Maharajji Kripalu's Ministry



Jagadguru Kripalu Maharaj Divine
Shri Maharaj Ji’s connection with divinity became apparent when he was 16 years old. He left the Mangarh village to enter the Chitrakoot woods, where he experienced his first connections with his divine nature. For several days, he went in and out of ecstatic states, called Madhurya Bhao Bhakti in Sanskrit. Those who happened upon him while he was enraptured considered the encounter a blessing. After several persons came across him in the forest, they began to spread the word that a handsome, young Indian man, who had spiritual connections, was in ecstasy in the dense forest, and people began to make pilgrimages to seek him out.

In his ecstatic state, Maharaj Ji Kripalu could not communicate with his visitors, so he had to detach from his divine experience to converse with them. Many of them desired him to visit their homes, and he accepted several invitations. During his stays, his distinct chanting exhibitions began. His hosts found the young man handsome and charming, as well as spiritually charged and wise. His charisma riveted all who encountered him, and it was obvious to the hosts and villagers that Shri Maharaj Ji was an extraordinary young man.

During the first stages of his ministry, Shri Maharaj Ji was mostly a houseguest, inspiring his hosts and visitors with his spiritual raptures and connections with the divine. In the beginning, Maharajji Kripalu often went in and out of ecstatic states, known as Samadhi. During a samedhi, Shri Maharaj Ji would become unaware of his surroundings and unable to care for himself, causing him to be at the mercy of those who found him. He often lacked clothing and shelter during his drifts in and out of ecstatic hours, and fellow Hindus cared him like an infant, feeding and clothing him.

When Shri Maharaj Ji was 33 years old, he entered a new, yearlong phase of his ministry, deciding to organize large spiritual conventions in several villages near his first ecstatic experiences in the Chitrakoot woods. By this time, Shri Maharaj Ji had a large following, and the first conventions numbered among the thousands in attendance. Along with his followers, Shri Maharaj Ji invited several other religious leaders, called Spiritual Masters, to address the crowd.

In 1957, Shri Maharaj Ji began a new chapter of his life, leaving the villages and going to an Indian city in the North, called Banaras or Kashi, which is the center of spirituality and religion in India. He was invited to the city by a prominent spiritual organization, Kashi Vidvat Parishat, that was curious to see him demonstrate his brilliance. When Shri Maharaj Ji arrived in Kashi, he spoke on the subject of philosophy before the 500 religious leaders that comprise the organization. He spoke for seven days in the ancient Vedic Sanskrit language on 10 Indian philosophical viewpoints, astounding the religious leaders who believed they could feel the divinity that emitted from Shri Maharaj Ji. After a brief meeting, the religious leaders offered Shri Maharaj Ji several coveted titles, some of which had never been used in Indian history.

Maharaj Ji Kripalu is now 85 years old and continues to minister. His ministry has been in operation for over 65 years, blessing and instructing souls who want to find their real inner nature. Shri Maharaj Ji has received numerous accolades for his contributions to philanthropy and the arts, as well as to religion. Shri Maharaj Ji has assisted in the building of temples and educational institutions for the public, written several books, and affected religious communities worldwide throughout his ministry.