Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

Volume 23 Article 7

January 2010

"He is our master": Jesus in the Thought of Swami

Prabhupada
Ravi M. Gupta

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Recommended Citation
Gupta, Ravi M. (2010) ""He is our master": Jesus in the Thought of Swami Prabhupada," Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies: Vol. 23,
Article 7.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.7825/2164-6279.1459

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 Gupta: "He is our master": Jesus in the Thought of Swami Prabhupada

"He is our master": Jesus in the Th.ought of

Swami Prabhupada
Ravi M. Gupta
College of William and Mary
NOW that steam, electricity, and the printing these two teachers. Keshub Chander Sen, a
press have brought into closer communication religious reformer of the Bengal renaissance,
the different races that inhabit the earth, and mentions Caitanya as the Hindu teacher who
have expanded the minds of men, tending to embodies the presence of Christ (28). A decade
dispel the illusion that God Almighty especially later, Kshitish Chandra Chakravarti repeatedly
favours any particular people, it is time to makes use of Christian terminology to describe
proclaim to the world, that if a messenger of Chaitanya and compares the Nativity scene to
God appeared in Judea about nineteen hundred events in Chaitanya's life (7). This use of
years ago, it is no less true that a messenger language and imagery does not go unnoticed
from the same God appeared in the quiet town of back in Britain; Jim Morrison, in his Robertson
Navadweep (popularly known as Nadia) in lectures at the University of Glasgow, calls
Bengal, some fifteen centuries later. The former attention to "the new power of Christ's
is known by the name of Jesus Christ; the latter personality" and credits Jesus for the resurgence
is known in India by the name of Sree Gauranga, of Chaitanya's movement: "A Christ-like man,
Sree Krishna Chaitanya, and several other indeed, in many ways,_ Chaitanya was, and the
names. If wonders attended Jesus, so also they increased acquaintance of educated Bengal with
attended Sree Gauranga of Nadia. Jesus Christ naturally brought Chaitanya to the
The Christians have conferred an front" (199). Finally, in one of the earliest
inestimable obligation upon those Hindus whose Western academic studies of the Chaitanya
faith has been affected by Western materialism, movement, Melville Kennedy devotes an entire
by presenting Christ to them; and they, as a section to outlining the relation between
grateful return, are anxious to present Sree Chaitanya and Christianity.
Krishna and Sree Gauranga to the people of the Joining this long line of Bengali thinkers
West. (10). was A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
(1896-1977) in the mid-twentieth century, the
So begins Shishir Kumar Ghose's lengthy founder of the International Society for Krishna
biography of Caitanya, published at the tum of c Consciousness (ISKCON), known also as the
the twentieth century. Ghose is not alone in Hare Krishna movement.! Prabhupada's
drawing parallels between Caitanya and Jesus; background was similar to many of his
since at least the mid-nine,teenth century, contemporary Bengali bhadralok: he grew up in
numerous Bengali thinkers, articulating a Hindu a devout (Caitanya) Vai~:Q.ava family, received
response to colonial Christianity, felt a strong a.n English-medium education at Calcutta's
resonance between the livb and character of Scottish Church College, and joined the

Ravi M. Gupta is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at The College of William and Mary in
Williamsburg, Virginia. He holds' a doctoral degree from the University of Oxford and was formerly a
Junior Research Fellow at Linacre College, Oxford. He has taught a variety of c0'1.rses in Hinduism and
World Religions, and is the recipient of the David Hughes award for excellence in teaching. Gupta is
the author of The Chaitanya Vaishnava Vedanta of Jiva Gosvami (Routledge, 2007) as well as several -
articles in academic journals. He is currently working with Dr. Kenneth Valpey on an abridged'
translation of the Bhagavata Purana, to be published by Columbia University Press .

