Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj, lovingly known as Maharajji, is the 5th original Jagadguru, and the Supreme Acharya of the present age.
Birth and early life history
Shree Maharajji was born in October 1922, on the Sharat Poornima, in Mangarh Village (near Allahabad, India), in a highly respected brahmin family. Incidentally, Sharat Poornima is the full moon night when Shree Raseshwari Radha Rani, revealed the true bliss of Vrindavan about 5000 years ago. Since childhood, his extraordinary virtues were noticed by people. At the age of fourteen years, he was sent to Indore to study Sanskrit literature. He mastered all the subjects within a short span of two years. At the age of sixteen years, he manifested his form of divine bliss and ecstasy and was continously absorbed in it. He went to Chitrakoot, Sharbhang, Mahoba and Jhansi. Around 1940, he came to Vrindavan and started going to houses of devotees for Satsang. He would travel to the houses of various devotees in Agra, Mathura and Allahabad. Apart from Nama Sankirtana, he also started singing leela pad (songs describing the glories of the Leelas or divine pastimes of the Lord). In 1942, he came back to Mahu and started holding long, non stop sankirtan sessions, sometimes stretching to four months. He frequently visited Mandaleshwar and Maheshwar where he would hold fortnight long sessions.
Being honoured as the Supreme Jagadguru of the present age
In 1955, Shree Maharajji organized a religious convention in which, prominent spiritual leaders of India gathered. Mahamahopadhyay Giridhar Sharma, President of the Kashi Vidvat Parishad had also come and was enthralled by Shree Maharajji's learning and scriptural knowledge. In another convention organized in Kanpur in 1956, in which, Shree Raj Narain, Shat Shastree, the Chief Secretary of the Kashi Vidvat Parishad, happened to hear Shree Maharajji's discourses. He was so enthralled by the discourses that after returning to Kashi, he invited Shree Maharajji to grace the scholars of Kashi with his divine speech. Shree Maharajji then went to Kashi in 1957.
The congregation had all the scholars of Vanarasi also many from all over the India. They were overwhelmed by Shree Maharajji's knowledge of all the scriptures (Vedas, Upanishads, Upvedas, Vedangas, Darshan Shastras, Puranas, Itihas, the philosophies of the other Jagadgurus and the Rasik saints, etc). After speeches which lasted for seven days, the learned scholars of Kashi, urged Shree Maharajji to accept the title of Jagadguru. He is thus the fifth original Jagadguru, the last Jagadgurus being Jagadguru Adi Sankaracharya (509-477 B.C.), Jagadguru Nimbarkacharya (before 600 B.C.), Jagadguru Madhavacharya (13th century) and Jagadguru Ramanujacharya (1017-1137 A.D.).
Philosophy and Teachings
Shree Maharajji has not given a separate philosophy. He accepts Shat Sandarbh of Jeev Goswami and also says that the Bhagwatam is the complete and final scriptural authority. He reconciled the differences that appeared in the philosophies of the other Jagadgurus and the Darshan Shastras and established the true theme of the scriptures. Thus, the title of 'Nikhildarshansamanvayacharya was conferred upon him (meaning the Acharya who has reconciled the philosophies of all the Darshan Shastras).
Books and compositions
Shree Maharajji, unlike the previous Jagadgurus chose to write in Hindi as Sanskrit was no longer the common language. His numerous creations include
¨Prem Ras Siddhant
¨Prem Ras Madira
¨Bhakti Shatak
¨Braj Ras Madhuri
¨Radha Govinda Geet
¨Yugal Shatak
¨Yugal Ras
¨Shree Krishn Dwadashi
¨Shree Radha Trayodashi
Even at present, Shree Maharajji continues composing new couplets and chantings in which he expresses the most esoteric truths in the simplest of words.
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