The Pursuit of Bliss

Answer by Jagadguru Shree Kriapalu Ji Maharaj, in response to the question “Why does Discouragement In Devotion Occur?” Discouragement occurs as a result of prior practice. It has to be eliminated through knowledge, through practice. The feeling of discouragement comes when not just one, but all of our weaknesses culminate. They reside in our subtle body and therefore, from time to time, they become strong and manifest. Just like a strong wind that suddenly comes and passes, in the same way, they also come and go. They are not permanent. During that time (a devotee) should hasten his devotion. Everything will be possible with practice only. For example, when someone is riding a bike or when someone is driving a car up a hill or a slope, he puts the car in first gear, puts it in second gear and the car easily drives up the hill. One who is riding a bike puts out more effort trying to get up a hill. When the slopy part ends, then the bike runs smoothly. Similarly, due to the old p...

Naag Panchami Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj (Shri Maharaj Ji) explains the significance of Naag Panchami. Once, King Pareekshit was hunting in a forest. Tired and thirsty, he entered the ashram of a sage Semeeka with the hope to get some water to quench his thirst. The sage however was engrossed in deep meditation and could not hear the king repeatedly asking for water. Pareekshit, was the emperor of the entire Earth. Never in his life had he been so disrespectfully ignored. He misunderstood the sage’s silence to be a great insult to him. In a fit of fury, he picked up a dead snake and put it around the meditating sage’s neck (to insult him) and left the Ashram. As soon as he left, the sage’s sons came back after a bath in the river and were infuriated seeing a dead snake hanging around their father’s neck. One of his son, Shringi, went into meditation, to find the offender who had committed this unpardonable offense. Realizing that King Pareekshit was the offender, he p...

Meditating on Krishna’s Form by Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj (Translated from a speech at Brahmand Ghat, 1965) Leave your physical body here and think of yourself in a Divine body, like Krishna’s body. In your Divine body go towards Golok, Krishna’s eternal abode. In Golok the sun, moon, air, land and hills are Divine because Krishna Himself has become all these. Every object there glows with a Divine effulgence. Now imagine that you are walking there along the gently flowing Yamuna river. On either side there are Divine meadows. The plants and trees on its banks are blossoming with flowers. They are attracting honey bees, which are droning around them. On the banks of such an enchanting Yamuna, which are studded with sentient, Divine jewels and precious stones, is Brahmand Ghat. Having reached there, you can’t find Shyam Sundar. It is possible He has gone somewhere else to play. Look for Him; He may be coming soon. Look for Him in all directions. He will come only wh...

I am His Vs He is Mine Translation of Lecture by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji  Maharaj There are three entities: the lover, the Beloved and Love.   That which unites the lover and the Beloved, is called Love.   In other words, Love is the intimate union of the lover and the Beloved.   The lover is the one who loves the entity "Beloved".   And the "Beloved" is he, towards whom love is directed.   He is the one who possesses Divine Love. This "Love" is God's most intimate personal power, which can be attained only by the Grace of a Rasik Saint.  It cannot be attained through personal effort. This is why even the greatest yogis, paramahansas beg for Divine Love.  The treasure house of this Love is Shree Krishna and His associates alone.  No one else can lay claim to owning this power called "Love".  No personality controlled by Maya, not even the king of heaven, can occupy the seat of the Beloved.  Therefore, no material pe...

God Alone is Ours (Eng Subtitles)

Vasant Panchami This festival is celebrated at the beginning of the Spring season, when vibrant yellow flowers in the mustard fields are blooming, creating a joyous atmosphere everywhere. In Braj, from the time of Vasant Panchmi, devotees begin to sing Holi songs in the Temples. Shri Maharaj Ji dresses up in lovely yellow garments. Devotees chant special Holi songs, dance in spiritual happiness and play Holi of flower petals throwing them on each other, and Shree Maharajji showers his Grace by throwing flowers on them.   “Pad Kirtans” sung during this season usually recount how the exasperated gopies, took their sweet revenge on Shri Krishna and his friends. Tired of being teased and harassed by Shri Krishna and his friends, the gopies decided to retaliate by pelting the darling of Braj with cow-dung, mud, dyes made out of local flowers, vermilion powder etc. If an unfortunate Gopa (Shri Krishna's mate) happened to be caught by the gopies, he was  forcefully d...

How does present day meditation that's taught differ from ancient meditation taught thousands of years ago in India?   Although there are an abundance of different styles of meditation, yet it is unlikely that there is any meditation being taught today which did not have its roots in ancient India.   Someone may add their own personal twist to give a different flavour to any particular form of meditation, but the main categories of meditation remain the same as they have always been.   The reason is that our mind has two main facets: the intellectual mind and the emotional mind.   These are two facets of the same mind.   Thus, there are two main categories into which all forms of meditation are divided: intellectual and emotional.   Intellectual meditation is done from the brain area; the activity of the mind is focused in the 'head' or 'brain' of the meditator.   Emotional meditation is done from the heart area; the activity of the mind is f...

(Part 2 – Synopsis of a lecture given by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on November 17, 2009, in Bhatinda, India) Action refers to your mental motivation, your intention. Because of this, it is the mind that is the cause of your liberation from Maya or your bondage in Maya. Those who do perform religious rituals and scriptural recitations don’t do this while engaging the mind. They read the Gita, Bhagawat or Ramayan, or any other scripture with their tongue. They are merely reciting the words. Some people use prayer beads, but this is just the physical activity of the hands. Some take a ritual bath in the Ganges River. During the time they are bathing, where is their mind? “Oh, look, there’s a boat. Hey, that person is also here bathing. Oh no, my purse might get stolen!” But you are bathing in the Ganges! Do you know who Ganga Ji is? You reply, “This water.” This is the extent of your knowledge. Before bathing, ask your Guru about Ganga Ji’s personality. Invoke Ganga ji with your m...