Kripalu Maharaj

Kripalu (IAST: Kṛpālu) (5 October 1922 – 15 November 2013)[3] was a Hindu spiritual leader [4] from Allahabad (Prayag), India.[5][6][7]

Jagadguru Shrī

Kripālu

Jī Mahārāj
Kripālu giving lecture
TitleGuru
Other namesRām Kripālu Tripathī
Personal
Born
Rām Kripālu Tripathī

(1922-10-05)5 October 1922[1][2]
Mangarh, Pratapgarh
Died15 November 2013(2013-11-15) (aged 91)[1][2]
New Delhi, Delhi, India
ReligionHinduism
NationalityIndian
Home townMangarh, Pratapgarh
LineageBhakti yoga
Notable work(s)Prem Ras Sidhhant, Prem Ras Madira, Shyama Shyam Geet, Radha Govind Geet, Braj Ras Madhuri Part 1-4, Yugal Shatak, Yugal Ras, Yugal Madhuri, Bhakti Shatak, Radha Trayodashi, Kripalu Trayodashi
Other namesRām Kripālu Tripathī
TemplePrem Mandir, Vrindavan; Bhakti Mandir Mangarh, Pratapgarh
Religious career
Based inMangarh, Pratapgarh
Period in office1957–2013
PostGuru, Samanvaya-Acharya
WebsiteOfficial website of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat
Sanskrit name
Sanskritजगद्गुरु श्री कृपालु जी महाराज

He was the founder of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat (JKP), a worldwide Hindu non-profit organization with five main ashrams;[8] four in India and one in the United States.[9][10] JKP Radha Madhav Dham is one of the largest Hindu Temple complexes in the Western Hemisphere,[9][11] and the largest in North America.[9][12][13][14]

He was awarded the title of Jagadguru (world teacher) at the age of 34 by Kashi Vidvat Parishat (the oldest and most recognised body of Varanasi's intellectuals) on Makar Sankranti day, 14 January 1957.[5][15][16]

Honorifics
  • Jagad Guru (Universal Master / World Teacher)
  • Shrī (Sir)
  • Jī
  • Mahārāj (Great King)
  • Paramahamsa (Supreme Swan)
  • Jagadguruttam (Ultimate Universal Master)
  • Bhakti Yoga Ras Avatar

Early life

Kripālu was born on Sharad Purnima, the full moon on the month of Sharad (5 October 1922),[1][2] as Rām Kripālu Tripathī in Mangarh district Pratapgarh, near Allahabad, in India.[7][15] He received his preliminary education in Hindi and Sanskrit in the local school. He went on to study advanced Sanskrit and Ayurved in Ashtang Ayurved College, Lokmanya Nagar, Indore and Varanasi and spent a year or more around Chitrakoot.[5] After completing his formal education, at the age of 16, he entered into self-imposed vanvas.[5] He found his way to Vrindavan and the next year he emerged as a Guru,[15] known affectionately as Shri Maharaj Ji.[15] When he was 17 years old, he led a 6-month continuous chanting of the "Maha Mantra".[15]

Jagadguru
Receiving the title of Jagadguru from the scholars of Kashi Vidvat Parishad (false colour)

In 1955 Kripalu organized a religious convention for prominent spiritual leaders[17] in India.[18] Mahamahopadhyay Giridhar Sharma, President of the Kashi Vidvat Parishat had also come and was impressed by Kripalu's scriptural knowledge.[18][19] Kripalu was invited to give discourse at the Kashi Vidvat Parishat in 1957.[18][20]

The congregation had scholars from Varanasi and other parts of India.[18] His speeches lasted for seven days, after which he was formally installed as the fifth Jagadguru ("world teacher").[18][21] He was 34 years old when given the title on 14 January 1957,[16] by the Kashi Vidvat Parishat, a group of Hindu scholars.[15][21][22] The Kashi Vidvat Parishat also conferred on him the titles Bhaktiyog-Ras-Avtar and Jagadguruttam.[23]

Shri Kripalu Ji was given the title of Jagadguru in 1957,[24] prior to him there were four original Jagadgurus i.e. Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya (A.D. 788-820), Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya (1017-1137), Śrī Nimbārkācārya and, Śrīpāda Madhvācārya (1239-1319),[5][16] he was known as the "fifth original Jagadguru". He was also awarded, by the Kashi Vidvat Parishat, the title Samanvaya-Acharya, i.e., He analyses and reconciles the meaning of all the scriptures, the six philosophies and the (seemingly contradictory) teachings of other previous Jagadgurus.[25] After being awarded Jagadguruttam (the foremost among Jagadgurus), he spent most of the initial years in Agra. Prem Ras Sidhhant and Prem Ras Madira were also written during that phase of His life, which extends from late 1950s to 1970s.

Teachings

According to Kripalu, "the desired goal of the soul is to attain the selfless Divine love of Radha Krishna who are eternally related to you".[18] He taught that Radha Krishna are the supreme 'form' of God and the 'form' of Divine Love and are eternally related to us.[15]

TV discourses

Kripalu's discourses are broadcast daily on several religious TV channels, including DD India, Aastha TV, Sadhna TV, IBN 7, News24 and Sanskar TV.[26][27][28] In the United States, his discourses are also broadcast everyday on TV Asia.[29] In his TV discourses, Kripalu quotes the chapter and verse of almost everything he cites from the scriptures.[30]

YouTube channel

Two of his longest lecture series are available on the official YouTube channel, JKP Vedic:[31]

  • Brahm Jeev Maya[32]
  • Main Kaun Mera Kaun[33]

