The 5th Jagadguru: Shree Kripaluji Maharaj
Fifth Original Jagadguru & Embodiment of Divine Love
The Embodiment of Divine Grace
God and Saints work their miracles inside a human being. They inspire, motivate and guide a soul to turn towards spirituality as the only solace to inner discontentment and suffering. It is the Guru who transforms a soul so that he is deserving of God’s Grace. Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, the embodiment of such divine grace, worked tirelessly for ninety years, uplifting souls and pioneering a spiritual uprising not seen since the descension of the Shree Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the 15th century.
Pancham Mool Jagadguru
Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj was honoured with the title of Jagadguru on 14th January 1957 by the Kashi Vidvat Parishat. With profound admiration, they declared him as Jagadguruttam (Supreme amongst all five Jagadgurus).
The Need for a Jagadguru
In Kaliyuga (the present Dark Age), when an increasing number of imposters started misguiding the general public with falsely interpreted scriptural teachings and philosophies, scholars recognised the need to identify a divine personality who has unparalleled mastery over all Vedic scriptures and who spiritual aspirants can go to with the assurance that they will receive the true knowledge of the scriptures. They decided to call such a personality "Jagadguru".
Accolades by Kashi Vidvat Parishat
Shrimatpadavakya-pramanaparavarina
Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj validated his teachings as the only true eternal philosophy of God by citing the Vedic Scriptures. He explained the facts in these divine scriptures using everyday examples that anyone could understand.
Vedmargpratisthapanacharya
The Vedas hold the status of being the most important scriptures in Hinduism. They are the eternal, divine words of God. Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj revealed and established the Vedic paths to God realization.
Sanatanavaidikadharma-pratishthapanasatsampradaya-paramacharya
With due respect to all existing philosophies and religions in the world today, Jagadguru Shri Kripaluji Maharaj established selfless devotion to Radha-Krishna as the true eternal path for individual souls to attain God realization.
Nikhiladarshana-samanvayacharya
Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj validated the philosophies of spiritual masters from the past. He also presented his own philosophy in a simple form. This philosophy reconciled contradictory viewpoints and discrepancies found in existing philosophies and scriptural teachings.
Bhaktiyogarasavatar
Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj not only had complete authority over the Vedas and the Vedic Scriptures. In the current dark age (Kaliyuga), He made the Divine Love of Radha-Krishna flow into even the most sinful hearts. Hence, he was honoured with the title of "Bhaktiyogarasavatar", the embodiment of Divine Love Bliss.
The scholars further added that he was "Jagadguruttam," or Supreme amongst all the Jagadgurus:
Shrimat-padavaakya-pramaana-paaraavaarina-vedamaargapratisthaapanaachaarya Sanaatanavaidikadharma-pratishthaapanasatsampradaaya-paramaachaarya Nikhiladarshana-samanvayaacharya Bhaktiyoga-rasaavataara Bhagavadananta-shrivibhushita Jagadguruttam Swami Shri 1008 Kripaluji Maharaj ki Jai!!
Life History
The Journey of the Fifth Jagadguru
Divine Descent
Jagadguruttam Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, the fifth original Jagadguru in Indian history, was renowned as the embodiment of divine love. He was one of the foremost Rasik saints who spread the joy of Raganuga Bhakti to souls across the globe.
Sharad Poornima
Affectionately known as "Shree Maharajji" by his devotees, he chose the auspicious night of Sharad Poornima in October 1922 to grace the Earth. His descent took place in the humble village of Mangarh, near the holy city of Prayag (Allahabad). Sharad Poornima is a sacred night when Shree Radha Krishna bestowed the ultimate ecstasy of the Maharaas upon the selfless devotees - the gopis of Vrindavan.
Early Brilliance
At birth, his parents, Bhagvati Devi and Lalita Prasad, named Shree Maharajji Ram Kripalu. He displayed exceptional talent as a student, excelling in both academics and sports. By the age of 15, he had completed most of his scholastic duties and earned a degree in Sanskrit literature and history as Vyakaranacharya.
Kavyatirtha
In 1942, he was awarded the prestigious title of Kavyatirtha. Even during his years of study, Shree Maharajji revealed his divine nature through extensive sessions of devotional chanting. He would engage in akhanda naam sankirtan (non-stop chanting of the names of God), for days on end.
Acclaimed as Jagadguru
He revealed the most profound spiritual knowledge that had remained complex and inaccessible for countless millennia. With the unwavering authority of the Vedic scriptures, he established the pursuit of selfless divine love for Radha Krishna as the ultimate ideal to strive for in our lives.
Kashi Vidvat Parishat
During the Kaliyuga, scholars recognized the urgent need to identify a divine figure who possessed an unparalleled mastery over all Vedic scriptures. On 14th January 1957, Kashi Vidvat Parishat invited Shri Kripaluji Maharaj to deliver lectures.
Ten Days of Wisdom
Shri Maharaj Ji spoke for ten days, revealing the secrets of the Hindu scriptures. He reconciled the apparent contradictions between the various Vedic scriptures to reveal the true path to God-realization for the welfare of all humankind.
Jagadguruttam
With profound admiration, the scholars accepted that his knowledge was deeper than the combined knowledge of all 500 of them put together. They unanimously acclaimed him as Jagadguru, the spiritual master of the world.
Glimpses of a Divine Life
Maharaj Ji's Discourses
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Primary Devotional Works
Jagadguruttam Shri Kripaluji described his philosophy in a seminal work called Prem Ras Siddhant or "The Philosophy of Divine Love", which has empowered countless aspirants worldwide to understand their true nature, their spiritual purpose and how to attain it.
Shree Maharajji also composed 1008 nectarine kirtans, brilliantly highlighting the divine emotions of devotion and the divine names, forms, pastimes, qualities, and abodes of Shri Radha Krishna. These kirtans are replete with the deepest Vedic philosophy in simple lines, set to ethereal tunes also composed by Shree Maharajji himself.
He has left behind countless masterpieces of spiritual literature such as the Radha Govind Geet, Braj Ras Madhuri, Shyama Shyam Geet, and most importantly the Bhakti Shatak—100 couplets on the sublime philosophy of Bhakti Yog which exceed the beauty of even Goswami Tusidas’ Ramcharitmanas.
Prem Ras Siddhant
The Philosophy of Divine Love
1008 Kirtans
Nectarine Devotional Compositions
Radha Govind Geet
Divine Melodies
Braj Ras Madhuri
Sweetness of Braj
Bhakti Shatak
100 Couplets on Bhakti Yog