A landmark in the history of Varanasi

It was an example of “Na bhuto na bhavishyati”, which means an event Divinely so special that it had never happened in the past, and is so extraordinary that it is not likely to happen in the near future. When Kripalu Maharaj began his discourse in scholarly Sanskrit there was a mixed feeling of curiosity, admiration and anxiousness in the hearts of the audience. But, at the end of his two hour discourse covering the critical topics of the bhashyas and the Brahm Sutra that invariably coordinate with the tenets of the Gita, Upnishads and the Darshan Shastras, a sereneness prevailed in the hall, and the audience went home with their minds full of exciting thoughts and their hearts full of affectionate admiration.

The next day even the elderly pandits, who seldom used to go to anyone’s speech, came earlier to get a better location to sit and the hall was full before Kripalu Maharaj’s arrival. The speeches went on for six days. The seventh day Kripalu Maharaj briefly summarized the main topics of the last six days and gave an extraordinary discourse reconciling the philosophies of all the Jagadgurus and representing the Blissful theme of bhakti yog, which is explicitly described in the Bhagwatam and which is the integral message and the soul of all the scriptures. The congregation, that contained almost all the scholars of Varanasi and also many others who came from other provinces of India, had never seen such a Divine personality so absolutely well versed in all of the scriptures (Vedas, Upnishads, Sutras, Upvedas, Vedangas, Darshan Shastras, Puranas, Itihas, the philosophies of the Jagadgurus and the writings of the rasik Saints etc.), and at the same time so humble, kind and absorbed in Radha Krishn Bhao which radiated from his personality.

It was such an event in thousands of years that created a landmark in the Divine history of Varanasi and glorified the glorious Puri of God Shiv, because, when Jagadguru Shankaracharya (or Jagadguru Ramanujacharya or Jagadguru Madhvacharya) debated and established their philosophy, they did it mostly on one-to-one basis and with the prominent scholars of that town wherever they went, and the other people simply listened to them. But this time all the learned pandits and the scholars were assembled together in Varanasi and among them Kripalu Maharaj propounded and reconciled the theory of the scriptures. Now the learned pandits of Kashi Vidvat Parishad took the privilege of honoring Shree Maharajji with the flowers of their appreciation and praised their luck to worship him as the Supreme Jagadguru of this age. Prior to him, only four Divine personalities were given the title of Jagadguru. He is thus the fifth Jagadguru in the last 5,000 years. The Bliss of nam sankirtan that he gives is the same that Chaitanya Mahaprabhuji gave five hundred years ago, so he is called Bhakti-yog-rasavatar (the descension of Radha Krishn love).

Kripalu Maharaj is the supreme acharya and Jagadguru of the present age. He accepts the philosophy of achintya-bhedabhed-vad, but, more specifically, it can also be called sarv-siddhant-samanvai-ved which means the reconciled philosophy of all the acharyas that teaches the path of selfless bhakti for the realization of Divine love. He respects all the acharyas. He did not form his separate religion. He teaches the path of selfless bhakti to Radha Krishn which itself is the eternal single religion to experience the unsurpassing supreme Divine Bliss of braj ras and nikunj ras of Golok and Divine Vrindaban.

Kripalu Maharaj did not write his separate philosophy. He recognizes the Shat Sandarbh of Jeev Goswami and says that the Bhagwatam is the complete and final scriptural authority and is the explanation of the Brahma Sutra. Kripalu Maharaj says that the desired goal of a soul is to receive the selfless Divine love of Radha Krishn. They are the Soul of your soul. Knowing this you only have to develop a deep desire for Their vision and love by strengthening your faith in Them. Keep away from bad associations, yearningly remember and chant Their name and leelas. That’s all you have to do and leave the rest upon Them. Just remember that They are truly yours and you only belong to Them. They are most kind and causelessly merciful; They will do the best for you.

Kripalu Maharaj did not relate the Divine lineage of this path, like the other acharyas did, because it is directly introduced in the world by Shree Raseshwari Radha Rani and Krishn during Their descension period and is further promoted by the rasik Saints who live on this earth planet. He says that the ultimate goal of a soul is to receive the selfless Divine love of Radha Krishn and to serve Them in Their Divine abode and it is attained with the Grace of a true rasik Saint on the complete purification of the heart through bhakti.

Kripalu Maharaj has detailed the entire philosophy of God’s Blissfulness, God realization and devotion in his writings, which enlighten everyone from an ordinary literate person to a highly educated scholar. He has revealed an enormous amount of devotional material through his speeches and writings, including teachings, philosophies (related to all the aspects of devotion, God realization, God’s Grace, Saint’s Grace, classes of Divine Blissfulness, and the supremacy of the Divine love of Radha Krishn), guidelines for a devotee, devotional procedures, leela songs (pad), songs (pad) of humbleness, and the chantings of the name, form, virtues, and the leelas of Radha Krishn. They are for all kinds and classes of devotees. Shree Maharajji himself introduced hundreds of tunes for singing these chantings and leela songs.