The Tradition of Jagadguru

Excerpt from Book: Guru Kripa, www.jkpliterature.org.in

vasudeva sutaṁ devam kaṁsa chānūramardanam

devaki paramānandaṁ krishnaṁ vande jagadgurum

The word Jagadguru (Spiritual Master of the World) is very old. In the Mahabharata, Arjuna addresses Shri Krishna as Jagadguru,

krishnam vande jagadgurum

I pay my obeisance to Jagadguru (Preceptor of the Universe) Lord Shri Krishna.

In Uttara Khaṇḍa of Skanda Purāṇa, Goddess Pārvati addresses Lord Shankara as Jagadguru. In the tenth canto (part) of the Bhāgavatam, Shukadeva Paramahaṁsa says, “How fortunate are the women who acknowledged Jagadguru Shri Krishna as their Beloved.”

jagadgurum bhartṛibuddhyā tāsāṁ kim varṇyate tapah

(Bhāgavatam 10.90.27)

Therefore the foremost Jagadguru is Shri Krishna. But in the world, this tradition started from Jagadguru Shankaracharya who was a partial incarnation of Lord Shankara Himself. In Kaliyuga, hypocrisy was rampant all over the world. There was great confusion, innumerable illiterates became babas and adorned themselves in colourful costumes.

These people concocted their sects without learning or understanding the Vedas and scriptures and started initiating people. People got confused about what true spiritual knowledge was. Hence, all the scholars decided in unison to select a mahātmā and award him with the title of Jagadguru. The title would only be given to such a mahātmā who is a scholar of the Vedas and scriptures and who has attained God. All the scholars of India should acknowledge his superiority, only then can he be honoured as Jagadguru.

Thereafter, people can go to him, shedding all their hesitations and doubts, learn devotional practice and thus be saved from deception and hypocrisy. There are countless deceivers and hypocrites. Common people have no time to run here and there in search of a genuine Guru. Accordingly the title commenced in the public interest as a way to prevent any further hypocrisy.

This title is given only to that person who is endowed with the ability to impart divine spiritual knowledge to the world. Gum rautīti guruh, he who is capable of dispelling the darkness of ignorance is called Guru, grināti jäänaṁ iti guruh, he who imparts divine knowledge is called Guru,

parikshya lokan karmachitan brāhmaṇo

nirvedamāyānnastyakritaḥ kritena

tadvijñānārthaṁ sa gurumevabhigachchhet,

samitpāniḥ śhrotriyam brahmanishtham

(Mundaka Up. 1.2.12)

To gain true knowledge of God, one must seek the guidance of a Shrotriya Brahmanishtha Mahāpurusha – a God-realised soul who is both a profound scholar of the Vedas and scriptures and one who has attained God. Such a spiritual master can illuminate the answers to life’s deepest questions: Who is God? What is the soul? What is māyā? Which is the true path to attain God? What is the nature of worldly pleasures? What is the mind? What is the intellect? And much more. Only such a mahāpurusha possesses the wisdom and spiritual authority to honor the exalted seat of Jagadguru.

Shankaracharya was the first Jagadguru. In those days, there was no such assembly to select Jagadguru. He set out on a universal conquest to hold debate on scriptures with all the leading scholars of India. When they were all defeated in debate, the winner was acknowledged as Jagadguru, the greatest scholar. Jagadguru Shankaracharya defeated all the leading contemporary scholars in debate on scriptures. The defeat of the great scholar Mandana Mishra of Kashi and his wife Sharada Devi is well known to you all.

Keeping the contemporary times in mind, the environment and the circumstances, Jagadguru Shankaracharya propounded the doctrine of non-dualism. Though he was an ardent lover of Shri Krishna and practiced devotion only to Him, but the commentaries written by him imbued non-dualism with the sole aim of refuting Lord Buddha’s religion and the Godless system of philosophy (mīmāṁsā).

Due to the establishment of the Jagadguru tradition at that time, the vanishing tenets of Hindu religion were resurrected. Therefore, he established four monasteries (matha) in the four directions of our country, for the dispersion of Vedic knowledge and the protection of the cultural heritage of India. He appointed four disciples, one at each matha to continue imparting spiritual knowledge to people.

