Spiritual significance of Jesus Christ – His birth, resurrection and atonement

Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Begotten Son of God, the Father is one of the greatest of saints, messiah, and prophet, who walked on earth. Let us briefly analyse the spiritual significance of His birth, life, crucifixion, atonement and resurrection.

Esoteric Significance of the Time of Birth 

  According to traditional account the 25^th of December, is widely celebrated as the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ by most Christians in many parts of the globe. However, some Christians particularly belonging to Russia, Egypt, Greece etc., it is celebrated around the timeframe of 6^th or 7^thJanuary. 

Please remember that there is no direct reference in any of the Four Canonical Gospels in the New Testament of the Holy Bible. The Gospels of St. Mark and St. Paul make no reference to when Jesus was born nor even about his Virgin birth while the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke, although they include an account of Jesus' virgin birth, even they do not mention the time of year, when the actual event occurred. St. Mark only indirectly relates it to a celestial event viz. the appearance of the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem, more popularly known as the Christmas Star during the दक्षिणायन (dakṣiṇāyana - southern declination / Winter Solstice).

One of the earliest references to the birth of Christ being on the 25th of December is contained in ancient Roman calendar containing the chronographical tracing of important events. The 8^th section of the calendar manuscript contains list of consular feasts between 508 BCE and 354 ADE. 

In this section, there is a following reference:

“When these were consuls, Jesus Christ was born 8 days before the Kalends of January on the day of Venus"   - Chronography of 354 

Based on this reference, deducting 8 days from the 1^st of January, early hours of  25^th of December is calculated as the birth date of Lord Jesus. This date was only formalized by the Roman emperor Constantine..

If this be so, then one may wonder, why certain countries are celebrating Christmas in January (6^th or 7^th). The clue to the same can also be found in the 12^th part of the same Chronography wherein it is stated “Ian. Natus Christus in Betleem Iudeae (Jan. Birthday Christ in Bethlehem, Judea)”

Thus, it is clear that both references to the birth of Christmas point to a time-frame between middle of December and January. Co-incidentally, according to the Hindu religious almanac, this period corresponds to மார்கழி மாதம் / मृगशीर्ष मास (mārkaḻi mātam / mṛgaśīrṣa māsa - mid Dec to mid Jan month), which is considered as the pinnacle of spiritual events. In fact, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण परमात्म (bhagavān śrī kṛṣṇa paramātma) Himself declares "மாதங்களில் நான் மார்கழி (mātaṅkaḷil nāṉ mārkaḻi – among months I am maargazhi)", as testified in the following verse: 

Original	Transliteration	Translation
बृहत् साम तथा साम्नां गयत्री चन्दसाम् अहम्। मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतुनां कुसुमाकरः॥	bṛhat sāma tathā sāmnāṁ gayatrī candasām aham| māsānāṁ mārgaśīrṣo'hamṛtunāṁ kusumākaraḥ||	Of the hymns in the Sama Veda I am the Brhat-sama, and of poetry I am the Gayatri. Of months I am Margasirsa [November-December] and of seasons I am flower-bearing spring.
Sanskrit Reference: श्रीमद् भग्वत् गीता (śrīmad bhagvat gītā) (10.35)

    Astronomically, speaking, the दक्षिणायन पर्व सूर्यस्य (dakṣiṇāyana parva sūryasya -  southern declination period of the sun) ranges between the months of ஆடி மாதம் / आषाढ मास (āḍi mātam / āṣāḍha māsa) and மார்கழி மாதம் / मृगशीर्ष मास (mārkaḻi mātam / mṛgaśīrṣa māsa - mid Dec to mid Jan month).

The sacred Tamil solar month of - ஆடி / आषाढ (āḍi / āṣāḍha) corresponds to Gregorian calendar between July mid to August mid. Astrologically (and thereby astronomically) speaking, the beginning of ஆடி (āḍi) corresponds to the celestial event of कर्क सङ्क्रान्ति (karka saṅkrānti - Cancer transition) that is, the annual transition of the सूर्य (sūrya - sun)  to the कर्कटक राशि / கடக ராசி (karkaṭaka rāśi / kaṭaka rāsi - Cancer Zodiac) from here on begins दक्षिणायण सूर्यस्य (dakṣiṇāyaṇa sūryasya - southward movement of sun) - theologized as भगवान् श्री सूर्य नरायण (bhagavān śrī sūrya narāyaṇa). In terms of (astronomical) seasonal changes, the period of दक्षिणायण पर्वणः (dakṣiṇāyaṇa parvaṇaḥ - period of southward movement) falls between the two celestial events of the ग्रीष्म अयन (grīṣma ayana - summer solstice) and the हेमन्त अयन (hemanta ayana - winter solstice). Etymologically speaking, the English term ‘solstice’ is derived from the Latin words’ ‘sol’, meaning ‘Sun’ and ‘sister’ that means ‘to stand still’.

Please recollect our geography lessons that Tropic of Cancer & Tropic of Capricorn are significant space-time points in the celestial sphere. The अयनानि (ayanāni - solstices) are again two other points on the ecliptic plane intersecting the circumference of the celestial sphere called उदगयन / उतररायन (udagayana / utararāyana – northern declination / Summer Solstice) in June when the सूर्य (sūrya - sun) is over the Tropic of Cancer, where the tilt of भुवन (bhuvana - earth)s access is closest to the सूर्य (sūrya - sun) and the हेमान्तायन / दक्षिणायन (dakṣiṇāyana / hemantāyana  -  southern declination / Winter Solstice) when the tilt is farthest from the सूर्य (sūrya - sun), which would be above the Tropic of Capricorn sometime in December. Etymologically speaking, the English term ‘solstice’ is derived from the Latin words’ ‘sol’ meaning ‘sun’ and ‘sister’ that means ‘to stand still’. Again, in terms of तारक ऋतुकालः (tāraka ṛtukālaḥ - sidereal seasons) this event marks the beginning of the annual ÀÉ¢ ¸¡Äõ / शिसिर काल (pani kaalam/ śisira kāla – winter time).

