Jesus Lived in India: His Unknown Life Before and After the Crucifixion

Holger Kersten, does a truly logical, scientific, and masterful commentary in analyzing the evidence and the scriptures blow by blow to recount a picture of history, and of christ, that is extermely compelling. What is very impressive is the kindness, and the patience by which he deals with traditional views as an unbiased possibility and compares it to a much simpler explanation from the evidence, and the facts. Is it feasible that someone well practiced in yogic methods of body endurance just after 3 hours of crucifixation, was doped with sedative and led to recover under heavy influence of aloe and myrr? OR do you have to believe that somehow in arising from the dead? Occam's razor would suggest that Holger is probably right. No matter what you believe -- the journey of piece by piece forensic assembling of the facts is a spell-binding read surely. I am extremely surprised at some of the biased reviews here from the church-raised views. I'm not even sure whether they have read the book to be honest. I actually think the personality portrayed of Jesus (read the Jesus vs. Paul chapter particularly) here commands much more reverence and holyness for the Son of God than traditional church views that you have to swallow without questioning. After all, in the sermon of the mount, does not jesus show the path to enlightenment (selflessness, universal love, renunciation) that is more than merely an automatic guarantee of salvation by accepting that he died on the cross? If Jesus were alive today will he say "live your lives as I have shown and laid the path for you" or will he say "just give me credit as the only son of god"? I am surely not the expert here, in the bible, or in religious matters but for my simple mind, the church views and bible do not add up and I for one, do believe that Jesus' true message and life has been completely mis-portrayed. This book begins to raise many difficult questions and provides some compelling answers that you cannot ignore.

It is taken for granted in much of the East that Issa ( Jesus ) visited and studied in India and Tibet as a young man, and that he returned there after surviving the Crucifixion. The historical basis for his living out his years in Kashmir and being buried in Srinigar is compelling. Only westerners seem to be unable to look at or deal with the evidence, which in no way obviates the spiritual legacy of Christ. This book presents the written and oral history of Jesus in India in a very compelling and readable way.

Kirsten’s book is piecemealed into small bite-size sub-chapters that allows him to pack in a wide array of related topics. I found that the book moved through the pages well and Kirsten has remained honest about what is known and not known. Still, he builds a pretty compelling case. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. Many of the historical references such as with the influences of Buddhism with the Essenes in the pre-Christ era are very intriguing. Kirsten does a great job of analyzing the details and references around the burial of Jesus and the history of the Shroud of Turin. My only disappointment was that I found no mention of the “Bagua Maitreya Buddha” ( apparently a possible reference to the coming of Jesus to the East) that was prophesized by Gautama Buddha. I had come across the reference in Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s book “Jesus in India” and was hoping Kirsten would put out some scholarly detail on the subject. Also, although Kirsten talks about the parallels between the Gospels and the Sutras with regards to Jesus’s and Buddha’s lives, unlike Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, he does not offer the theory that it is the Gospels about Jesus being reproduced in the Sutras while being attributed to Gautama. A great book and enjoyable read that may well be the future of history.

All I can say is that my eyes were opened when I read this book. I started my inquiry with the book "The Yoga of Jesus." THIS book is the perfect book to follow that one. This book answered many of the questions raised in my mind after Yoga of Jesus, and I have given this book to friends. Yes, I was a believer of mainstream protestant Christianity. I am sick when I think that the importance of the Essene people has been kept from us to preserve conventional Christianity. How this book isn't more widely known is beyond me! I am reading it through for the third time now, because during my first reading, I just couldn't get to the facts fast enough. It makes perfect sense now. I highly recommend this book to anyone willing to embrace a new idea!

Researching a novel with some tie-ins to this subject I came across this during my book search and have been very please with the information set out. Most of the theories are compelling enough when considered by the documented evidence, and the author clearly notates his sources. At times I felt his more outrageous claims were not sufficiently backed up by evidence or sources, and disregarded these, but overall felt I have come away with a much more complete picture of the subject. Highly recommended.

This book literally fell into my hands...and I'm glad it did. Never would have thought he may have lived in India but of course!!

Pictures are fewer than in the year 2001 version.

I was pleased to receive this book. It was very well packed and arrived promptly.