After non-dualist and first Jagadguru, Shankaracharya, there came qualified non-dualistic Shri Ramanujacharya, then dualistic non-dualistic Shri Nimbārkācharya and then dualist Shri Madhvacharya. All became Jagadgurus and all were the contemporary great scholars, for their superiority in spiritual knowledge. Subsequently in the Jagadguru tradition, methodically nominated or selected successors of the four monasteries established by Jagadguru Shankaracharya were called Jagadguru. Later on their disciples were given their seats. On the death of the successor, that person would acquire the seat in whose favour the will of his predecessor had been written.

In this way, the tradition of seat holder (gaddīdhāri) Jagadgurus continued. But for the last 200 years, a practice has been in vogue where there is a council (sabha) of about 500 topmost scholars consisting of varied eminent scholars on the subjects of nyaya, Vedānta, Patañjali, Vaiśheshika, Gītā, Bhagavatam, etc. On their collective and unanimous decision, someone is honoured with the title of Jagadguru.

So far only Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj has been honoured with this historic title by the council. All other present Jagadgurus have inherited their seats. People are confused seeing many Jagadgurus. But Kāśhi Vidvat Parishat has so far declared only one Jagadguru

and he is Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj. This Parishat (council) thoroughly examines and tests whether a person is endowed and enriched with the complete knowledge of the scriptures or not. After passing through this ordeal, he can be declared shastrajña, the topmost scholar of the scriptures.

The profound scholar and the leading luminary in the field of scriptural debate, and a universally acknowledged philosopher of India, Chief Secretary of Kashi Vidvat Parishat, Acharya Shri Raj Narayan Shatshastri (a scholar of the six systems of philosophy) made a public declaration about Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on 19 October 1956, an extract of the same is reproduced below:

“The learned scholars of Käśhi do not easily accept anyone as a scholar of the entire body of scriptures. We challenge people to scriptural debate first and test him in every possible way before accepting him as a knower of scriptures. However, we are seated on this stage before such a vast body of learned scholars and are ready to admit that we recognise the foremost of Saints, Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj and his divine talent and we advise you all to do the same and derive spiritual benefit from him.”

All the scholars of Kāśhi were astounded to listen to the lectures of Shri Maharaj Ji delivered in literary Sanskrit, suffused with unique, matchless and supernatural knowledge. Hearing his prodigious harmony of the philosophies propounded by predecessor Jagadgurus, all the scholars acknowledged him as the Supreme Jagadguru. So impressed were they by his personality, infused with intense love for God, that they ornated him with the following title,

shrimat-padavakya-pramāṇa-pārāvārīṇa,

vedamarga-pratishthapan-acharya,

nikhiladarshana-samanvay-acharya,

sanātana-vaidika-dharma-pratishthāpana-

satsampradaya-paramāchārya,

bhaktiyoga-rasavatāra,

bhagavadananta-śhrīvibhūṣhita

Jagadguru 1008

Swami Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj

The profundity of knowledge, the sublimity of divine love, the intensity of devotion and the harmony of varied philosophies are vividly manifest in his lectures and devotional songs. Shri Maharaj Ji presents a unique reconciliation of the contradictory doctrines of all the Vedas, scriptures, Purānas and western philosophies. Giving due regard to all other Spiritual Masters, he propounds the supremacy of bhaktiyoga in conjunction with karmayoga. He shuns sectarianism and even the tradition of making disciples by giving mantra in their ears. divine

For the propagation of spiritual knowledge throughout India and abroad, he has many preachers who spread Vedic knowledge far and wide, guiding people to practice Shri Krishna’s devotion. The nectar of Shri Radha Krishna’s divine pastimes which permeated throughout Braja by Braja Mahārasikas in ancient times, are being carried forward by Shri Maharaj Ji in the form of his lectures, devotional songs, etc. If anyone lovingly insists on receiving the Guru mantra, Shri Maharaj Ji simply smiles and says, “It is well-known to all that I neither initiate anyone nor allow anyone to do so. All the bābās and even Jagadgurus are opposed to me in this matter. So never expect me to initiate you with any mantra. If you truly love me and desire to make me your own, then continue reciting the sweet name of Shri Rädhä always and everywhere with each and every breath.”