From an astrological perspective, this மார்கழி மாதம் / मृगशीर्ष मास(mārkaḻi mātam / mṛgaśīrṣa māsa - mid Dec to mid Jan month)  is also called 'धनुर्मास (dhanurmāsa)' as this month corresponds to the astrological event of धनुः सङ्क्रमण (dhanuḥ saṅkramaṇa – Sagittarius transition) when the सूर्यग्रह (sūryagraha- solar-seizer) transits to the धनुर्राशि (dhanurrāśi – sagittarius zodiac).

Thus, there is deeper celestial significance relating to the event of Christmas and सूर्योपासन (sūryopāsana – solar worship).  Similarities between Lord Jesus Christ and Lord श्री मित्रदेवा (śrī mitradevā – Lord Mitra) who was an important deity common to the ancient cultures of Mithraic mystery cults, Vedic (Indian), Zoroastrian (Persian) and Greco-Roman civilizations. We shall discuss this aspect in greater detail later.. 

  Interestingly,  the birth date of Christ is also has another astrological significance as it is associated with the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem. 

    For example, it is declared thus in the famous dialogue between בִּלְעָם (bīlʿam - balaam) and King בָּלָק  (bīlʿam - bālāq), which occurs in the  סֵפֶר בְּמִדְבַּר (sefer bamidbar – book of numbers), which is the Fourth Book of Mosses as part of penanteuch (five cannons) constituting the The Holy Torah (The Old Testament)

Original	Transliteration	Jewish Translation	Catholic Christian Translation (KJV)
אַרְ֙נּו֙ וְלֹ֣א עָּ֔ה אשור֖נו ולֹ֣א קְר֑וב דָרַך קוקִב מֽיַעַחֵב וק֥ח שֵ֙ב֙ מישראֵל ומחץף֙ פַּ֣י וְעֶי וְקְזר כּללבני-שֽ׃׃	Lo veré, mas no ahora; lo miraré, mas no en breve. De Jacob saldrá una estrella, y de Israel se levantará un cetro (el rey David), que aplastará los costados (señores) de Moav y dominará a todos los hijos de Set.	I see it, but not now; I behold it, but not soon. A star has gone forth from Jacob, and a staff will arise from Israel which will crush the princes of Moab and uproot all the sons of Seth.	I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh there shall come a Star out of Jacob and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the corners of Moab and destroy all the children of Sheth
Greek Reference 1: Holy Tānāḵh: (sefer bamidbar – book of numbers) (24:17)

Similarly, St. Mathew, one of the Twelve Apostles of Lord Jesus Christ, in his Gospel, which is one amongst the Four Canonical Gospels in the New Testament of the Holy Bible further testifies thus: 

Original	Transliteration	Translation
Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ γεννηθέντος ἐν Βηθλέεμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐν ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως, ἰδοὺ μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα λέγοντες “Ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ τεχθεὶς βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων; εἴδομεν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ καὶ ἤλθομεν προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ.” Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἡρῴδης ἐταράχθη, καὶ πᾶσα Ἱεροσόλυμα μετ’ αὐτοῦ, καὶ συναγαγὼν πάντας τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ γραμματεῖς τοῦ λαοῦ ἐπυνθάνετο παρ’ αὐτῶν ποῦ ὁ Χριστὸς γεννᾶται. Οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· “Ἐν Βηθλέεμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας· οὕτως γὰρ γέγραπται διὰ τοῦ προφήτου· ‘Καὶ σύ, Βηθλέεμ γῆ Ἰούδα, οὐδαμῶς ἐλαχίστη εἶ ἐν τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν Ἰούδα· ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ ἐξελεύσεται ἡγούμενος, ὅστις ποιμανεῖ τὸν λαόν μου τὸν Ἰσραήλ.’” Τότε Ἡρῴδης λάθρᾳ καλέσας τοὺς μάγους ἠκρίβωσεν παρ’ αὐτῶν τὸν χρόνον τοῦ φαινομένου ἀστέρος, καὶ πέμψας αὐτοὺς εἰς Βηθλέεμ εἶπεν· “Πορευθέντες ἐξετάσατε ἀκριβῶς περὶ τοῦ παιδίου· ἐπὰν δὲ εὕρητε, ἀπαγγείλατέ μοι, ὅπως κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν προσκυνήσω αὐτῷ.” Οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπορεύθησαν· καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ, ὃν εἶδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ, προῆγεν αὐτούς ἕως ἐλθὼν ἐστάθη ἐπάνω οὗ ἦν τὸ παιδίον. ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα. καὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν εἶδον τὸ παιδίον μετὰ Μαρίας τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ πεσόντες προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀνοίξαντες τοὺς θησαυροὺς αὐτῶν προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ δῶρα, χρυσὸν καὶ λίβανον καὶ σμύρναν. Καὶ χρηματισθέντες κατ’ ὄναρ μὴ ἀνακάμψαι πρὸς Ἡρῴδην, δι’ ἄλλης ὁδοῦ ἀνεχώρησαν εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν.	tou de iēsou gennēthentos en bēthleem tēs ioudaias en ēmerais ērōdou tou basileōs idou magoi apo anatolōn paregenonto eis ierosoluma legontes pou estin o techtheis basileus tōn ioudaiōn eidomen gar autou ton astera en tē anatolē kai ēlthomen proskunēsai autō akousas de o basileus ērōdēs etarachthē kai pasa ierosoluma met autou kai sunagagōn pantas tous archiereis kai grammateis tou laou epunthaneto par autōn pou o christos gennatai oi de eipan autō en bēthleem tēs ioudaias outōs gar gegraptai dia tou prophētou kai su bēthleem gē iouda oudamōs elachistē ei en tois ēgemosin iouda ek sou gar exeleusetai ēgoumenos ostis poimanei ton laon mou ton israēl tote ērōdēs lathra kalesas tous magous ēkribōsen par autōn ton chronon tou phainomenou asteros kai pempsas autous eis bēthleem eipen poreuthentes exetasate akribōs peri tou paidiou epan de eurēte apangeilate moi opōs kagō elthōn proskunēsō autō oi de akousantes tou basileōs eporeuthēsan kai idou o astēr on eidon en tē anatolē proēgen autous eōs elthōn estathē epanō ou ēn to paidion idontes de ton astera echarēsan charan megalēn sphodra kai elthontes eis tēn oikian eidon to paidion meta marias tēs mētros autou kai pesontes prosekunēsan autō kai anoixantes tous thēsaurous autōn prosēnenkan autō dōra chruson kai libanon kai smurnan kai chrēmatisthentes kat onar mē anakampsai pros ērōdēn di allēs odou anechōrēsan eis tēn chōran autōn	Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea jin the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born lking of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Greek Reference 1: Holy Bible: Mathew(2:1-12)

