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 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 info@radhamadhavdham.org.
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