The Personification of Divine Love and GraceSince eternity, divine personalities have descended on earth for the welfare of humans. Jagadguru Shree Kripalu ji Maharaj is one such divine personality, who is amongst the most unique and highly revered spiritual master. “Shree Maharajji”, as he is lovingly called by his devotees, was born on the auspicious night of Sharad Poornima in 1922, in the village Mangarh, near Allahabad in the eastern state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Childhood and youthJagadguru Shree Kripalu ji Maharaj spent his childhood just like any other, absorbed in playing games and frolicking with his young friends. He was well known to be very intelligent and would excel effortlessly in his studies. At the age of fourteen, he left his village and attended three Universities, in Kashi, Chitrakoot and Indore. He covered a whole series of courses in the space of just two-and-a-half years. Absorption in Divine BlissAt the young age of sixteen, Shree Kripalu ji Maharaj suddenly gave up his studies and entered the dense forests of Chitrakoot. There he spent his time absorbed in intense love for Radha Krishna. He would often lose all external consciousness, and go without eating and drinking for many days. For long intervals, he would remain in mahabhav, the highest stage of devotion that manifests in Radha Rani. The very same manifestation of mahabhav love was last seen in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, about 500 years ago. He emerged from the forest after two years to begin his mission of revealing the glories of Radha Krishna devotion to the world. Kirtan movementShree Maharajji started to conduct ‘satsangs’ that brought about a revolution of Bhakti or devotion in the states of UP and Rajasthan in the 1940s and 50s. He would lead kirtans imbued with intense devotion, which would continue throughout the night. These kirtans, which he wrote himself, have been compared by scholars with those of Meerabai, Soordas, Tulsidas, and Ras Khan. Shree Maharajji’s divine kirtans have captured a special place for themselves in the hearts of sincere devotees across the globe. Scriptural DiscoursesAfter accepting the title of Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj traveled throughout the country for fourteen years. He would deliver month-long discourses in each city, in which he would unravel the mysteries of the scriptures before tens of thousands of people, who would throng the venue for a glimpse of this extraordinary scholar and Saint whose words left them spellbound. Shree Maharajji’s lectures tantalize the masses with humor, worldly examples, practical instructions and playful chastisement, much to the delight of the crowd. It was a unique experience as he made the deepest scriptural truths accessible to everyone in the simplest language. As a cut runs deep, his penetrative words have such divine power that even an atheist’s heart can melt when Shree Maharajji describes the merciful and gracious nature of God. Devotional literatureJagadguru Shree Kripalu ji Maharaj has written thousands of inspiring verses revealing the Divine pastimes of Radha Krishna. His style of writing is unique in the entire history of saints: First, he begins the chanting of a pada or kirtan, and as the kirtan progresses, he keeps adding lines to it, bringing it to a consummate close. In glorification of Shree Radha Krishna Devotion, he has named one of his principal creations as “Prem Ras Madira”, or “Divine Love Intoxicant”. A literal (verbatim) translation of the name of one of the greatest treasures of a devotee is a naïve and futile attempt. One is lost for words to describe the intensity and greatness of the pads and kirtans written by Shree Maharajji. It is only by singing the inebriating kirtans that we can get a glimpse of the unfathomable Divine love that pours out from the heart of a true devotee of Shree Radha Krishna. Worldwide missionIt is Shree Maharajji’s vision that every soul should get a chance to practice Bhakti or devotion in its simplest form, so that the soul may attain its true goal of God-realization. In order to help people around the world in their quest towards this goal, Shree Maharajji began training devotee preachers and sending them to different parts of the globe. He also created a formal organization and began the construction of huge ashrams, to provide facilities for devotees who wished to practically apply the teachings in their lives. This organization is today known as the Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat. Every soul seeking divine love & bhakti realizes the infinite grace of Shree Kripalu ji maharaj.
Shri RadhaKrishnabhyan NamahHOLI SADHANA SHIVIR
From 2nd March to 17 March, 2014 at Bhakti Dham, Mangarh ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Festivals during Sadhana Shivir 16th March - mahaprabhu Jayanti 17th March - Holi ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sadhana Shivir rules will remain the same as previous years. www.jkp.org | www.facebook.com/JKPIndia | www.youtube.com/JKPIndia contact: +91 967048400, +91 9670485000, +91 9919441222, +91 9919601015 Albany Hindu Temple, New York, proudly presents:
The Essence of the Gita: Chapters 13 - 18. Discourse & Kirtan by Swami Nikhilanand of JKP Radha Madhav Dham. Location & Time: February 2 - 8, 2014 Sun, Feb 2nd: 1.30 - 2.30pm in the Temple Mon & Tues, Feb 3rd & 4th: 6.30 - 7.30pm in the Cultural Center Wed & Thurs, Feb 5th & 6th: 6.30 - 7.30pm in the Temple Fri, Feb 7th: 6.30 - 7.30pm in the Cultural Center Sat, Feb 8th: 6.30 - 7.30pm in the Temple Address: Albany Hindu Temple, 450 Albany Shaker Road Loudonville, New York 12110 Phone: 518-459-7272 www.AlbanyHinduTemple.org Questions/Assistance: Prashant Kaushik MD (701) 202-7217 “As a flush to sizzle out the sinful earth As droplets of water to a thirsty sailor As a shower to the very desert As guideline & pathway to hopeless travelers As a drop of love to harsh hearts GURU landed as the angel of lord! Happy Jagadguru Diwas ” - Poem by Aaprisha Sharma from Nepal In cities in India and around the world, the celebrations for Jagadguru Diwas 2014 and Makar Sankranti 2014 are huge. On this day, thousands of devotees take a holy dip in the Ganges and other holy streams. People offer thousands of their colorful oblations to the Sun in the form of beautiful kites. The act stands as a metaphor for reaching to their beloved God. In the ashrams of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, we mark this occasion in a joyous and colorful way; even more-so because it is the day when Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, our Guru, was ordained as "Jagadguru" in 1957. On Sunday, beautiful kites filled the skyline of Radha Madhav Dham USA and Radha Govind Dham New York and devotees of Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj offered their respects to the lotus feet of Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj. In other news, Swami Nikhilanand Ji, senior preacher of Radha Krishna and sanyasi disciple of Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj delivered a profound series of lectures on the significance of the life of Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj. The 6-part series was delivered to devotees at Radha Madhav Dham. All speeches are available for viewing at Radha Madhav Dham's youtube channel www.youtube.com/RadhaMadhavDham or Swami Ji's blog. On December 29th, America commemorated Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj, with flower offerings and shobha yatra at Radha Madhav Dham, Austin. Thousands of spiritual seekers who have been inspired by Shree Maharajji joined the special functions.
Bhakti in the age of Instagram Bhakti in the age of Social Media: Several new social media channels have been launched to connect devotees and promote the path of Radha Krishna devotion in America. Most significantly, Radha Madhav Dham, which is the official center of Radha Krishna devotion in the west, has gone virtual with the introduction of Radha Madhav Dham Official facebook page and Radha Madhav Dham Official twitter page. Radha Govind Dham New York has just launched on instagram, one of the most popular apps today, in addition to facebook and other social media. The instagram page contains regular inspirations by art extraordinaire, Bina. Instagram id is RGDNY. We would like all our readers to get active in Radha Madhav Dham and Radha Govind Dham New York social media. Download the app for instagram and get more inspired and connected with devotion. New Year Kirtan at Radha Madhav Dham Devotees of Shree Maharajji in America gathered at Radha Madhav Dham for 24 hour kirtan. Here is a clip of the climax of the long kirtan session for New Year 2014, where devotees expressed their love for Shree Maharajji and Radha Krishna through chanting and dancing. "Smile, open your eyes, and love" - Poem about Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj by Bhavana, Architecture Student and satsangee of Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj, DelhiYou can shed tears that he is gone
or you can smile because he had lived. You can close your eyes and pray that he’ll come back or you can open your eyes and see all he has left. You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday. You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back or you can do what he’d want: smile, open your eyes, and love. Radha Govind Dham New York best place for New Year celebration (December 31st, 6:00 pm – Midnight)12/30/2013 For devotees living in the East of America, one of the most rewarding and uplifting ways to bring in the New Year is to celebrate it with Radha Krishna at the Radha Govind Dham, the newest and most beautiful Hindu Temple in the New York skyline. The special event will include a sumptuous prasad dinner and 6 hours of continuous and sublime kirtan and meditation. Swami Nikhilanand, a senior preacher of Radha Krishna devotion and a sanyasi pracharak of Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj will lead the New Year Sankirtan Program at Radha Govind Dham New York.
