Book Title: Unknown Life of Jesus Christ New Edition 2009 Publication
Author(s): Nicholas Notovitch, Virchand R Gandhi, Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: World Jain Confederation
View full book text
________________
Editor's Note
Towards the end of his illuminating introduction Virchand Gandhi asks "Do we not find these morals and rituals in our culture and civilization?"
Mr.Virchand Gandhi's Views on the unknown facts :
Having, however, been born in India and travelled over that vast country, he felt it his duty to put before the reader some salient points which seemed to him to have an important bearing on the facts set forth by the work.
The theory that Jesus at the age of thirteen went to India had been held by many to be true, but it was for the first time advanced publicly by Nicholas Notovitch. Orthodox Christian deemed it sacrilegious even to imagine that the “Son of God" went to India and there studied its religions and philosophies. Through this translation, Mr. Virchand Gandhi has tried to examine the facts which can be helpful to reason on the above mentioned theory.
Mr. Virchand Gandhi points out that the arts and sciences . of India are not modern. Their origin is hidden in pre-historic times. Religion and philosophy have been the great contributions of India to the world, and they have drawn savants and philosophers to her in ties, ancient and modern. Is it improbable then, that Jesus, too, might have visited India? But if he did, how, especially in times where there were no conveniences for traveling?
The ancient commerce of India with other countries had brought her people in close connection with those of others, who went to India either by sea or by the caravan route. Many people are skeptical as to there having been any intercourse, in those times, between India and the countries around the Mediterranean but careful investigations of scholars have conclusively shown that India's gold and silver, precious stones, spices and silks had
always attracted people of other countries to her. The Hind and ...Jain Scriptures bear ample testimony to this - which to average
* 27