Astronomically speaking, the identifying the nature of the Star of Bethlehem has been a much controversially debated topic amidst scholars and scientists. While some scholars speculate that the celestial body could have been 

• A passing विकेश (vikeśa - comet) or a उल्का (ulkā - metorite), that was visible to the three μάγοι (magians - astrologers) from the Zoroastrian civilization (Mesopotamia Persia). 
• Alternatively, the celestial event could astrologically refer to the ग्रहयुति (grahyutia – planetary conjunctions) between three planets viz.  चन्द्रग्रह (candragraha – moon planet), शनिग्रह (śanigraha – Saturn planet) & गुरुग्रह (gurugraha – Jupiter planet) in the house of मीनराशि (mīnarāśi – pisces sign).
• Alternatively, lunar occultation of गुरुग्रह (gurugraha – Jupiter planet) in the मेषराशि (meṣarāśi – aries sign). 
• Could possibly be a white dwarf star explosion technically called nova or could be even a Super Nova from astral constellations. For example, the eminent mathematician and physicist F.J Tipler speculates that the star of Star of Bethlehem refers to type Ia/Ic supernova in the Andromeda Galaxy which corresponds to उत्तरभाद्रपद नक्षत्र (uttarabhādrapada nakṣatra – asterism γ pegasi and α andromedae)

Esoteric Significance of Place of Birth 

It is believed that Lord Jesus Christ was born in the holy town of ת לֶחֶם (bet leḥem – bethlehem – house of food), which is Sanskrit translates as अन्नग्रह (annagraha – abode of food).  which is part of יִשְׂרָאֵל‎ (yīsraʾel – Israel – power of god). Thus, the birth-place of Lord Jesus Christ which is called ֵּית לֶחֶם (bet leḥem – Bethlehem – house of food), corresponds to अन्नमयकोश (annamayakośa – food dominated sheath) in terms of सनातनधर्म हिन्दुत्वस्य (sanātanadharma hindutvasya– eternal spirituality of Hinduism).   

   

I am reminded of the famous Latin hymn “Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)” which is a Christmas Carol attributed to John Francis Wade, translated to English by the Christian Priest Frederick Oakeley

Original	Catholic Christian Translation (KJV)
Adeste fideles læti triumphantes, Venite, venite in Bethlehem. Natum videte Regem angelorum: Venite adoremus (3×) Dominum. Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine Gestant puellæ viscera Deum verum, genitum non factum. Venite adoremus (3×) Dominum Cantet nunc io, chorus angelorum; Cantet nunc aula cælestium, Gloria, gloria in excelsis Deo, Venite adoremus (3×) Dominum. Ergo qui natus die hodierna. Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Patris æterni Verbum caro factum. Venite adoremus (3×) Dominum.	O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant! O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold him Born the King of Angels: O come, let us adore Him, (3×) Christ the Lord. God of God, light of light, Lo, he abhors not the Virgin's womb; Very God, begotten, not created: O come, let us adore Him, (3×) Christ the Lord. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, Sing, all ye citizens of Heaven above! Glory to God, glory in the highest: O come, let us adore Him, (3×) Christ the Lord. Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be glory given! Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! O come, let us adore Him, (3×) Christ the Lord.
Latin Reference 1: Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful) (1-4)

As we all know, the अन्नमय कोश (annamaya kośa - food / physical sheath) forms the lowest rung in the ladder of consciousness; it predominately consists of all the material entities observed in the भु मण्डल (bhu maṇḍala - terrestrial world) including all the varieties of phenomenal manifestations of Mother Nature. In simple words, it refers to the outer most expression of the objective external “world out there” providing the foundation for evolution.

But even before probing into the details of this plane, let us in the first place understand why the ancient Hindu Vedantic wisdom calls it the अन्नमयकोश (annamayakośa – food made sheath). But before getting into the “why?”, let us first understand the “what?”. Well, श्री आदि शंकराचार्य भगव्त्पाद (śrī ādi śaṃkarācārya bhagavtpāda) in his famous minor treatise तत्त्वबोधः (tattvabodhaḥ) states thus:

Original	Transliteration	Translation
अन्नमयः कः? अन्नरसेनैव भूत्वा अन्नरसेन्नैव वृद्धिं प्राप्य अन्नरूपपृथिव्यां यद् विलीयते अन्नमयः कोशः स्थूल शरीरम्॥	annamayaḥ kaḥ? annarasenaiva bhūtvā annarasennaiva vṛddhiṃ prāpya annarūpapṛthivyāṃ yad vilīyate annamayaḥ kośaḥ sthūla śarīram॥	What is the food (modified) sheath? The gross body, having come into existence by the essence of food alone, having gained growth, (and also) which resolves in the earth that is in the form of food, is food (modified) sheath. -translation by Swami Dayananda Saraswati.
Sanskrit Reference: तत्त्वबोधः (tattvabodhaḥ)

Although the above is a good definition, yet if you feel it does not clarify enough. Well here is one more explanation provided by the honorable भगव्त्पाद (bhagavtpāda) in another popular treatise विवेकचूडामणि (vivekacūḍāmaṇi – crest jewel of wisdom)

Original	Transliteration	Translation
देहोऽयम् अन्नभवनोऽन्नमयस्तु कोशो ह्यन्नेन जोवति विनश्यति तद्विहीनः। त्वक्चर्ममांसरुधिराथिपुरिषराशिः नायम् स्वयं भाविउअर्हति नित्यशुद्धः॥	deho'yam annabhavano'nnamayastu kośo hyannena jovati vinaśyati tadvihīnaḥ। tvakcarmamāṃsarudhirāthipuriṣarāśiḥ nāyam svayaṃ bhāviuarhati nityaśuddhaḥ॥	The body of ours is the product of food and comprises the material sheath; it lives on food and dies without it; it is a mask of skin, flesh, blood, bones and filth, and can never be eternally pure, self-existent atman. -translation by Swami Swmi Ranganathananda (RKM Order).
Sanskrit Reference: विवेकचूडामणि (vivekacūḍāmaṇi) (156)

Thus, in a nutshell, as explained by the द्वितय प्रकरण ग्रन्थौ (dvitaya prakaraṇa granthau – two explanatory treatises) quoted above, we can infer that as अन्न (anna - food) forms the main source of आहारम (āhāram – nutrition) for the very sustenance in the भौतिक व्रत (bhautika vrata – physical realm), the latter is tagged as the अन्नमयकोश (annamayakośa – food made sheath).

