Kersten's theory is based on a close reading of ancient texts, including the Bible, the Mahabharata, and other Eastern spiritual traditions. He notes that the Mahabharata, a Hindu epic text, contains descriptions of a wise and powerful yogi named "Jaschtu" or "Jeshtu," who bears striking similarities to the Jesus of the New Testament. Kersten argues that this text provides evidence that a figure similar to Jesus was known in ancient India.
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Enter , a German author and theologian whose 1983 book, Jesus Lived in India , turned biblical scholarship on its head. While mainstream academia largely dismisses his work, Kersten’s theory has sparked a cult following, documentaries, and even pilgrimages to a hidden tomb in Kashmir. Kersten's theory is based on a close reading
Kersten’s response to these critiques is pragmatic: "The silence of the Gospels about the 'Lost Years' is louder than any Roman inscription. The Church had a vested interest in creating a unique, non-Pagan, non-Buddhist Jesus. The evidence is circumstantial, but a very long chain of circumstantial evidence is still a rope." Keywords integrated: Holger Kersten Jesus lived in India,
According to the Hemis text, Issa left Judea as a teenager, traveled to India, studied the Vedas and Buddhism, preached against the caste system, returned to Palestine at 29, was crucified, and—critically—survived the crucifixion.
While Kersten's hypothesis has garnered attention and interest, it has also faced criticism and skepticism from scholars and theologians. Some argue that: