THE LOST YEARS OFJESUS Elizabeth Clare Prophet Documentary evidence of Jesus'17-year journey to the East SUMMIT UNIVERSITY PRESS® . .Your Jesus was here." THE GOSPELS record Jesus age twelve in the temple. Then about age thirty at the river Jordan. That leaves approximately seventeen years un- accounted for. During those so-called lost years, the child "increased in wisdom and stature," as Luke wrote. But was it in the carpenter shop at Nazareth? According to ancient Tibetan manuscripts, Jesus secretly withdrew from the home of Mary and Joseph at age thirteen. Young "Issa" joined a merchant caravan. Destination: India and the Himalayas. At Juggernaut, "the white priests of Brahma made him a joyous welcome. They taught him to read and understand the Vedas, to cure by aid of prayer, to teach, to explain the holy scriptures to the people, and to drive out evil spirits from the bodies of men." • Buddhist scholars documented "The Life of Saint Issa" two thousand years ago. • Nicolas Notovitch discovered the long- lost document in 1887 at the Himis monastery in Ladakh. • Swami Abhedananda published a Bengali translation of the Himis manuscript in 1929. • Nicholas Roerich quoted the same verses in a 1929 travel diary of his Asian expedition. • And in 1939, a beaming lama at Himis presented a set of parchments to Elisabeth Caspari with the words: "These books say your Jesus was here!" Now you can read the controversial stories of these travelers together with the original Bud- dhist scriptures on the most important events that shaped the life and work of the Saviour Jesus Christ. A historical breakthrough that will shake the foundations of modern Christendom! Contents 1 CHAPTER ONE THE LOST YEARS OF JESUS Analysis of eyewitness accounts of travelers who have made the trek to Himis 3 The Case for Issa ILLUSTRATIONS - Paintings THE ART OF NICHOLAS ROERICH iv Issa and the Skull of the Giant 75 Portrait of Nicholas Roerich by Sviatoslav Roerich 76 The Mountain Schitrovaya 77 Pink Mountains, Himalayas 78 Midnight 79 The Watch on the Himalayas 80 The Walled Stronghold 81 Signs of Christ 82 Mount of Five Treasures, Kanchenjunga 83 The Steed of Good Fortune Leh, Ladakh viii CONTENTS 84 Path to Tibet 85 Tsam in Mongolia 86 Tibet 87 Glacial Heights 88 Remember 89 Star of the Hero 90 Maitreya 91 CHAPTER TWO THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST Nicolas Notovitch's original work, including The Life of Saint Issa 92 Photograph of Nicolas Notovitch 93 Translator's Note 100 To the Publishers 115 Preface 122 Journey to Thibet 212 The Life of Saint Issa Best of the Sons of Men ENCRAVINGS 121 The Authors Itinerary across India 164 The Author's Itinerary across Kashmir and Ladak 168 Ladakian Women CONTENTS ix 176 Young People Dressed for a Wedding 178 Leh, Capital of Ladak (Little Thibet), Seen from the Carare 180 Portrait of the Governor of Ladak 182 Thibetan Lamas 184 Musicians of the Monastery 187 Masqueraders with Conical Hats 188 Copper Masks 191 Thlogan-Poudma-Jungnas 192 Masqueraders in the Suite of the Gods 195 Masqueraders with Golden Crowns 196 The God of Animals 199 Youths Dressed as Warriors 200 Youths Dressed as Warriors CHAPTER THREE ON THE TRAIL TO HIMIS Selections from Swami Abhedananda's In Kashmir and Tibet with his translation of the Himis manuscript 248 Photograph of Swami Abhedananda 249 Editor's Note 251 Himis Monastery 256 Jesus Christ, the Leader of Men As Described in the Manuscript of the Himis Retreat * CONTENTS 263 CHAPTER FOUR LEGENDS OF THE EAST Nicholas Roerich—Excerpts from Altai-Himalaya, Heart of Asia, and Himalaya, with original texts on Saint Issa 264 Photograph of Nicholas Roerich 265 Roerich the Man, His Expedition and Finds 295 The Ancient Texts on Christ in India, Nepal, Ladakh, and Tibet 311 CHAPTER FIVE "THESE BOOKS SAY YOUR JESUS WAS HERE!" Elisabeth Caspari s testimony on the texts at Himis 312 Pholograph of Elisabeth Caspari 313 The Parchment in Hand 319 Photographs by Charles and Elisabeth Caspari 357 CHAPTER SIX LADAKH TODAY-IMPRESSIONS OF A CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGIST Dr. Robert S. Ravicz traces the traditions of life and worship to the present CONTENTS xi 359 Colorful Crossroads of an Ancient Culture 361 Photographs by Dr. Robert S. Ravicz and Edward F. Noack 385 Map of Jesus' Journey to the East according to Notovitch, Abhedananda, and Roerich 393 CHAPTER SEVEN EPILOGUE A Tale of Two Worlds 394 Jesus Approaching Ladakh as a Youth by J. Michael Spooner 395 A Few Final Questions 405 CHAPTER EIGHT CREDITS After the Final Curtain A Tribute to the Scriptwriter and the Cast 407 Acknowledgment of Collaborators 418 NOTES 445 