    With this basic understanding let us now learn about the nature and significance of अन्नमयकोश (annamayakośa – food made sheath) as declared in the sacred पञ्चम अनुवाक (pañcama anuvāka  – fifth passage) occurring in the ब्रह्मानन्दवल्ली (brahmānandavallī) section of the sacred तैत्तिरीय उपनिषद् (taittirīya upaniṣad). According to which:

Original	Transliteration	Translation
अन्नाद्वै प्रजाः प्रजायन्ते।याः काश्चपृथ्वींश्रिताः। अथो अन्नेनैव जीवन्ति।अथैनदपियन्त्यन्ततः। अन्नंहि भूतानां ज्येष्ठम्। तस्मातस्र्वैषध्मुच्यते। सर्व वै ते अन्नमापनुवन्ति येअन्नं ब्रह्मोपास्ते। अन्नंहि भूतानां ज्येष्ठम्। तस्मातसर्वैषध्मुच्यते। अन्नाद्भूतानि जायन्ते। जातान्यन्नेन वर्धन्तिए। अद्यतेऽत्ति च भूतानि। तस्मादन्नं तदुच्यत इति। तस्माद्वा एतस्मादन्नर समयादन्योऽन्तर आत्मा प्राणमयः। तेणैष पूर्णः। स व एष पुरुषविध एव। तस्य पुरुषविधतामन्वयं पुरुषविधः। तस्य प्राण एव शिरः। व्यानो दक्षिणः पक्षः। अपानः उत्तरः पक्षः। आकाश आत्मा। पृथ्वि पुच्छम् प्रतिष्ठा। तदप्येष श्लोल्को भवति॥	annādvai prajāḥ prajāyante। kāścapṛthivīṃśritāḥ। atho annenaiva jīvanti| athainadapiyantyantataḥ। annaṃhi bhūtānāṃ jyeṣṭham। tasmātasrvaiṣadhmucyate। sarva vai te annamāpanuvanti yeannaṃ brahmopāste। annaṃhi bhūtānāṃ jyeṣṭham। tasmātasarvaiṣadhmucyate। annādbhūtāni jāyante। jātānyannena vardhantie। adyate'tti ca bhūtāni। tasmādannaṃ taducyata iti। tasmādvā etasmādannara samayādanyo'ntara ātmā prāṇamayaḥ। teṇaiṣa pūrṇaḥ। sa va eṣa puruṣavidha eva। tasya puruṣavidhatāmanvayaṃ puruṣavidhaḥ। tasya prāṇa eva śiraḥ। vyāno dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ। apānaḥ uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ। ākāśa ātmā। pṛthvi puccham pratiṣṭhā। tadapyeṣa ślolko bhavati॥	Verily, all sorts and races of creatures that have their refuge upon earth, are begotten from food; thereafter they live also by food and it is to food again that they return at the end and last. For food is the eldest of created things and therefore they name it the Green Stuff of the universe. Verily, they who worship the Eternal as food, attain the mastery of food to the uttermost; for Food is the eldest of created things and there fore they name it the Green Stuff of the universe. From food all creatures are born and being born they grow by food. Lo, it is eaten and it eats; yea, it devours the creatures that feed upon it, therefore it is called food from the eating. Now there is a second and inner Self which is other than this that is of the substance of food; and it is made of the vital stuff called Prana. And the Self of Prana fills the Self of food. Now the Self of Prana is made in the image of a man; according as is the human image of the other, so is it in the image of the man. The main Breath is the head of him, the breath pervasor is his right side and the lower breath is his left side; ether is his spirit which is the self of him, earth is his lower member whereon he rests abidingly. Whereof this is the Scripture. translation by Sri Aurobindho
Sanskrit Reference: तैत्रीय उपनिषद् (taitrīya upaniṣad) (2.2.1)

Esoteric Significance of Virgin Birth

One of the earliest testimonies on the birth of Christ, is hinted by the eminent Jewish Latter Prophet Yəšaʿyāhū (Isaiyah) in the Holy Tānāḵh, which according to Christianity constitutes the Old Testament of the Holy Bible.

Original	Transliteration	Jewish Translation	Catholic Christian Translation (KJV)
לָכֵן יִתֵּן אֲדֹנָי הוּא לָכֶם אוֹת הִנֵּה הָעַלְמָה הָרָה וְיֹלֶדֶת בֵּן וְקָרָאת שְׁמוֹ עִמָּנוּאֵל	lā·ḵên yitên ’ă·ḏō·nāy hū lā·ḵem o·wt: hinneh hā·‘al·māh hā·rāh wə·yō·le·ḏeṯ bên, wə·qā·rāṯ shem-o imanuel	Assuredly, my Lord will give you a sign of His own accord! Look, the young woman is with child and about to give birth to a son. Let her name him Immanuel.	Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Greek Reference 1: Holy Tānāḵh(Nəvīʾīm): yəšaʿyāhū (Isaiyah) (7:14)

Here, the Begotten Son is named as עִמָּנוּאֵל (Immānū'el - Immanuel - God with Us), which esoterically signifies the Divine Immanence, which in terms of सनातनधर्म हिन्दुत्वस्य (sanātanadharma hindutvasya– eternal spirituality of Hinduism) corresponds to the अन्तर्यामिब्रह्मन् (antaryāmibrahman – inherent divinity)

Interestingly, St. Mathew, one of the Twelve Apostles of Lord Jesus Christ, in his Gospel, which is one amongst the Four Canonical Gospels in the New Testament of the Holy Bible, cites the above testimony, as part of the Infancy Narrative, referring to the birth of Ἰησοῦς (yəhōšūa – Jesua / Jesus - savior), which in terms of सनातनधर्म हिन्दुत्वस्य (sanātanadharma hindutvasya– eternal spirituality of hinduism) corresponds to the नाथ / रक्षक (nātha / rakṣaka– protector / savior).