. J9umal of Hindu-Christian Studies 23 (2010):15-19

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 Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 23 [2010], Art. 7 r
16 Ravi M. Gupta

movement for India's independence, eventually "Christ," and he receives the title "Lord" about a
refusing his degree in protest of the British. At third of the time. While Prabhupada did not
present we know little of Prabhupada's early attempt to develop a systematic Christology,
education in Christianity, other than the several there are nevertheless consistent themes that
references he makes to his theologian professors emerge in his understanding of Jesus. Here, I
at Scottish Church College and their views of would like to focus on three facets of
Hinduism. 2 Nevertheless, throughout his life Prabhupada's understanding of Jesus, in the
Prabhupada developed and frequently articulated following order. First, I will discuss his use of
a response to his encounter, with Christianity. Jesus as the ideal example of a Vai~:Q.ava, a term
What makes Prabhupada's response especially which Prabhupada employs to refer to anyone
noteworthy is that it occurred in the context of a who worships a supreme personal Deity and
missionary movement in the West. At the situates themselves in a scriptural tradition.
request of his guru, Prabhupada travelled to the Second, I will examine Prabhupada's
United States in 1965, at the age of 70, and understanding of redemption from sin through
opened his first center in Manhattan. The Hare Jesus. And finally, I will address Prabhupaada's
Krisllna movement experienced tremendous view of Jesus' death and resurrection.
growth in the decade that followed, and he For followers of Caitanya, the Bhagavata
frequently circled the globe visiting ISKCON's PuriiJ;1a is the highest source of scriptural
centers and teaching his disciples.:> Prabhupada's knowledge, for it tells of Krishna in a manner
response to Christianity is worthy of close that is rich with both philosophy and emotion.
examination for three reasons: First, he. Prabhupada's life's work was his commentary
developed his views as an immigrant/missionary on the Bhagavata Purapa, which comprises some
in largely Christian societies, and often eighteen volumes of Sanskrit and English. A key
expressed them in _slialogue with Christian verse from the third book, found in Kapila's
priests and scholars. 4 Second, his encounter with teachings on siiJiJkhya, describes the character of
Christianity serves as the basis for the views a saintly devotee of God, which Prabhupada
adopted by his followers, who continue to translates as follows: "The symptoms of a sadhu
·increase in numbers. today both within and are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to
outside India. Finally, the most oft-studied all living entities. He has no enemies,he is
Hindu views of Jesus have been articulated by peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his
thinkers who tend to draw. from neo-V edantic or characteristics are sublime" (3.25.21).5
broadly non-dualist traditions. Prabhupada, on Prabhupada was fond of this verse and he quoted
the other hand, articulated his view of Jesus it often in his lectures. In his commentary, and
while remaining firmly committed" to the when he discusses it in lectures, Prabhupada
theology and ecclesiastical authority of a offers Jesus as the ideal example of such a sadhu
specific Vaiglava sampradaya. This both set (730718bg.lon). He repeatedly points out Jesus'
boundaries and opened up new possibilities for tolerance (titik$u) in the face of great suffering,
Prabhupada's understanding of Jesus, as I hope' his compassion (kiiruIJika) toward those who
will become apparent in the course of this short crucified him, and his desire to do good for
essay. everyone (suhrd). Prabhupada even offers Jesus
My project here will be rather limited in as an example of someone who had no enemies,
· scope; I will not attempt to assess or even for although the' world is a "treacherous" place, a
summarize the entirety of Prabhupada's siidhu himself does not bear enmity toward
response to Christian traditions, a project wpich anyone (660530bg.ny).
·has yet to be done in a satisfactory manner. Here This admiration for the character of Jesus,
I will discuss only his understanding of Jesus, however, is not seen merely in terms of
and that too in an abridged manner. In personality traits, but is placed squarely in the
Prabhupada's written and spoken teachings, we context of Jesus' work and message. Indeed, it
find nearly 1500 references to Jesus. In the vast can be argued that Prabhupada' s strongest
.majority of these instances, Jesus is also called affinity for Jesus lay in the realm of mission. In