Ashrams and temples

Kripalu was the founder and preceptor of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat (JKP), a worldwide Hindu non-profit religious organization with four main ashrams in India, (Rangeeli Mahal, Barsana; Bhakti Dham, Mangarh; Shyama Shyam Dham, Vrindavan and Jagadguru Dham, Vrindavan) and one in the USA (Radha Madhav Dham, Austin).[8] Besides these 5 main ashrams, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat has established a number of teacher centres in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Fiji Island, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Nepal, Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, Trinidad, West Indies, United Kingdom and in many cities throughout India and USA.[34] The organization also publishes a Hindi magazine, Sadhan Sadhya, three times a year,[35] as well as a monthly newsletter.[36]

He also established three temples.[37] – Shri Raseshwari Radha Rani Temple, Austin;[10] Bhakti Mandir, Mangarh; Prem Mandir, Vrindavan[38][39]

Prem Mandir
For further information see: Prem Mandir Vrindavan

Prem Mandir is a religious and spiritual complex in Vrindavan. Construction of Prem Mandir began on January 2001 and the inauguration ceremony took place from 15 to 17 February 2012. The temple was opened to public on 17 February 2012. The cost was 150 crore rupees ($23 million).[40] 30,000 tons of Italian marble, carved with specialized KUKA robotic machines, have been used in the construction. The presiding deity are Shri Radha Govind (Radha Krishna) and Shri Sita Ram.[41] A 73,000 square feet, pillar-less, dome shaped satsang hall is being constructed next to Prem Mandir, which will accommodate 25,000 people at a time.[39]

Ashrams
Prem Mandir, Vrindavan
Bhakti Mandir, Mangarh
Bhakti Bhawan, Mangarh

Philanthropic activities

Kripalu established three free hospitals.[5][42][43][44] The Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya, Mangarh, the Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya (Barsana), and the Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya (Vrindavan) are serving rural populations of 1,000,000 within their catchment radius of 80–100 km each and each treating 600 – 700 patients daily. The expenses are all borne by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat.[45] A secular educational Institution is being financed and run by Kripalu's educational trust, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Education (JKP Education), which provides underprivileged women and girls free education up to post graduation level.[46] JKP Education runs three colleges for girls in Kunda, Uttar Pradesh (Kripalu Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Kripalu Balika Primary School and Kripalu Balika Intermediate College).[47][48] Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat also donates money for disaster relief,[46][49] including Rs. 10 lacs for the aid of Bhuj earthquake victims in 2001, Rs. 25 Lacs for tsunami victims in 2004 and again Rs. 2 Crore for Bihar flood victims in 2008.[46] In May 2013, Kripalu donated Rs.1 crore to the Chief Minister's Relief fund for the victims of the Uttarakhand floods.[50] In 2013, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Education president Vishakha Tripathi received the Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award,[51] the Mother Teresa Excellence Award[52] and the Nari Shakti Award[52][53] for work providing free education to 5000 girls and women in rural India.[52]

Bibliography

Philosophical books
  • Prem Rasa Siddhant (ISBN 978-93-80661-35-3) — The philosophy of Divine love.[54][55] It was first published (in Hindi) in 1955.[18] Later, it was published is several other languages of India. It has been described as an "incredible book" by Swami Sivananda among others.
  • Bhakti Shatak (ISBN 978-93-80661-26-1) — The concise philosophy of the Upaniṣats, Gītā, Brahma sūtras and the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam in an easy to understand style.[15][56]
  • Radha Govind Geet (ISBN 978-81-90966-16-0) — Printed in two volumes, with eleven thousand one hundred and eleven couplets of Radha Krishna leelas and the devotional philosophy.[57]
  • Ras Panchadhyayi (ISBN 978-93-80661-15-5) — Represents a series of discourses given on the esoteric of subject of Raas Leela.[58]

Kirtans
  • Prem Ras Madira (ISBN 978-93-80661-27-8) — 1008 songs ("pad") of Radha-Krishna Leelas, Devotional Philosophy and humility.[18][59]
  • Braj Ras Madhuri (Part 1 ISBN 978-93-80661-20-9, Part 2 ISBN 978-93-80661-21-6, Part 3 ISBN 978-93-80661-22-3, Part 4 ISBN 978-93-80661-55-1) — Printed in four parts, hundreds of kirtans dedicated to Radha-Krishna, Sita-Ram, and others.[60]
  • Yugal Shatak (ISBN 978-93-80661-30-8) — One hundred "kirtans" of Radha Rani and Krishna.[61]
  • Yugal Rasa (ISBN 978-93-80661-29-2) — Kirtans of Radha Krishna.[62]
  • Shri Krishna Dwadashi (ISBN 978-93-80661-04-9) and Shri Radha Trayodashi (ISBN 978-93-80661-28-5) — Twelve "padas" which fully describe the beauty and the decorations of Krishna. And thirteen "padas" about the beauty and the decorations of Radha Rani.[63]

Renditions

Renditions of Kripalu's bhajans and kirtans have been recorded by singers such as Manna Dey[64] and Anuradha Paudwal.[65] Anup Jalota,[66] Suresh Wadkar, Kavita Krishnamurthy have also agreed to release several CDs of his compositions.

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References
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  53. Education trust of Jagadguru Kripalu Maharaj honoured. IANS. 11 May 2013
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  63. "Shri Radha Trayodashi". Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  64. Kinnear, M. 1985. A discography of Hindustani and Karnatic music. Greenwood Press.
  65. Video Keertans by Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  66. Rang De with Anup Jalota at Radha Madhav Dham, Austin Archived 5 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine. 20 October 2011. Indo-American News. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
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