Heliodorus and Vaishnava-Jewish connection

JanJM, June 2002

(based on text by Brother David Sherman/HH Bhakti Ananda Gosvami)


Among apocryphal (non-canonical) Biblical books stands out Second Book 
of Maccabees. It describes personal appearance of God in forms known 
mainly from Vedic tradition to Greek ambassador Heliodorus.


Entry "Heliodorus" in The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.:
             
"fl. 175 B.C., Syrian statesman. The treasurer of Seleucus IV 
(Seleucus Philopator), he murdered the king and attempted 
unsuccessfully to usurp the throne. According to the Book of Second 
Maccabees, he entered the Temple at Jerusalem but was prevented from 
taking the treasure by three angels."

The book is written in Greek based on earlier lost Greek original 
(Septuagint) in 120 BC. Its story revolves around the sin, divine 
chastisement and miraculous conversion of a Greek Seleucid ambassador 
named Heliodorus. It ends with his vow to God and return to the 
Seleucid emperor. Other (extra-Biblical) sources later implicated this 
same Heliodorus in a plot to kill the emperor. It is thus clear that 
this man played a significant role in the history of the time.

During the same time period in India a man named Heliodorus of the 
same office had a votive column to Krishna erected in his name (famous 
Heliodorus' column). Such offerings were common in fulfillment of 
religious vows (thus 'votive' offerings) at that time. This same 
column has survived to the present, and is one of the primary pieces 
of evidence used to prove the existence of Vasudeva-Krishna 
(Krishna-Balarama) worship in the pre-Christian era.

On the column erected in Besnagar in central India near Vidisha, north 
of Madhyapradesh State, at 113 BC (sometimes also dated 140/150 BC ) 
he calls himself a worshiper of Vasudeva (Vishnu). This is the first 
known record that other than Indian-born person became a follower of 
Vishnu (Vaishnava).

The inscription (in Brahmi characters) says:

1) Devadevasa Va[sude]vasa Garudadhvajo ayam 2) karito i[a] 
Heliodorena bhaga- 3) vatena Diyasa putrena Takhasilakena 4) 
Yonadatena agatena maharajasa 5) Amtalikitasa upa[m]ta samkasam-rano 
6) Kasiput[r]asa [Bh]agabhadrasa tratarasa 7) vasena [chatu]dasena 
rajena vadhamanasa 

"This Garuda-column of Vasudeva (Visnu), the god of gods, was erected 
here by Heliodorus, a worshiper of Visnu, the son of Dion, and an 
inhabitant of Taxila, who came as Greek ambassador from the Great King 
Antialkidas to King Kasiputra Bhagabhadra, the savior, then reigning 
prosperously in the fourteenth year of his kingship."

(Transliteration and translation of this ancient Brahmi inscription 
was published in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (London: 
JRAS, Pub., 1909, pp. 1053-54.)

Another column inscription says:

1) Trini amutapadani - [su] anuthitani 2) nayamti svaga damo chago 
apramado 

"Three immortal precepts (footsteps)... when practiced lead to heaven 
- self-restraint, charity, consciousness." 

From this inscription it is clear Heliodorus was a Vaisnava, a devotee 
of Visnu.

The Archaeological Survey of India has inscribed its history on a 
white marble slab. It reads:

"History of This Pillar

"This column is locally called Khamb Baba and is worshipped especially 
by fishermen.  It bears two inscriptions in Brahmi characters and 
Prakrit language.

"One of these inscriptions records that the column was set up as a 
Garuda Pillar in honour of God Vasudeva (Vishnu) by Heliodoros, a 
Greek inhabitant of Taxila (Takshasila), who had come to the court of 
Bhagabhadra, king of central India, as an ambassador from Antialcidas, 
an Indo-Bactrian king of the Punjab. Heliodoros had evidently adopted 
Hinduism as he has styled himself a Bhagavata, i.e., a follower of the 
Vaishnava sect. The approximate date of the column is 150 B.C."

Thus a Greek ambassador named Heliodorus figures prominently in both 
the Biblical and Vaishnava history of that same time period. Whether 
one takes these stories as real or 'legendary' there is obviously 
still some connection.

If we doubt that there was much contact between India and Jerusalem at 
that time, again the Greek Jewish-Catholic Bible (Septuagint) has the 
answer. The post-Alexandrine Seleucid emperors reigned from North West 
India to North Africa. There was tremendous interaction between India 
and Judea during this period. For example, there are entire Indian 
units of elephants and their foot-soldiers described as fighting under 
the Seleucid Emperor in Jerusalem in the First Book of Maccabees, 
Chapter 6. Indian elephant units from India, with Indian troops, lead 
by Indian officers, were commonly used throughout the Eastern 
Mediterranean region in the centuries just before the advent of 
Christ. This is only one example of the complete integration of 
Levantine and Indian history which characterized that entire period.

The 2 Maccabees book describes experience of Heliodorus with theophany 
(revelation) of God. In chapter 3 (3:25-26, 33-34) of this book God 
manifests Himself in His temple in Jerusalem - first appearing as 
rider (Kalki) on a richly armored horse trampling the ambassador who 
is trying to plunder and thus desecrate the great temple of Jerusalem. 
Then the Almighty Lord appears as two beautiful youths (Eli-Yahu as 
Krishna and Balarama), who beat the ambassador with Their own hands. A 
Vaishnava recognizes that such a chastisement from the hand of God is 
a great benediction and Heliodorus obviously understood it as such.

