeed the triangle was bright and it overshadowed all in the sky in its wake. He peered at it wide eyed for good few minutes.

This is brighter than Sira, the one that dominates the night sky.

Yes, why do you think I pointed it out to you? Yet it needs a trained eye to make out the unique formation.

The more I look at it, it seems to be a conjunction of three astral bodies that we know of – Bahram, Kevan and Moshtari! Amazing!! That does not happen in a thousand years.

One has to really look through the light to figure out the astral positions and the conjugation.

"By Zarathustra, that is the omen that our prophet