BIBLIOGRAPHY Leh is a remarkable site. Here the legends connected the paths of Buddha and Christ. Buddha went through Leh northwards. Issa communed here with the people on his way from Tibet. Secretly and cautiously the legends are guarded. It is difficult to sound them because lamas, above all people, know how to keep silent. Only by means of a common language— and not merely that of tongue but also of inner understanding—can one approach their significant mysteries. Nicholas Roerich Chapter One THE LOST YEARS OFjESUS Analysis of eyewitness accounts of travelers who have made the trek to Himis And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written... John The Case for Issa magine you are a detective. An unusual case Icomes across your desk. You open a yellowed folder. It isn't exactly a case of a mistaken identity or a missing person. It is a missing background- some lost years. And the particulars are spare. Date of birth unknown. Exact year of birth also unknown; sometime between 8 and 4 B.C. Place of birth disputed. Thought to be Beth- lehem.1 Father, Joseph, a carpenter. Came from a noble and illustrious line beginning with Abraham and continuing through Isaac and Jacob to David the King—then through Solomon to Jacob, the father of Joseph, husband of Mary. Human lineage thus established through paternal descent, though father's paternity vehe- mently denied by some in favor of doctrine of virgin birth. One account records him "being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph" but traces his royal origin through genealogy of Mary, his mother.2 Adventurous early life. Fled with parents to Egypt after father had a dream. Returned to J 4 ELIZABETH CLARE PROPHET CHAPTER ONE Nazareth, or thereabouts, an unspecified number of years later. By this time you realize what you might be getting into. But it doesn't add up. Why a file on Jesus? You read on. At about age thirty, began a mission. Was baptized by a cousin, John. Traveled extensively with a band of twelve disciples for about three years. Preached, healed the sick, raised the dead. Was framed by Jewish high priest Caiaphas and Sanhe- drin. Sentenced by Roman procurator Pontius Pilate against his better judgment. Crucified by four Roman soldiers. Taken down from cross and laid in tomb by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Orthodox position: Rose from the dead on the third day.' Taught disciples forty days. Then dis- appeared from their sight in "a cloud." Ascended into heaven and sat on the right hand of God. Contradicted by second-century tradition that he spent many years on earth after resurrection.4 Church Father Irenaeus asserts he lived at least ten to twenty years after crucifixion: On completing His thirtieth year He suf- fered, being in fact still a young man, and who had by no means attained to advanced age. Now, that the first stage of early life embraces thirty years, and that this extends onwards to the fortieth year, every one will admit; but from the fortieth and fiftieth year a man begins to decline towards old age, THE LOST YEARS OF JESUS 2 3 which our Lord possessed while He still fulfilled the office of a Teacher, even as the Gospel and all the elders testify; those who were conversant in Asia with John, the dis- ciple of the Lord, [affirming] that John con- veyed to them that information. [Against Heresies, c. 180]5 View supported by third-century Gnostic text Pistis Sophia: It came to pass, when Jesus had risen from the dead, that he passed eleven years dis- coursing with his disciples and instructing them 6 Impact of his life and teachings incalculable. Sought to effect change by purifying men's hearts. Called the greatest revolutionary. Story told in various forms in New Testament and apocryphal writings. Followers, now 1.4 bil- lion, called Christians.7 Largest of all faiths. Christian nations now culturally, economi- cally, and politically dominant. All human history divided by his birth—B.C., A.D. Suggests his com- ing is the pivot of history. You take a deep breath and exhale slowly. This is no small case. An investigation into the past of one of the most influential persons in history. You look up from your desk, past the typewriter to a calendar on the wall. It is an old, old case. You return to the file. It is full of unanswered questions. J 6 ELIZABETH CLARE PROPHET CHAPTER ONE No record of his existence made during his life. If made, did not survive. Nothing he may have written survived either. No record of what he looked like: height, weight, color of hair or eyes. No distinguishing marks.8 Few details about his childhood. Little infor- mation about his family and home life.