2 Maccabees, Chapter 3:

1. While the holy city was inhabited in unbroken peace and the laws 
were very well observed because of the piety of the high priest Onias 
and his hatred of wickedness, 

2. it came about that the kings themselves honored the place and 
glorified the temple with the finest presents, 

3. so that even Seleucus, the king of Asia, defrayed from his own 
revenues all the expenses connected with the service of the 
sacrifices. 

4. But a man named Simon, of the tribe of Benjamin, who had been made 
captain of the temple, had a disagreement with the high priest about 
the administration of the city market; 

5. and when he could not prevail over Onias he went to Apollonius of 
Tarsus, who at that time was governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia. 

6. He reported to him that the treasury in Jerusalem was full of 
untold sums of money, so that the amount of the funds could not be 
reckoned, and that they did not belong to the account of the 
sacrifices, but that it was possible for them to fall under the 
control of the king. 

7. When Apollonius met the king, he told him of the money about which 
he had been informed. The king chose Heliodorus, who was in charge of 
his affairs, and sent him with commands to effect the removal of the 
aforesaid money. 

8. Heliodorus at once set out on his journey, ostensibly to make a 
tour of inspection of the cities of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, but in 
fact to carry out the king's purpose. 

9. When he had arrived at Jerusalem and had been kindly welcomed by 
the high priest of the city, he told about the disclosure that had 
been made and stated why he had come, and he inquired whether this 
really was the situation. 

10. The high priest explained that there were some deposits belonging 
to widows and orphans, 

11. and also some money of Hyrcanus, son of Tobias, a man of very 
prominent position, and that it totaled in all four hundred talents of 
silver and two hundred of gold. To such an extent the impious Simon 
had misrepresented the facts. 

12. And he said that it was utterly impossible that wrong should be 
done to those people who had trusted in the holiness of the place and 
in the sanctity and inviolability of the temple which is honored 
throughout the whole world. 

13. But Heliodorus, because of the king's commands which he had, said 
that this money must in any case be confiscated for the king's 
treasury. 

14. So he set a day and went in to direct the inspection of these 
funds. There was no little distress throughout the whole city. 

15. The priests prostrated themselves before the altar in their 
priestly garments and called toward heaven upon Him who had given the 
law about deposits, that He should keep them safe for those who had 
deposited them. 

16. To see the appearance of the high priest was to be wounded at 
heart, for his face and the change in his color disclosed the anguish 
of his soul.

17. For terror and bodily trembling had come over the man, which 
plainly showed to those who looked at him the pain lodged in his 
heart. 

18. People also hurried out of their houses in crowds to make a 
general supplication because the holy place was about to be brought 
into contempt. 

19. Women, girded with sackcloth under their breasts, thronged the 
streets. Some of the maidens who were kept indoors ran together to the 
gates, and some to the walls, while others peered out of the windows. 

20. And holding up their hands to heaven, they all made entreaty. 

21. There was something pitiable in the prostration of the whole 
populace and the anxiety of the high priest in his great anguish. 

22. While they were calling upon the Almighty Lord that He would keep 
what had been entrusted safe and secure for those who had entrusted 
it, 

23. Heliodorus went on with what had been decided. 

24. But when he arrived at the treasury with his bodyguard, then and 
there the Sovereign of spirits and of all authority caused so great a 
manifestation that all who had been so bold as to accompany him were 
astounded by the power of God, and became faint with terror. 

25. For there appeared to them a magnificently caparisoned horse, with 
a rider of frightening mien, and it rushed furiously at Heliodorus and 
struck at him with its front hoofs. Its rider was seen to have armor 
and weapons of gold. 

26. Two young men also appeared to him, remarkably strong, gloriously 
beautiful and splendidly dressed, who stood on each side of him and 
scourged him continuously, inflicting many blows on him. 

27. When he suddenly fell to the ground and deep darkness came over 
him, his men took him up and put him on a stretcher 

28. and carried him away, this man who had just entered the aforesaid 
treasury with a great retinue and all his bodyguard but was now unable 
to help himself; and they recognized clearly the sovereign power of 
God. 

29. While he lay prostrate, speechless because of the divine 
intervention and deprived of any hope of recovery, 

30. they praised the Lord who had acted marvelously for His own place. 
And the temple, which a little while before was full of fear and 
disturbance, was filled with joy and gladness, now that the Almighty 
Lord had appeared. 

31. Quickly some of Heliodorus' friends asked Onias to call upon the 
Most High and to grant life to one who was lying quite at his last 
breath. 

32. And the high priest, fearing that the king might get the notion 
that some foul play had been perpetrated by the Jews with regard to 
Heliodorus, offered sacrifice for the man's recovery. 

33. While the high priest was making the offering of atonement, the 
same young men appeared again to Heliodorus dressed in the same 
clothing, and They stood and said, "Be very grateful to Onias the high 
priest, since for his sake the Lord has granted you your life. 

34. And see that you, who have been scourged by heaven, report to all 
men the majestic power of God." Having said this They vanished. 

35. Then Heliodorus offered sacrifice to the Lord and made very great 
vows to the Savior of his life, and having bidden Onias farewell, he 
marched off with his forces to the king. 

36. And he bore testimony to all men of the deeds of the Supreme God, 
which he had seen with his own eyes. 

37. When the king asked Heliodorus what sort of person would be 
suitable to send on another mission to Jerusalem, he replied, 

38. "If you have any enemy or plotter against your government, send 
him there, for you will get him back thoroughly scourged, if he 
escapes at all, for there certainly is about the place some power of 
God. 

39. For He who has his dwelling in heaven watches over that place 
Himself and brings it aid, and He strikes and destroys those who come 
to do it injury." 

40. This was the outcome of the episode of Heliodorus and the 
protection of the treasury.