JKP

The True Spirit of Hariyali Teej

Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat
14 August 2026
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(Adapted from a discourse by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj)

Hariyali Teej is a vibrant festival celebrated during the monsoon season, when nature is lush, green and renewed. Traditionally associated with Shri Radha and Shri Krishna, the festival is observed with prayers, devotional singing, festive gatherings and the joyful tradition of jhulas (swings). Women often dress in beautiful green attire, adorn themselves with mehendi and bangles, and celebrate the auspicious occasion with great enthusiasm.

Yet, beyond these external celebrations lies a deeper spiritual purpose. What should this sacred festival truly remind us of? What should we actually do on Hariyali Teej?

Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj gives us a simple and profound answer:

“On every festival, we have to do only one thing – we have to detach our mind from the world and attach it to God.”

There are three ways of attaching our mind to God – serving God and Guru with our body, wealth and mind, as specified in the scriptures. This is the only sadhana that you have to do. This is how our heart will get purified.  

No amount of excuses will work there. You won’t be able to say you don’t have a mind. Accepted that not everyone gets to do physical seva, and not everyone has wealth. However, everyone possesses a mind. Use that mind to do sewa. That means to do loving remembrance, to always believe that God and Guru are always with you.

A question that may arise is: How much wealth should one donate? Maharaj Ji explains that one should donate according to one’s personal capacity. A billionaire should donate according to what he possesses. A millionaire should donate according to what he possesses. Even a beggar should donate according to whatever he has. 

The scriptures speak of donating three crores, three lakhs, three thousand, three hundred or three rupees. The amount is ultimately according to the capacity of the individual. The important point is not simply how much we give, but our willingness to offer what we can.

Maharaj Ji reminds us of the teaching of Ved Vyas in the scriptures: the entire universe belongs to God. Every particle of this universe belongs to Him. He is the true owner.

We may believe that a particular piece of land belongs to us because it belonged to our ancestors. But ownership in this world is constantly changing. A landlord passes away, his son inherits the land, and that son may eventually sell it to someone else. The ownership keeps changing hands.

In truth, however, the land never belonged to any of them. It belongs to God.

The same applies to everything we call our own – our wealth, our home, our possessions and everything else in this world.

You are not entitled to consider your accumulated wealth as something that you must pass on to your sons or daughters. You are only entitled to take from this world what is necessary to fulfil your own needs. The rest should be donated.

If you fail to do so, the scriptures warn that after death, you may be born into poverty and experience suffering. You may yearn even for a single morsel of food, and when that too is denied, you may resort to stealing. You will then have to bear the consequences of that action, leading to further suffering and another birth, with its own negative consequences.

Therefore, recognising that everything belongs to God, we should retain only what is necessary for the maintenance of our bodily needs and dedicate the remainder of our wealth to spiritual growth. This is what the scriptures and God Himself teach us to do.

Why, then, do we continue to accumulate more and more? Maharaj Ji points to two fundamental vices of the individual soul: Greed and Ignorance.

Because of greed, we remain occupied with increasing our wealth. And because of ignorance, we remain careless about what happens after death.

We think, “We will see whatever happens after death. For now, let me enjoy myself. This is mine. This wealth is mine. This house is mine.”

With this attitude, we become responsible for ruining our future over countless lifetimes.

The real lesson, therefore, is not simply about giving away money. It is about changing our understanding of ownership and attachment.

Everything belongs to God. Our body, our wealth and our mind are all gifts entrusted to us, and they should be used properly.

Our body should be engaged in sewa.
Our wealth should be offered according to our capacity.
And our mind should remain lovingly attached to God and Guru.

The individual soul is greedy and ignorant, and because of these two weaknesses, it continues wandering through the 84 lakh species of life. Human life gives us the opportunity to break away from this cycle by using what we have been given for the purpose for which it was intended.

Hariyali Teej, therefore, offers more than an occasion for beautiful celebrations, songs, swings and festive traditions. It gives us an opportunity to turn inward and examine where our mind is attached.

As Maharaj Ji teaches, detach the mind from the world and attach it to God.

Let us engage our body in sewa, offer our wealth according to our capacity, and dedicate our mind to the loving remembrance of God and Guru, with the constant faith that God and Guru are always with us.

This is the message Maharaj Ji gives us and the deeper meaning we can carry in our hearts as we celebrate Hariyali Teej.

By Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj

A brief introduction of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj*

(Known by His devotees as Shri Maharaj Ji)

The original title of Jagadguruttam (Greatest Spiritual Teacher of the World) was bestowed upon Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on January 14, 1957, by Kashi Vidvat Parishad (a council of 500 greatest scholars saints of India). He composed divine texts like Prem Ras Madira, Prem Ras Siddhant, and Radha Govind Geet to lead us on the right path of devotion. He also gave priceless monuments as gifts to the world which include Bhakti Mandir located in Bhakti Dham, Mangarh, Prem Mandir located in Vrindavan Dham, and Kirti Mandir located in Barsana Dham. Shri Maharaj Ji also built hospitals for the impoverished, the Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Vrindavan, Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Barsana, and another one in Pratapgarh. All three help millions of underprivileged to gain free access to medical care. His Kindergarten, School, and College for impoverished girls Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Education is located in Kunda and provides completely free education. To stay updated with all the news and events of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, visit www.jkp.org.in/jkpwhatsapp.