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DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1459
 Gupta: "He is our master": Jesus in the Thought of Swami Prabhupada
"He is our master": Jesus in the Thought of Swami Prabhupada 17

his commentary on the Bhagavad-glta, redemption through Jesus Christ is never called
Prabhupada writes, into question by Prabhupada, for he repeatedly
affirms Christ's role as guru. In another
There are many examples in history of conversation, he recalls: "Once, in Melbourne, a
devotees of the Lord who risked their lives group of Christian ministers came to visit me.
for the spreading of God consciousness. The They asked, 'What is your idea of Jesus Christ?'
favorite example is Lord Jesus Christ. He I told them, 'He is our guru. He is preaching
was crucified by the nondevotees, but he God consciousness, so he is our spiritual
sacrificed his life for spreading God master. '" (Self-Realization 135-6). In his role as
consciousness .... Similarly, in India also guru, Jesus is worthy of emulation by all
there are many examples, such as rhakura Vai~:r;tavas, but especially by those who have
Haridasa and Prahlada Maharaja. Why such chosen discipleship in his sampradaya. In this
risk? 'Because they wanted to spread Kr~:r;ta regard, Prabhupada was at times critical of
consciousness, and it is difficult. A Kr~:r;ta Christians for making their guru suffer by
conscious person knows that if a man 'is continuing their sinful behavior and not
suffering it is due to his forgetfulness of his following his teachings faithfully. "Christ can
eternal relationship with Kr~:r;ta. Therefore, take the sufferings for the previous sins of his
the highest benefit one can render to human devotees. But first they have to be sane: 'Why
society is relieving one's neighbor from all should I put Jesus Christ into suffering for my
material problems (11.55). 6 sins? Let me stop my sinful activities.'" (Self-
\
Realization 135).
Prabhupada frequently juxtaposes Jesus'with Gurus who display extraordinary sacrifice
V ai~:r;tava saints such as Prahlada, Nityananda, and skill in service to God are regarded by
Haridasa, and even Buddha as examples of Prabhupada as saktyavesa avataras. "In the
persons who suffered as a result of their extensive typology of avataras found in Caitanya
persistence in practice and rrusslOn Vai~:r;tava theology, saktyavesas are distinct
(710908sb.lon). Their persistence is described because they are not direct descents of God
by Prabhupada as a product of their compassion himself. They are rather human beings who have
toward others' suffering (Bhagavatam 11.2.5). been invested with (or possessed by) an aspect
In theological terms, this benevolence is of' God's power, and so they display
embodied by the, guru or ~ spiritual master. extraordinary influence as they go about their
According to the eighteenth century Gauc;li:ya work. In Caitanya V ai~:r;tava tradition, the
theologian Visvanatha Cakravarti, the guru's travelling sage Narada, the learned seers called
primary quality is compassion, which pours Kumaras, and the historical Buddha are placed
. forth without discrimination like the monsoon in this category. Prabhupada explains that Jesus
rains (741219sb.bom). When the master initiates: should also be regarded as a saktya vesa avafua
a disciple, he takes upon himself the disciple's because he "preached' about the glorification of
past sins, wiping the karmic slate clean. In the Supreme Lord" and "sacrificed everything
instances where the stock. of bad karma is for preaching the glories of the Lord"
particularly large (because of the large number (661231cc.ny). "We should not think of him as
of disciples or their sinfulness), the guru may . an ordiJ;lary human being" (Self-Realization
suffer for s()me of his disciples' karma. In a 136).
conversation with a disciple, Prabhupada Thus for Prabhupada, redemption through
elaborates, "So to become a guru is not an easy Christ is primarily a result of discipleship, and
task. You see? He has to take all the poisons and Jesus' suffering is evidence of that redemption.
absorb [them]. '" .. That idea is in Bible. Just like His unbounded compassion led him to be
Jesus Christ took all the sinful reactions of all extraordinarily' liberal in inviting disciples,
people and sacrificed his life. That is the which resulted in his suffering on the cross. "
responsibility of spiritual master." Jesus' death, however, is a different matter. '
(720227ta.may). Thus the possibility of Indeed, Prabhupada held that Jesus' death was

