Early Life
A Divine breeze permeated the entire Brahmand on the Sharat Poornima night of October 1922, when Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj appeared in a small village called Mangarh village (near Allahabad, India) in a most respectable Brahmin family. His mother, Bhagvati Devi, and father, Lalita Prasad, name him Ram Kripalu at birth. From the very first day, He delighted the hearts of everyone around him with his sweet smile and serene look.
At the young age of 16, He attained the highest stage of Divine Love – Mahabhav Samadhi when, absorbed in this state, He spent many years in the dense forests of Chitrakoot. Finally, emerging from Chitrakoot, He began his lifetime’s work of guiding souls on the path to Divine Love. In those early days, He always stayed in his Bhao state. His sankirtan programs of those days were like vivid glow of Radha Krishn love that thrilled every soul who desired Krishn love. Devotees witnessed the supreme Bhao state of Radha Rani’s love in him. The pious people who saw him were amazed to see his Bhao state and thus they took the privilege to invite him to their houses. In this way, there were a number of families in whose house He stayed, somewhere a few hours and somewhere a day or two, but He was constantly twenty-four hours in Bhao. Day and night made no difference for him. In those days people used to call him Paramhansji because He was always in an absolute state of Radha Krishn love. For about two years He stayed in that state.
Then, compelled by repeated earnest entreaties from some people who were drawn to him by his irresistible divine personality, imbued with such rarest divine love, and, therefore, wanted to be spiritually benefitted through his association, He accepted to leave the forests and stay with them. Wherever He stayed, He graced deserving devotees with divine knowledge and divine love through his teachings and chantings. Such was the unique charm of his voice, words and personality that people used to listen to him for hours together like statues. Thus began the first chapter of his preaching to the world.
Title of Jagadguru
At the age of 34, Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj was invited to address the Kashi Vidvat Parishad, India’s highest council of 500 Vedic scholars. These scholars were so impressed by his enormous knowledge of all Vedic scriptures that they honoured him with the title of Jagadguru (Spiritual Master of the World) on 14 January 1957. They also added that He is the Supreme amongst all Jagadgurus (Jagadgurutam).
Prior to the above event, the title of Jagadguru had been conferred on only four personalities in history: Adi-Jagadguru Shankaracharya, Jagadguru Nimbarkacharya, Jagadguru Ramanujacharya and Jagadguru Madhvacharya (who last received it 700 years ago). Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji propounds a unique philosophy that convincingly reconciles the age-old philosophical contradictions. Profound and practical, intelligible and interesting, it satisfies both the head and the heart. A glimpse of it can be had from his book on philosophy, Prem Rasa Siddhant.
Work and Mission
Shri Maharaj Ji’s endless showering of Divine Bliss on devotees brings people from around the world to his doorstep. He has also revealed in his innumerable literary works, the simple straight-forward path to God-realization and Divine Bliss. To spread his teachings, Shri Maharaj Ji has trained sanyasi preachers who teach around the world.
Those that have had the golden fortune of attending the one month’s Sadhana programme, which is held annually at his birth place beginning a week before Sharad Purnima in the month of October, or other spiritual camps conducted by him from time to time, understand the implication of the above title to a certain extent. According to almost all of them, his personality which in their words “is made of nothing else but love and grace”, and his spell-binding chantings remind one of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of Lord Krishna who rejuvenated the chanting of the divine name (Sankirtan) and who, likewise, enraptured the minds of his listeners through his charming personality and penetrating voice, drowning them in the ocean of love.
Residence
Shree Maharajji mostly resided in his ashrams at Mangarh, Barsana and Vrindaban. Thousands of people visit these Divine centers to have Shree Maharajji’s darshan and to participate in ecstatic chanting programs and celebrations like Holi, Guru Poornima, Janmashtmi, Radha Ashtmi, Sharat Poornima, and Divali etc. Sometimes Shree Maharajji visited different cities and towns of India to enlighten the hearts and minds of the huge audiences that gathered to hear his explanations of the Divine philosophy. His vivid descriptions of Radha Krishn leelas and virtues thrill the audience with the experience of Krishn love.
Shree Maharajji’s entire life was the revelation of the state of Radha Krishn love.
On 15 November 2013, Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj left his physical body for the Divine Abode of Shree Radha Krishna, bringing his visible pastimes to a close.