Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Maharaj is the fifth original Jagadguru in Indian history. He is renowned for his exquisite mastery of the Hindu scriptures. He has written thousands of bhajans that exude Vedic philosophy in general and love for God in particular.
Maharajji appeared in this world in 1922, on the full moon night called Sharad Poornima. This was the night, when five thousand years ago, Lord Shree Krishna performed His famous Raas Leela dance with the gopis. Maharajji was born in a small village called Mangarh, near Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, India.
Maharajji's childhood was spent in fun and frolic with friends. Yet, he amazed everyone by displaying his mastery in every subject that was taught in school. His answer papers in examinations would always be perfect, but his teachers would hesitate to give him a perfect score, and would award him 99 marks. His friends would be so impressed by this feat, that they had given him the name " Mr. Ninety Nine." He would often take his young village friends to sit under shady village trees, and engage them in singing loving keertans to God.
At the age of fourteen, he left his village Mangarh to study courses from three Universities, at Kashi, Delhi and Kolkata. In those days in India, students were given the facility to register for courses, and study them at home. Due to his exceptional ability, Maharajji completed eighteen years syllabus in a short span of just two-and-a-half years. He received three degrees -Vyakaran Acharya, Sahitya Acharya, and Ayurved Acharya.
At the young age of sixteen, he gave up his studies and entered the dense forests of Chitrakoot, where he remained absorbed in intense love of Shree Radha Krishna. During that period, he would rest in caves and eat fruits from the trees of the forest. Often having no awareness of his body, he would go without eating and drinking for several days at a stretch. His mind would remain immersed in Mahabhav, the highest state of devotion to Lord Shree Krishna. This elevated state of Mahabhav devotion was also manifested by another great Saint, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, about five hundred years ago.
In January 1957, Maharajji was invited to give a series of lectures to the Kashi Vidvat Parishat. This was a body of 500 foremost Vedic scholars of India, each of them was a master of one or more scriptures. Maharajji spoke in Sanskrit for ten days, giving innumerable quotations from the Vedas, Puranas, Mahabharat, Ramayan, Vedant, and other scriptures. He showed the wonderful unity in the teachings of the previous jagadgurus and revealed the true path of God realization.
When the entire body of scholars was convinced that Kripaluji Maharaj's knowledge was deeper than the combined knowledge of all the 500 scholars put together, they honoured him with the title of Jagadguru, or the Spiritual Master of the world. They also declared that he was Jagadguruttam, or supreme amongst Jagadgurus, and Bhaktiyog Rasavatar, or the descension of the Bliss of Divine Love.
(An excerpt form Saints of India: Bal Mukund Character Building Series)
नाचो गाओ सब साधक समुदाय, आज गुरुदेव जन्मदिन पुनि आय।
हम सब की उमर इन्हें लग जाय, युग युग जीयें ऐसे साधना कराय।
नाचो गाओ सब साधक समुदाय, आज गुरुदेव जन्मदिन पुनि आय।
हम सब की उमर इन्हें लग जाय, युग युग जीयें ऐसे साधना कराय।
