{
  "bookName": "History of Christianity in India: Source Materials",
  "authorName": "M. K. Kuriakose",
  "publisherName": "Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge",
  "publicationYear": 2011,
  "chapterNumber": 43,
  "chapterName": "1611. Robert de Nobili’s Manifesto",
  "pageFrom": 48,
  "pageTo": 49,
  "pages": [
    {
      "pageNumber": 48,
      "ocrText": "48\nHISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA\nand sermon, wherein they receive the most strenuous remonst-\nrances. Thereafter they are conducted to the Campo Sancto\nLazaro, where the condemned are burned in the presence of the\nrest, who look on.\n43. ROBERT DE NOBILI'S MANIFESTO (1611 A.D.)\nIn this Manifesto, published in Madurai Robert de Nobili answers\ncertain charges that have been brought against him by certain oppo-\nnents in the city. He disassociates himself from the Portuguese\n(Parangis), explains the reason for his coming to Madurai, and briefly\nsummarises his teaching. The original text is given by Vico in a\nletter dated 27 May, 1611. A summary of the earlier unrevised text\nis given by Laerzio in a report to Aquaviva dated 8 September, 1610.\nThe following is the revised text of the Manifesto, cited in Vincent\nCronin, A Pearl to India, pp. 136-138.\nThe Raja Sannyasi who teaches and follows the Sattyavedam\n(true religion) wishes to all the sannyasis and other men of this\ncity the blessing of Sarveswara, and spiritual happiness.\nThose who make profession of speaking the truth are accus-\ntomed to state in writing certain principles, to be made manifest\nto every one and appear as clear as day light. Since I find myself\nobliged to affirm certain truths, it seems to me proper, according\nto the ancient custom of great scholars, to reduce them to writing.\nI am not a Parangi, I was not born in the land of the Parangis,\nnor was I ever connected with their race. God is my witness that\nI speak the truth and if the contrary is proved against me I am\nprepared to suffer not only the punishment of hell as a traitor to\nGod, but also to submit to any penalty which may be inflicted upon\nme by the powers of the earth.\nI came from Rome, where my family hold the same rank as\nrespectable Rajas hold in this country. When I was young I became\na sannyasi and, after studying wisdom and learning the spiritual\nlaw, I left my native country as a pilgrim, travelled through many\nkingdoms and wherever I dwelt, I lived and conducted myself as a\nsannyasi.\nWhen I came to Madurai with the intention of going further\nafield, the Padre who lives here received me in his house, and I\ndecided to remain for some time in this city of Madurai to do\npenance. With the permission of Nagaya Setti I built a house and,\nlater on, with the help and favour of Errama Setti, I erected a church\nin brick and with the same material a house, where with the help\nand favour of the same Setti I have been living to this day.",
      "status": "completed"
    },
    {
      "pageNumber": 49,
      "ocrText": "SOURCE MATERIALS\n49\nWith those who come to speak with me I discuss no other\nquestions than those which concern the salvation of their souls.\nIn this matter I treat of the existence of God and His attributes,\nhow He is One and three, how He created the world and men, and\nall other things.\nIn addition, I teach how that same God became man to save\nmen. I declare that His name is Jesus Christ which means Saviour.\nthat He is true God and true Man, full of grace and Divine gifts,\nwho delivers us from sin, satisfies for the transgression of all men\nand offers a remedy against their errors. Moreover I teach that\nafter death God will give each one, according to his merits and with-\nout regard for birth or transmigration, an eternal reward or punish-\nment. The holy and spiritual law which holds this doctrine of\nmine does not make any one lose his caste or pass into another,\nnor does it induce anyone to do anything detrimental to the honour\nof his family.\nGod is my witness that what I say is true. Just as the Nayak\nis the Lord of these lands, and all of us who live in them, whether\nBrahmins or Rajas or any other caste, are obliged to obey him in\ntemporal matters, in the same way Sarveswara being the legitimate\nLord of all men, it is fitting that all races should live in conformity\nwith his holy law.\nThe law which I preach is the law of the true God, which from\nancient times was by His command proclaimed in these countries,\nby sannyasis and saints. Whoever says that it is the law of the\nParangis, fit only for the low castes, commits a very great sin, for\nthe true God is not the God of one race, but the God of all. We\nmust confess that He deserves to be equally adored by all. There-\nfore he who wants to attain the glory of Paradise must learn about\nthis God and walk in conformity with His holy will, and do nothing\nwhich brings dishonour to his caste, and whoever dares say the\ncontrary deserves the punishment of hell.\nPerhaps some will deem it unbecoming in a sannyasi like myself\nto speak in this olei of his country and family, but as the lies spread\nabout me are likely to cause greater evils, I am compelled to use\nthat means to make known the law which I profess, the people from\nwhom I came and the land to which I belong, so as to crush a false-\nhood which might bring disgrace on those I love.",
      "status": "completed"
    }
  ]
}