Where: 260-01 Hillside Ave Glen Oaks, New York 11004 When: December 31st, 6:00 pm – Midnight Read more about it at The Vrindavan Times News. Getting actively involved with RGDNY, supporting and promoting their programs, means that you are a special part in Radha Krishna's mission, and a valued part in the growth and expansion of one the great spiritual beacons and guiding forces of Radha Krishna devotion in the world. The rewards and blessing are boundless. Start getting involved today by joining them on facebook as well as registering for annual membership. Above, Radha Krishna devotees chanting kirtans composed by Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj. On Sunday, December 29, 2013, Radha Madhav Dham invites all spiritual aspirants to join in a shobha yatra (ceremonial procession) to offer their shraddhasuman pushpanjali (respects) to Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj.
India – the sacred land of the Vedas, the Himalayas, and the Ganga, the spiritual center of the world and the birthplace of great thinkers, Saints & Acharyas grieved the departure of a great rasik Saint who was the embodiment of the sacred knowledge of the Vedic scriptures. Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj, the fifth original Jagadguru in the last 5,000 years, left for the Divine Abode of Shree Radha Krishna on November 15, 2013. Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, Shree Maharajji as he was lovingly called by devotees all over the world, tirelessly worked for the spiritual advancement of souls for 91 years, inspiring millions around the world to realize the importance of their precious human birth and utilize it for God realization. Exhibiting mastery over the most advanced subjects at a very young age, Shree Maharaj Ji completed his education by the age of 16. By the mid-1950s, fame of his unparalleled knowledge spread far and wide across India and even inspired Kashi Vidvat Parishat, an exclusive body of 500 most revered Vedic scholars, to unanimously proclaim him as Jagadguruttam – the supreme Jagadguru of this age. After Jagadguru Shree Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Nimbarkacharya and Madhavacharya, Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj was the fifth original Jagadguru. Through countless lectures, Shree Maharaj Ji explained the most complex teachings of Hindu scriptures in a simple, practical manner. He also provided a vast spectrum of devotional materials, including Prem Ras Siddhant, a masterpiece that establishes Bhakti as the easiest and the surest path to God; 1,008 original pads (devotional songs) and thousands of other Radha Krishna bhajans and kirtans that can be understood by people of all ages and backgrounds. He emphasized roopdhyan (actively engaging the mind while meditating on the form, virtues and Divine actions of God) to be the most important part of Bhakti for God realization. Along with spiritual upliftment, Shree Maharaj Ji through his worldwide religious and charitable organization, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, undertook significant charitable and educational projects to improve the quality of life for the impoverished and underprivileged segments of the Indian society. Three hospitals, in Mangarh, Vrindavan and Barsana, today provide 100% free medical care and medicine to thousands of severely impoverished people. A world-class K-12 school and a college offers free education for poor women and children who would never get the chance for academic education. In addition, special clinics provide cataract surgery for the poor, specially designed vehicles are made for the handicapped; and essential clothing, blankets and household items are given to widows, lepers, blind and homeless people with regularl frequency to sustain them. For the spiritual benefit of souls, he also established divine monuments like Prem Mandir in Vrindavan, and Bhakti Mandir in his birthplace Mangarh. Established in 1990, Radha Madhav Dham, Shree Maharaj Ji’s ashram in Austin, Texas, is today one of the largest Hindu temples in the U.S. where visitors experience the same devotional environment that prevailed in the ancient ashrams and spiritual centers of rasik Saints 500 years ago. The ashram measuring over 200 acres is a reminiscent of the holy land of Braj in India. Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj's divya asthi (sacred ashes) have been brought to Radha Madhav Dham to be permanently established at a monument that will be dedicated to him at Radha Madhav Dham in Austin, Texas. It is a great fortune for spiritual aspirants in the West who will continue to draw inspiration from this monument for years to come. For more information, you may call Radha Madhav Dham Temple at 512-288-7180 or email to [email protected]. |