Original	Transliteration	Translation
Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡ γένεσις οὕτως ἦν. μνηστευθείσης τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Μαρίας τῷ Ἰωσήφ, πρὶν ἢ συνελθεῖν αὐτοὺς εὑρέθη ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου. Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, δίκαιος ὢν καὶ μὴ θέλων αὐτὴν δειγματίσαι, ἐβουλήθη λάθρᾳ ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν. Ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐνθυμηθέντος ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κατ’ ὄναρ ἐφάνη αὐτῷ λέγων “Ἰωσὴφ υἱὸς Δαυίδ, μὴ φοβηθῇς παραλαβεῖν Μαρίαν τὴν γυναῖκά σου, τὸ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ Πνεύματός ἐστιν Ἁγίου· τέξεται δὲ υἱὸν καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν· αὐτὸς γὰρ σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν.” Τοῦτο δὲ ὅλον γέγονεν ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ Κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος “Ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει καὶ τέξεται υἱόν, καὶ καλέσουσιν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐμμανουήλ,” ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενον “Μεθ’ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεός.” Ἐγερθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου ἐποίησεν ὡς προσέταξεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου, καὶ παρέλαβεν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ·	tou de {WH: [iēsou] } {UBS4: iēsou } christou ē genesis outōs ēn mnēsteutheisēs tēs mētros autou marias tō iōsēph prin ē sunelthein autous eurethē en gastri echousa ek pneumatos agiou iōsēph de o anēr autēs dikaios ōn kai mē thelōn autēn deigmatisai eboulēthē lathra apolusai autēn tauta de autou enthumēthentos idou angelos kuriou kat onar ephanē autō legōn iōsēph uios dauid mē phobēthēs paralabein marian tēn gunaika sou to gar en autē gennēthen ek pneumatos estin agiou texetai de uion kai kaleseis to onoma autou iēsoun autos gar sōsei ton laon autou apo tōn amartiōn autōn touto de olon gegonen ina plērōthē to rēthen upo kuriou dia tou prophētou legontos idou ē parthenos en gastri exei kai texetai uion kai kalesousin to onoma autou emmanouēl o estin methermēneuomenon meth ēmōn o theos egertheis de {WH: [o] } {UBS4: o } iōsēph apo tou upnou epoiēsen ōs prosetaxen autō o angelos kuriou kai parelaben tēn gunaika autou	This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly. But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and embraced Mary as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.
Greek Reference 1: Holy Bible: Mathew(1:18-24)

   

Similarly, the famous Gospel of Luke which forms the two amongst the four Canonical Gospels in the New Testament of the Holy Bible. For example, St. Luke, the noble evangelist in his Gospel, records the event thus:

Original	Transliteration	Translation
Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐξῆλθεν δόγμα παρὰ Καίσαρος Αὐγούστου ἀπογράφεσθαι πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην. αὕτη ἀπογραφὴ πρώτη ἐγένετο ἡγεμονεύοντος τῆς Συρίας Κυρηνίου. καὶ ἐπορεύοντο πάντες ἀπογράφεσθαι, ἕκαστος εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πόλιν. Ἀνέβη δὲ καὶ Ἰωσὴφ ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἐκ πόλεως Ναζαρὲθ εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν εἰς πόλιν Δαυὶδ ἥτις καλεῖται Βηθλεέμ, διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν ἐξ οἴκου καὶ πατριᾶς Δαυίδ, ἀπογράψασθαι σὺν Μαριὰμ τῇ ἐμνηστευμένῃ αὐτῷ, οὔσῃ ἐγκύῳ Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ τεκεῖν αὐτήν καὶ ἔτεκεν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς τὸν πρωτότοκον, καὶ ἐσπαργάνωσεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνέκλινεν αὐτὸν ἐν φάτνῃ, διότι οὐκ ἦν αὐτοῖς τόπος ἐν τῷ καταλύματι. Καὶ ποιμένες ἦσαν ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ τῇ αὐτῇ ἀγραυλοῦντες καὶ φυλάσσοντες φυλακὰς τῆς νυκτὸς ἐπὶ τὴν ποίμνην αὐτῶν. καὶ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἐπέστη αὐτοῖς καὶ δόξα Κυρίου περιέλαμψεν αὐτούς, καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν φόβον μέγαν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ἄγγελος “Μὴ φοβεῖσθε· ἰδοὺ γὰρ εὐαγγελίζομαι ὑμῖν χαρὰν μεγάλην, ἥτις ἔσται παντὶ τῷ λαῷ, ὅτι ἐτέχθη ὑμῖν σήμερον Σωτήρ, ὅς ἐστιν Χριστὸς Κύριος, ἐν πόλει Δαυίδ. καὶ τοῦτο ὑμῖν ‹τὸ› σημεῖον, εὑρήσετε βρέφος ἐσπαργανωμένον καὶ κείμενον ἐν φάτνῃ.” Καὶ ἐξαίφνης ἐγένετο σὺν τῷ ἀγγέλῳ πλῆθος στρατιᾶς οὐρανίου αἰνούντων τὸν Θεὸν καὶ λεγόντων “Δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις Θεῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας.” Καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἀπῆλθον ἀπ’ αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν οἱ ἄγγελοι, οἱ ποιμένες ἐλάλουν πρὸς ἀλλήλους “Διέλθωμεν δὴ ἕως Βηθλεὲμ καὶ ἴδωμεν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο τὸ γεγονὸς ὃ ὁ Κύριος ἐγνώρισεν ἡμῖν.” Καὶ ἦλθαν σπεύσαντες, καὶ ἀνεῦραν τήν τε Μαριὰμ καὶ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ καὶ τὸ βρέφος κείμενον ἐν τῇ φάτνῃ· ἰδόντες δὲ ἐγνώρισαν περὶ τοῦ ῥήματος τοῦ λαληθέντος αὐτοῖς περὶ τοῦ παιδίου τούτου. καὶ πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες ἐθαύμασαν περὶ τῶν λαληθέντων ὑπὸ τῶν ποιμένων πρὸς αὐτούς ἡ δὲ Μαρία πάντα συνετήρει τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα συμβάλλουσα* ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς. Καὶ ὑπέστρεψαν οἱ ποιμένες δοξάζοντες καὶ αἰνοῦντες τὸν Θεὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσιν οἷς ἤκουσαν καὶ εἶδον καθὼς ἐλαλήθη πρὸς αὐτούς.	egeneto de en tais ēmerais ekeinais exēlthen dogma para kaisaros augoustou apographesthai pasan tēn oikoumenēn autē apographē prōtē egeneto ēgemoneuontos tēs surias kurēniou kai eporeuonto pantes apographesthai ekastos eis tēn eautou polin anebē de kai iōsēph apo tēs galilaias ek poleōs nazareth eis tēn ioudaian eis polin dauid ētis kaleitai bēthleem dia to einai auton ex oikou kai patrias dauid apograpsasthai sun mariam tē emnēsteumenē autō ousē enkuō egeneto de en tō einai autous ekei eplēsthēsan ai ēmerai tou tekein autēn kai eteken ton uion autēs ton prōtotokon kai esparganōsen auton kai aneklinen auton en phatnē dioti ouk ēn autois topos en tō katalumati kai poimenes ēsan en tē chōra tē autē agraulountes kai phulassontes phulakas tēs nuktos epi tēn poimnēn autōn kai angelos kuriou epestē autois kai doxa kuriou perielampsen autous kai ephobēthēsan phobon megan kai eipen autois o angelos mē phobeisthe idou gar euangelizomai umin charan megalēn ētis estai panti tō laō oti etechthē umin sēmeron sōtēr os estin christos kurios en polei dauid kai touto umin {UBS4: to } sēmeion eurēsete brephos esparganōmenon kai keimenon en phatnē kai exaiphnēs egeneto sun tō angelō plēthos stratias ouraniou ainountōn ton theon kai legontōn doxa en upsistois theō kai epi gēs eirēnē en anthrōpois eudokias kai egeneto ōs apēlthon ap autōn eis ton ouranon oi angeloi oi poimenes elaloun pros allēlous dielthōmen dē eōs bēthleem kai idōmen to rēma touto to gegonos o o kurios egnōrisen ēmin kai ēlthan speusantes kai aneuran tēn te mariam kai ton iōsēph kai to brephos keimenon en tē phatnē dontes de egnōrisan peri tou rēmatos tou lalēthentos autois peri tou paidiou toutou kai pantes oi akousantes ethaumasan peri tōn lalēthentōn upo tōn poimenōn pros autous ē de {WH: maria } {UBS4: mariam } panta sunetērei ta rēmata tauta sumballousa en tē kardia autēs kai upestrepsan oi poimenes doxazontes kai ainountes ton theon epi pasin ois ēkousan kai eidon kathōs elalēthē pros autous	And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them
Greek Reference 1: Holy Bible: Luke (2:1-20)

Birth of Jesus and cross cultural parallels

Interestingly, there are close cross-cultural parallels of the episode of birth of Christ with various other ancient civilizations including the following. For example, as we already noted above, similarities between Lord Jesus Christ and the Proto-Indo-Iranian Lord श्री मित्रदेवा (śrī mitradevā – Lord Mitra) who was an important solar deity common to the ancient cultures of Mithraic mystery cults in Greco-Roman civilizations, Vedic (Indian), Zoroastrian (Persian) and Greco-Roman civilizations. 

• Mithra and Jesus both were born of a virgin in a cave on December 25th  during the Winter Solstice on December 25th in a cave.
• Both of them were considered the great traveling teacher and master.
• Both had 12 (twelve) companions or disciples.
• Both promised their followers immortality.
• Both were miracle healers.
• Both resurrected back three days after their death.  

            In fact, the origin of celebrating Christmas on the “fixed” date of December 25 is traced by many scholars to the ancient Graco-Roman celebration of the “dies solis invicti nati (day of the birth of the unconquered sun) during हेमान्तायन (hemantāyana - winter solstice) which occurs at the end of the  दक्षिणायन (dakṣiṇāyana - southern declination / Winter Solstice).

Please remember that सूर्योपासन (sūryopāsana – solar worship) was integral to the ancient Romans.  In fact, English words like “sun” and “solar” are derived from the Latin term sōl (sol – sun).

There were two forms of सूर्योपासन (sūryopāsana – solar worship) in the ancient Rome viz.  sōl indegetus (sun indigenus) who is di indegetus (indigenous deity) and the sōl inˈwik.t̪us̠ (sol invictus - invincible sun) who is part of the di novensides (newcomer deity). The ancient Romans had even built a temple to sōl indegetus (sun indigenus) on the Quirinal Hill that was said to have been established by the king of the Sabines, by name Tatius, Moreover. the sacred Sun Temple was a temple in the Campus Agrippae in Rome. It was dedicated to sōl inˈwik.t̪us̠ (sol invictus - invincible sun) on 25 December 274 CE (AD)  by the Roman Emperor Aurelian

For example, The Birth of Lord مهر  (mehr - mithra), the Iranian God of Light and Truth in Zoroastrian civilization of Persia. In the ancient Avestian language He is referred as Miθra. Interestingly there are very close parallels between the Christian Jesus and the Zorastrian  مهر   (mehr - mithra) including the following 

Just like Lord Jesus Christ, even Lord مهر  (mehr – Mithra) had a virgin birth on the 25^th of December and was visited by Magi. Moreover, it is claimed by scholars that even he also died on a Cross, just like Jesus One of the earliest proponents of this similarity was Charles Francois Dupuis who was an eminent French professor of rhetoric. According to him

It is chiefly in the religion of Mithras or the God Sun, worshipped under that name by the Magi, that we find mostly those features of analogy with the death and resurrection of Christ and with the mysteries of the Christians. Mithras, who was also born on the 25th December like Christ, died as he did; and he had his sepulchre, over which his disciples came to shed tears. During the night the priests carried his image to a tomb, expressly prepared for him; he was laid out on a litter, like the Phoenician Adonis. These funeral ceremonies, like those on good Friday, were accompanied with funeral dirges and the groans of his priests; after having spent some time with these expressions of feigned grief; after having lighted the sacred flambeau or their Paschal candle and anointed the image with Chrism or perfumes, one of them came forward and pronounced with the gravest mien these words: "Be of good cheer, sacred band of Initiates ("initiés,") your God has risen from the dead; his pains and his sufferings shall be your salvation."

