As a mahakavya, it revives the traditions of the most prestigious verse form of Indian epic poetry, and is accordingly characterized by ornate and elaborate descriptions.
[1] Similarly to the Christian poetry by fellow Catholic poet Marko Marulić, who believed that, "pagan myth and poetry gained a certain legitimacy when employed in the service of theology",[2] Devassia's poem is filled with multiple references and comparisons to well known stories about the gods, avatars, and demigods of Hinduism and even to figures from recent Indian history like Mohandas Gandhi, in order to point its readers towards Christianity and Jesus Christ.
The 1977 published version of the Kristubhagavatam[3] contains over 1600 Sanskrit verses divided into 33 cantos, perhaps corresponding to the number of years lived by Jesus.
[There is also] inclusion of apt analogies and comparisons with personalities and situations in the two Sanskrit Epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, as also in the Puranas, and occasionally with some well-known happenings in modern India, like the killing of Gandhiji.... No effort is spent to make the poem over-coloured or loaded with displays of learning or skill: it is always simple and straightforward, in the much valued 'Vaidarbhi'[10][11] style.
I have no hesitation in saying that this "magnum opus" of prof. P. C. Devassia will certainly throw open the doors for those Sanyasins and other Sanskrit scholars, who usually do not go in for the life of Christ written in western languages, to have access to Christ in the idioms and expressions of a language with which they are familiar[3]: xi K. R. Srinivasa Iyengar wrote that "The Gospel-story is retained in essentials, but... ...the sonority of Sanskrit gives a fresh morning splendour and resonance to Jesus' divine ministry.
Mary held Joseph's hand as Arundhati did Vasishtha's; Just as Vasudeva hid his son Krishna in Nanda's house, so did Joseph take Jesus to Egypt for his safety; Lazarus' sisters embraced him as he emerged out of his tomb, even as Devayani embraced Kacha as he revived after death.... in betraying Jesus with a kiss, wasn't Judas anticipating Godse who was to kill the Mahatma after first saluting him?
[3]: xvii In summary, K. R. Srinivasa Iyengar concluded that the Kristubhagavatam is... ...a double demonstration, firstly that Sanskrit is by no means a 'dead language' but is very much and gloriously alive; and secondly, that Jesus is not the Christians' Messiah alone, but one of the pathfinders, one of the redeemers, of humanity as a whole.