Book Title: Development of Hinduism
Author(s): M M Ninan
Publisher: M M Ninan

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Page 524
________________ ISAVASYA UPANISHAD In contrast, the name given in Greco-Roman culture is derived from their context as follows: When the good news of the gospel was translated into to the Greco-Roman culture by Paul and his group it was rendered in Greek as InoOUS Tesous, pronounced as Yesous. Y in some languages is pronounced as J (ya as ja) rendering it as JESUS. While we have no hesitation to accept the name Jesus, even though it is only a Greco-Roman version of the real name, we should have no problem in seeing the name Isa, Maheswara, Parameshwara as equivalent to Jesus. Evidently this was brought into Indian scenario by Thomas who arrived in India by 52 AD and traveled all around into for twenty years and was finally martyred in 72 AD in Madras, Tamil Nadu. In fact there is no Isa in Hinduism. However as the Gnostic infiltration took away the historical Jesus, Isa was replaced with any favorite deity name according to which religious sect quoted it. Thus Vaishnavite equate Isa with Hari or Krishna, and Saivite with Siva. It is not difficult for any reader to see what was happening. The first part is a clear statement of the doctrine of immanence of God. That God is specified as Isa. It also implies that everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled by Jesus. Since the creation came out of God through the Word it is still within Godhead. This doctrine is the doctrine of immanence of God. It is this necessary logic that is enunciated in the first Mantra of Isa Upanishad. Immanence is a difficult concept as long as we think if the space-time four dimensional terms. But cosmos consists of many dimensions and hence allows for a meaningful possible understanding of immanence. But God is immanent. He is inside all that He has made as well as outside. He is the Sustainer and Preserver. He is the source of all power and all beauty. Nothing could continue to exist for a moment if He were not continually keeping it in being. This unity of the cosmos in God implies certain responsibilities to all sentient beings. That is to share the cosmos with each other in Love. Gal 5:13 -15 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another take heed that you are not consumed by one another. 'In him we live and move and have our being' Act. 17:28 520

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