Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj is the only Saint of this age who has been honoured with the highest title among all Vedic Saints and Scholars. Just like the Pope in Christianity, a Jagadguru is the greatest and highest authority among all Hindu Saints and Scholars. This title is given only to a Saint who brings about a spiritual revolution in the world through His divine teachings. He is the supreme exponent of Sanatan Dharma (eternal Vedic religion), and His reconciliation of all philosophies and faiths is truly unique.
He appeared on earth in the year 1922 on the auspicious night of Sharat Poornima (the full moon night of the divine 'Raas Dance' by Shri Krishna), in a small village named Mangarh, near the city of Allahabad in North India. Named Ram Kripalu at birth, He is known to the world today as Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj, and is lovingly called Maharaj Ji by all. During His childhood, He astonished His teachers and fellow students by His super intelligence and phenomenal memory. He finished His elementary education at a young age, followed by studies of Sanskrit Grammar, Literature and Ayurveda at Indore and Varanasi. This brief period of study did not include study of the Scriptures!
At the tender age of sixteen, He disappeared into the dense forests of Chitrakoot and Vrindavan for a year. During this period, He remained totally immersed in the ecstasy of divine love, oblivious of the outer world. Gradually, He controlled and concealed this supreme ecstasy of divine bliss and completely devoted Himself to gracing conditioned souls with His inspiring divine wisdom and sublime chanting, which spread powerful waves of divine love and bliss, and melted even the most stone-hearted.
Shri Maharaj Ji observed that people were misguided and totally ignorant of the actual essence of the Scriptures and true form of devotional practice. To redeem this dismal spiritual state of mankind, He organised huge religious conferences at Chitrakoot in the year 1955 and in Kanpur the following year. These conferences were attended by the most eminent Scholars and Saints of India. It was during these conferences that His scriptural omniscience was revealed to the world, and even the most learned Scholars were lost in wonder.
Impressed by Shri Maharaj Ji's extraordinarily authoritative knowledge of all the Scriptures, the Kashi Vidvat Parishat (a body of 500 topmost Scholars of India, who collectively represent the highest seat of spiritual learning) invited Him to Kashi (Varanasi). Shri Maharaj Ji delivered a series of discourses in Sanskrit, which left all of them spellbound and speechless. They were highly impressed by His unparalleled knowledge of all the Scriptures, which far surpassed their combined knowledge, that they collectively honoured Him with the title of 'Jagadguru' (Spiritual Master of the whole world). This historical event took place on 14th January 1957. Shri Maharaj Ji was only 34 years of age then. The Kashi Vidvat Parishat also honoured Him with the special title of 'Jagadguruttam' (supreme amongst all Jagadgurus) and declared Him as 'Bhaktiyogarasavatara' (Personification of Divine Love and Bliss).
In the last 2500 years, only four Saints have been honoured with the title of Jagadguru:- Jagadguru Shankaracharya, Jagadguru Nimbarkacharya, Jagadguru Ramanujacharya and Jagadguru Madhvacharya. Shri Maharaj Ji is the 5th original Jagadguru.
Shri Maharaj Ji makes no distinction of caste, creed, colour or race. With His infinite love and compassion, He gathers all into the purity of His divine embrace, and His divine effulgence shines through all He says, all He does and all He is. Every seeker is amazed to see how approachable He is and enjoys the special privilege of individual attention from Him. Thus, He makes each one feel that He belongs to them. His tall, stately and regal, yet childlike personality has an indefinable attraction that draws all young and old, men, women and children to Him. The all-satisfying love, which emanates from Him, makes each one feel the love of a parent, friend and teacher all in one. It is very easy to become a recipient because there is no other giver like Shri Maharaj Ji. True to His name 'Kripalu' He is the very 'Ocean of Grace.'