Again, the name "Christ" also has deep esoteric significance. It is derived from the Greek term χριστός (chrīstós - anointed) which corresponds to the Hebrew term מָשִׁיחַ  (mašíaḥ - messiah / mesenger) meaning the विलिंपित / अभिषिक्त (viliṃpita / abhiṣkta - anointed) - a title associated with prophets and saint-gurus. Of course, from a yogic perspective, the Jesus Christ refers to the “anointed saviour” within us not outside of us. In other words, it is the अन्तर्यामि ब्रह्मन् (antaryāmi brahman - indwelling divinity) within us, protecting us and hence the Lord is also referred in the Greek as ποιμὴν ὁ καλός (poimḗn ho kalós – good shepherd) which in turn corresponds to the Hindu versions of गोपाल (gopāla – cow protector) one of the sacred names of भगवान् श्री कृष्णपरमात्मा (bhagavān śrī kṛṣṇaparamātmā) & श्री पशुपतिनाथ (śrī paśupatinātha – animal saviour lord).

Interestingly, the sacred name Christ even phonetically parallels with the sacred name कृष्ण (kṛṣṇa) and as Bhaktivedanta Srila Sri Prabhupada explains

 “When an Indian person calls on Krishna, he often says, Krsta. Krsta is a Sanskrit word meaning attraction. So when we address God as Christ, Krsta, or Krishna we indicate the same all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead. When Jesus said, 'Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be Thy name', the name of God was Krsta or Krishna.” 

Further, elsewhere the Swamiji explains thus: 

“’Christ' is another way of saying Krsta and Krsta are another way of pronouncing Krishna, the name of God…the general name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose specific name is Krishna. Therefore whether you call God 'Christ', 'Krsta', or 'Krishna', ultimately you are addressing the same Supreme Personality of Godhead”     

Sacred Good Friday today. It was on this day His Holiness Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth was crucified at Golgotha (Calvary site) on the outskirts of the Holy city of Jerusalem. Let us now look at the esoteric significance of this event, leaving aside the petty political, communal aspects of the same.  
 From a spiritual perspective, Lord Jesus Christ, the Begotten Son, and one of noblest of souls, who, out of His Infinite Compassion and Mercy, underwent the unimaginable agony and suffering of His crucifixion, as an act self-sacrifice, for the sake of world. To quote from the Holy Bible: 

Original	Transliteration	Translation
διὸ καὶ Ἰησοῦς, ἵνα ἁγιάσῃ διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου αἵματος τὸν λαόν, ἔξω τῆς πύλης ἔπαθεν	dio kai iEsous hina hagiasE dia tou idiou haimatos ton laon exO tEs pulEs epathen	And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood
Greek Reference 1: Holy Bible: Hebrews (13:12)

    In fact, He even at the time of His Crucifixion, prayed for the welfare of his enemies, the very persons who tortured him to death. Lord Jesus prayed,

Original	Transliteration	Translation
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἔλεγεν Πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς· οὐ γὰρ οἴδασιν τί ποιοῦσιν. διαμεριζόμενοι δὲ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἔβαλον κλήρους.	ho de Iēsous elegen Pater, aphes autois; ou gar oidasin ti poiousin. diamerizomenoi de ta himatia autou ebalon klērous.	Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
Greek Reference 1: Holy Bible: Luke (23:34)

    One might ask a seemingly very logical question, why should the Omnipotent God need to undergo this mode of salvaging the universe? Doesn’t he know a simpler method, for, after all, He is the Almighty God? Well, as a response to these questions, I would like to quote here the following verses from Sri Aurobindo’s poetic masterpiece Savitri, wherein the saint-poet very beautifully explains the whole concept behind God’s incarnation into the phenomenal world and His sufferings and sacrifices for the sake of mankind,    

He who would save the race must share its pain:

This he shall know who obeys that grandiose urge.

The Great who came to save this suffering world

And rescue out of Time’s shadow and the Law,

Must pass beneath the yoke of grief and pain;

They are caught by the Wheel that they had hoped to break,

On their shoulders they must bear man’s load of fate.

Heaven’s riches they bring, their sufferings count the price

Or they pay the gift of knowledge with their lives.

The Son of God born as the Son of man

Has drunk the bitter cup, owned Godhead’s debt,

The debt the Eternal owes to the fallen kind

His will has bound to death and struggling life

That yearns in vain for rest and endless peace.

Now is the debt paid, wiped off the original score.

The Eternal suffers in a human form,

He has signed salvation’s testament with his blood:

He has opened the doors of his undying peace.

The Deity compensates the creature’s claim,

The Creator bears the law of pain and death;

A retribution smites the incarnate God.

His love has paved the mortal’s road to Heaven:

He has given his life and light to balance here

The dark account of mortal ignorance.

It is finished, the dread mysterious sacrifice,

Offered by God’s martyred body for the world;

Gethsemane and Calvary are his lot,

He carries the cross on which man’s soul is nailed;

His escort is the curses of the crowd;

Insult and jeer are his right’s acknowledgment;

Two thieves slain with him mock his mighty death.

He has trod with bleeding brow the Saviour’s way.

He who has found his identity with God

Pays with the body’s death his soul’s vast light.

His knowledge immortal triumphs by his death.

Hewn, quartered on the scaffold as he falls,

His crucified voice proclaims, ‘I, I am God;’

‘Yes, all is God,’ peals back Heaven’s deathless call.

The seed of Godhead sleeps in mortal hearts,

The flower of Godhead grows on the world-tree:

All shall discover God in self and things.