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 Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 23 [2010], Art. 7

18 Ravi M. Gupta

only apparent, and his argument was based Prabhupada: "Died" means that is similar
largely on fundamental metaphysical [to] death. Janma karma me divyam. ["My
assumptions held by Vaiglavas. The self is birth and action are divine."] ...
eternal and the material body always inert, and Guest: No, it is very important that the death
thus even ordinary persons do not die of Christ is a real death. For us, it is the
(740615rc.par). What we call death is merely a center of our faith.
separation of the self from the body, but the very Prabhupada: No according to Vedic
fact that Jesus reappeared in the same body is conception, even ordinary living being, he
I!
"I:li: evidence that he did not die (690103bg.la). does not die. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire .
I:'!I .. apparently, the body being dead, the soul
Prabhupada offers two alternate possibilities: as
an adept yogi, Jesus was skilled in maintaining is never dead. (740615rc.par)
life even with the vital signs absent
(Bhagavatam 7.3.18); or in more Docetic There is little ~doubt that Prabhupada's Jesus
fashion, Jesus possessed a spiritual body that is is a vaiglavized Jesus, understood in terms of
eternal and indestructible (690103bg.la). In Caitanya V ai~I).ava metaphysical assumptions
either case, Prabhupada does not attempt t6 and theological categories such as atma, sadhu,
definitively resolve the question of Jesus' death avatiira, and guru. Yet it is also clear that
and resurrection; for him the primary message of Prabhupada does not intend to subsume Jesus
Christ's life is his suffering, and the kindness, wholly within his own tradition, as yet another
forbearance, and courage that ,such a sacrifice individual in a long list of gurus and avatiiras. In
requires. a conversation on scriptural hermeneutics with
As one would expect, Prabhupada's Emmanuel Jungclaussen, a Benedictine monk of
preclusion of a real death for Jesus became a the Niederalteich Monastery in Bavaria,
point of contention in his conversations with Prabhupada concludes by saying, "I have not
Christians. In these instances, Prabhupada come to teach you, but only .to request you to.
approached the argument in a manner typical to please chant the name of God .... If you simply
Vedantic debate: he treated Christianity as he chant the name of God found in your own
would an orthodox school of Indian philosophy, scriptures, you will attain the spiritual platform."
and Jesus as he would the founder of such a (Self Realization 131). "In all religions,"
school. This accords Christianity the status of a Prabhupada writes elsewhere, "temple worship
valid system of practice, but also opens it up to and acceptance of authority are present. We may
questioning and debate based on shared accept Kr~I).a, or Lord Jesus Christ, or Jehovah,
interpretive assumptions and scriptural or Lord Buddha, or Sailkaracarya, or Guru
authority. In personal conversations, Prabhupada Nanak, but in any case acceptance of authority is
often asked Christians to ground themselves required. In Bhagavad-gHa Lord Sri Kr~I).a is
firmly in their own scriptural tradition, thus accepted as the supreme authority." (Elevation
recognizing it as valid source of knowledge, but 6). '
he also did not hesitate to offer a critique based There is a sense in Prabhupada that religious
on his own scriptural sources.' In a lively traditions stand and fall together-if the validity
conversation in Paris about Jesus' death, a guest of onC? is compromised, so it is for the others. As
disagrees with Prabhupada at one point and says, S.K. Ghose puts it in his biography of Caitanya,
"You cannot [deny this]. We accept th'e totality. "If it is a fact that a Messiah was born in Judea
.of the word, as you accept your word." nineteen hundred years ago, it seems not
P:rabhupada does not back down from hi~ unreasonable to suppose that, in other places,
position, but instead. quotes a verse from the other Messiahs might appear at periods of the
Bhagavad-gIta, in effect asking her to accept the history of the world, and in different localities.
validity of his scripture. Thus the advent of Jesus Christ establishes the
possibility of the divine character of Sree
Gauranga; and, in the same way, the advent of

