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ISAVASYA UPANISHAD
The Purushamedha described in the Yajurveda (VS 30-31) is of particular interest. These verses describes people from all classes and of all descriptions tied to a wooden stake (cross) and offered to Prajapati. Prajapati literally means Lord of Hosts. This re-enacts the creation of a new class of people dedicated to Prajapati. The Purusha Sukta describes the process of creation of man from the cosmic Purusha (Person of Isa) who is described as a human. The Purusha Medha is an enactment of the sacrifice of (Isa) Purusha that leads to creation and recreation. The ceremony evokes the mythical sacrifice of Purusha, the "Cosmic Man", and the officiating Brahman recites the Purusha sukta (RV 10.90 = AVS 5.19.6 = VS 31.1-16) indicating the continuous process of recreation of man in Isa.
The sacrifice of the creator himself in order to give life to the people and his resurrection are symbolized in most of these Levitical type rituals. It is at the end of these we have the Isa Upanishad!
It is written in poetry form indicating that it was supposed to be taught and memorized through generations. Scholars agree that this Upanishad mark the beginning of Monotheism in the Upanishads - hence its importance in the History of Indian Religions.
The Samhita of the White Yajur-veda is generally acknowledged to be of later origin than the Rig Veda and is written in Sanskrit. Since Sanskrit as a language came into existence only in the second century AD, the Upanishad itself must be placed after that period. It is important to note also that all scholars agree that Isa is one of the earliest Upanishads. Upanishads came into existence only after the ministry of Apostle Thomas in India. Thomas, the disciple of Jesus, came to India in A.D. 52 and had a twenty year old ministry all through India until his martyrdom in Mylapore, Madras, Tamil Nadu, India in A.D.72. His ministry extended from Taxila in the North to the Malabar Coast in the southern tip of India covering the entire subcontinent of India. Considering the impact of the ministry of other Apostles in Africa, Middle East and Europe, we cannot doubt the tremendous impact that the Ministry of Apostle Thomas Dydymus had in the Indian continent. The basic impact of Thomas in India was the radical change in the concept of God. The Three major religions of India at that time were Vedic (who were nature worshippers), Buddhist and Jain (who were atheists). However with the coming of Thomas, the concept of God changed radically - the concept of a Supreme God. This Upanishad expresses the concept of Isa as Paran (Lord; Yesu Paran = Jesus is Lord = Iswaran). The impact of this mission was that the name Isa and Iswaran came to be equivalent to God all through later Indian scriptures. From then on, the entire history of Indian Religions changed radically. Gnosticism which lost its ground in the rest of the west followed Christianity into India and eventually supplanted it to give rise to what we today call Hinduism through syncretism and myths and legends typical of Gnostic religions.
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