But when God’s messenger comes to help the world

And lead the soul of earth to higher things,

He too must carry the yoke he came to unloose;

He too must bear the pang that he would heal:

Exempt and unafflicted by earth’s fate,

How shall he cure the ills he never felt?

He covers the world’s agony with his calm;

But though to the outward eye no sign appears

And peace is given to our torn human hearts,

The struggle is there and paid the unseen price;

The fire, the strife, the wrestle are within.

He carries the suffering world in his own breast;

Its sins weigh on his thoughts, its grief is his:

Earth’s ancient load lies heavy on his soul;

Night and its powers beleaguer his tardy steps,

The Titan adversary’s clutch he bears;

His march is a battle and a pilgrimage.

Life’s evil smites, he is stricken with the world’s pain:

A million wounds gape in his secret heart.

He journeys sleepless through an unending night;

Antagonist forces crowd across his path;

A siege, a combat is his inner life.

Even worse may be the cost, direr the pain:

His large identity and all-harbouring love

Shall bring the cosmic anguish into his depths,

The sorrow of all living things shall come

And knock at his doors and live within his house;

A dreadful cord of sympathy can tie

All suffering into his single grief and make

All agony in all the worlds his own.

He meets an ancient adversary Force,

He is lashed with the whips that tear the world’s worn heart;

The weeping of the centuries visits his eyes:

He wears the blood-glued fiery Centaur shirt,

The poison of the world has stained his throat.

In the market-place of Matter’s capital

Amidst the chafferings of the affair called life

He is tied to the stake of a perennial Fire;

He burns on an unseen original verge

That Matter may be turned to spirit stuff:

He is the victim in his own sacrifice.

The Immortal bound to earth’s mortality

Appearing and perishing on the roads of Time

Creates God’s moment by eternity’s beats.

He dies that the world may be new-born and live.

-Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri (Book 6  - Canto 2)

    Again, one of the esoteric messages, behind The Holy Cross of the Christian faith, is the ideal that the ego ‘I’ should be destroyed - that is, cross (destroy) the ego. In fact, Lord Jesus very clearly emphasizes that,

Original	Transliteration	Translation
Καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τὸν ὄχλον σὺν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι.	Kai proskalesamenos ochlon syn tois mathētais autou eipen autois Ei tis thelei opisō mou elthein aparnēsasthō heauton kai aratō ton stauron autou kai akoloutheitō moi	Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
Greek Reference 1: Holy Bible: Mark (08:34)

The Pulpit Commentary reads: 

"He called unto him the multitude with his disciples. This shows that there was an interval between what had just taken place and what is now recorded. Our Lord now, without any further special reference to St. Peter, delivers a lesson of universal application; although, no doubt, he had Peter in his mind. If any man would (εἴ τις θέλει) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. This self-denial ought to extend to everything, even to life itself, which we ought to be willing to resign, if need be, for the sake of Christ. Take up his cross. It is as though he said, "Let him take up his cross, as I have borne my cross, that I might be the standard-bearer and Leader of all cross-bearers - I, who carried the cross on which I was to be crucified to the mount of Calvary." St. Luke (Luke 9:23) adds the words (καθ ἡμέραν), "daily:" "let him take up his cross daily;" thus showing that "every day," and often "at every hour," something occurs which it becomes us to bear patiently and bravely, and so on continually through our whole life. He takes up his cross who is crucified to the world. But he to whom the world is crucified follows his crucified Lord. This cross assumes various forms; such as persecution and martyrdom, affliction and sorrow of whatever kind, appointed by God; temptations of Satan, permitted by God for our trial, to increase our humility and virtue, and to make brighter our crown".


The Cross is also one of the greatest symbols reminding to humanity the value and importance of sacrifice and love for humanity. Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharishi, highlights the spiritual significance of the Cross:,

“Christ is the ego. The Cross is the body. When the ego is crucified, and it perishes, what survives is the Absolute Being (God),(cf. “I and my Father are one”) and this glorious survival is called Resurrection”

In fact the term "Crucifixion" is etymologically derived from Latin word "cruce" which means a "cross".  In ancient times, globally across cultures, it was a common practice to hang people as capital punishments. The mystic symbolism of such Crucifixion is very concisely summarized by Dr. Franz Hartmann according to whom:

"The cross represents terrestrial life, and the crown of thorns the sufferings of the soul within the elementary body, but also the victory of the spirit over the elements of darkness. The body is naked, to indicate that the candidate for immortality must divest himself of all desires for terrestrial things. The figure is nailed to the cross, which symbolizes the death and surrender of the self-will, and that it should not attempt to accomplish anything by its own power, but merely serve as an instrument wherein the Divine will is executed. Above the head are inscribed the letters: I. N. R. J. whose most important meaning is: In Nobis Regnat Jesus (Within ourselves reigns Jesus). But this signification of this inscription can be practically known only to those who have actually died relatively to the world of desires, and risen above the temptation for personal existence; or, to express it in other words, those who have become alive in Christ, and in whom thus the kingdom of Jesus (the holy love-will issuing from the heart of God) has been established". 

Again, the name "Christ" also has deep esoteric significance. It is derived from the Greek term "Kristos" which corresponds to the Hebrew term "Messias" meaning the "anointed" or "purified" - a title associated with prophets and saint-gurus. Of course, from a yogic perspective, the Christ  refers to the Divine Messaias within us not outside of us. In other words, it is the  अन्तर्यामि ब्रह्मन् (antaryāmi brahman - indwelling divinity) within us.   

Though Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem be born,

And not within thyself, thy soul will be forlorn.

The cross on Golgotha thou lookest to in vain,

Unless within thyself it be set up again

-Angelus Silesius

On this sacred day, let us all whole-heartedly, contemplate on the unparalleled sacrifice of Lord Jesus the Savior and sincerely thank & pray at His Holy Feet and rest assure we shall be saved. As the saying goes, “more things are wrought by prayers than this world dreams of”. An in fact, Jesus does answer our prayers.  As testified in the Holy Bible

Original	Transliteration	Translation
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἀμήν σοι λέγω, σήμερον μετ’ ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ Παραδείσῳ	kai eipen autō Amēn soi legō sēmeron met’ emou esē en tō Paradeisō	Jesus answered him, Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise
Greek Reference 1: Holy Bible: Luke (23:43)