, II

:1
II
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 Gupta: "He is our master": Jesus in the Thought of Swami Prabhupada
"He is our master": Jesus in the Thought of Swami Prabhupada 19

Sree Gauranga establishes the possibility of the Kennedy, Melville. The Chaitanya Movement: A •
advent of Jesus Christ." (10). Study of the VaishI}avism of Bengal. London:
Oxford UP, 1925.
Notes Malkovsky, Bradley. "Christ in Hinduism:
Traditional Views and Recent Developments."
1 All quotations from Prabhupada's letters, lectures,
Alternative Christs. Ed. Olav Hammer.
and conversations 'are drawn from the electronic Cainbridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
anthology produced by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust pp. 150-169.
called The Complete Teachings. They are cited using Morrison, John. New Ideas in India During the
the unique reference number assigned to each entry Nineteenth Century: A Study of Social, Political,
in the anthology (e.g., 730421mw.la). References to and Religious Developments. Edinburgh: George
Prabhupada's written works, such as his A. Morton, 1906.
commentaries on the Bhagavad-gitii and Bhiigavata Prabhupada, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. Bhagavad-
PuriiI}.a, are cited, as usual, by giving page or verse gitii As Itls. 2nd ed. Los Angeles: Bhaktivedanta
numbers. Book Trust, 1983.
2 See for example Prabhupada's morning walk
The Complete Teachings. Electronic database.
conversation on April 21, 1973: "We respected our version 2003.1. Bhaktivedanta Archives, 2003.
professors like our fathers. The relationship between Elevation to K[$I}a Consciousness. New York:
the student and the professors was very good. I had • Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1973.
one Scottish professor, Dr. W.S. Urquhart. He was The Science of Self-Realization. Los Angeles:
my nice friend. He was professor of philosophy, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1968.
psychology. Later on he became vice-chancellor" Srimad Bhiigavatam. 18 vols. Los Angeles:
(730421mw.la). . Bhaktivedanta Book Trust,-1987.
3 The most extensive hagiography of Prabhupada is
Schmidt, Peter. Krishna Meets Jesus: A.c.
Satsvariipa dasa Goswami's seven-volume .5rila Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupiida's
Prabhupiida-Liliim[ta. Interpretations and Conclusions about
4 .See for example his conversation with Cardinal
Christianity. Germany: Books on Demand
Danielou in Paris, published in The Science of Self GmbH, 2002.
Realization (115). Sen, Rai Bahadur Dinesh Chandra. Chaitanya and
5 titiksavah kiirunikah suhrdah sarva-dehiniim
His Age. Calcutta: U of Calcutta, 1922.
ajata-§atra·valJ Sa~talJ· Sadhav;.p sadhu-bhii$aIJ.iiJ;l Sen, Keshub Chunder. Asia's Message to Europe: A
6 The verse upon which Prabhupada is commenting
lecture delivered on the fifty-third anniversary of
here occurs at .the end of chapter eleven, after Kr~:Q.a the Brahmo Samaj. Calcutta: Bhidan Press,
has shown Arjuna his cosmic form. Prabhupada 1883.
translates the. verse as follows, "My dear Arjuna, he
who engages in My pure devotional service, free
from the contaminations of fruitive activities and
mental speculation, he who works for Me, who
makes Me the supreme goal of his life, and who is
friendly to every living being-he ,certainly comes to
Me." Prabhupada makes the above comment about
Jesus while explaining the phrase ':friendly to every
living being."

Works Consulted . ~
. Chakravarti, Kshitish Chandra. Life of Sri Chaitanya.
Calcutta: Nadiya Printing Works, 1897.
Ghose, Shishir Kumar. Lord Gauranga, or Salvation
for All. vol. b 2nd ed. Calcutta: P.K. Ghose,
1907.
Goswami, Satsvariipa dasa. Sma Prabhupiida-
Liliimrta: A Biography of His Divine Grace A.c.
Bhakdvedanta Swami Prabhupiida. Los Angeles:
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1980.

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