ABOUT
Vishwa Jagriti Mission of North America (VJMNA) is a branch of the gigantic VJM tree, carrying on missionary work for the local citizens in the United States
About Maharaj Shri
A visionary, a Guru, who has changed the lives of millions through his practical and everlasting discourses.
Awakening
The celestial soul lived the life step by step of that a normal being, training at a Gurukul, studying epics and scriptures and pursuing higher education. Acharya Yashpal Sudhanshu ji Maharaj was born on May 2, 1955 in Saharanpur. At a tender age of 10, seeing his inclination for spirituality and religious studies, Yashpal's father put him in the company of Guru Vijendra Muni. Vijendra Muni Ji was a Hatha-Yogi and ran a Gurukul in the foothills of Himalayas. From the Gurukul in the forest area, he came to Haridwar where he gained mastery in Philosophy, Ethics, Reasoning and Subtlety of Thought. Young Maharaj Shri or Yashpal earned two Post-Graduation degrees in Hindi and Sanskrit, learnt the intricacies of traditional religious and spiritual practices, studied Vedic Scriptures & Upanishads and also unearthed the hidden knowledge in the Great Indian Epics. His intellectual pursuit further led him to the realm of meditation and metaphysics (Para-Vidya). Swami Prakashanandji led him through the maze of mind, its subtle and circuitous ways, its fickle nature as well as ways and means to calm and tranquilize it. In his youth and on the path of meditation for self-attainment, His Holiness chose the Himalayas as his haven, where he was sure to find peace of mind and great answers. In the dense caves of Himalayas, Maharaj Shri found the nectar that ultimately quenched his thirst for knowledge and enlightened him to The Absolute.
Landmark Journey
Even after accumulating the wealth of knowledge, his mind wandered with many questions on the present state of human life. To know more, he decided to travel and go to every nook and corner of India, to observe and understand different people and their cultures and beliefs and see the ground reality. He encountered all kinds of poeple in this enlightening journey, there were also the unwanted elements of poverty, ignorance, and lot of malpractices. He could vision the society slipping into the grip of darkness of ignorance in the absence of the light of knowledge. This nationwide journey was a landmark event in his life. It is after this journey that he charted out a plan and a program of his own life, which included the things to do, key aspects to bring order and meaning to life, and to bring back the lost glory of religion which was engulfed in shackles of rituals and blind faith. With the aim of serving the humanity and spreading the seeds of knowledge and awakening, Vishwa Jagriti Mission was founded in 1991, headquartered at Ānand Dhām Āshram, Delhi.
Guru
Maharaj Shri is a traditional Guru in the modern times. The one traditional ritual that he still follows is giving Guru Dikshā or Mantra Dikshā. Guru is the direct connection and communication with the Supreme Self and Diksha is one of the prime modes of communication. The sacred Mantra given by the Guru creates a Kavaça or a shield that armors the body and mind with divine powers. This Mantra given is also called 'initiation' by the Guru. When the mind of the Guru and disciple becomes one, Shishyá has been initiated. Dikshā is also said to mean ‘to expand one’s consciousness through a process of dedication to discovering one’s own self’. It involves both giving and receiving – giving one’s self and receiving from the Guru. Thus, Guru Diksha is the first approach to start ascending from lower consciousness to higher consciousness and to one’s higher self. True to his thoughts on the subject of Guru and Shishyá, Mahārāj Shri believes that Guru is the one who shows one a decisive path to follow towards the goal of self-realization, clearing out hurdles and obstacles in the form of doubts, ego and ignorance and illuminating the path with the light of knowledge. Through his discourses, Mahārāj Shri sprinkles his profound knowledge and wisdom in words easily absorbed into day to day life. Maharaj Shri visits the Anand Dham Ashram almost every day where he interacts one on one with his devotees and listens to their spiritual and worldly queries in a paternal manner.
Lifestyle
Mahārāj Shri’s life can be defined as simple, soulful, spiritual, dutiful and austere. Leading a simple life of an ascetic, yet fulfilling all the responsibilities of a house-holder has been Mahārāj Shri’s key aspect. He fulfils all the morning rituals of prayers, gives time for meditation and also spends ample time amidst nature. All ashrams of VJM reflect this love for nature and compassion for all creatures that Maharaj Shri inspires. All ashrams also have Gaushalas that shelter and tend to rescued cows. No day is complete without Maharaj Shri visiting the Gaushala at the Anand Dham Ashram, Delhi. At the Gaushala, Maharaj Shri personally nurtures and feeds the cows. Love is a simple word, but there is a mystifying thread that connects His Holiness with Mother Nature that cannot be explained, but can only be felt. Anybody who feels the bond also experiences an undeniable bliss. His meals are very simple, just as a hermit’s. He truly believes in Sātvik lifestyle. He also follows a routine to have some time alone in his study, where he browses through books and newspapers of various kinds and world affairs. His reading interests range from mythology to autobiographies of great personalities, from history to geography and from nature to humanity.
About VJM
His Holiness believes that servitude of mankind is the true service to Divine. Vishwa Jagriti Mission (World Awakening Mission) has been serving on those ideals since its inception in 1991.
Today, VJM has grown into a global organization rooted on the ideals of Mahārāj Shri. The headquarters and main office of VJM is located at the picturesque Ānand Dhām Āshram in Delhi, India.
Some of VJM's key programs include:
• Child Development Programs
• Karunā Sindhū Charitable Hospital, Delhi
• Old Age Homes for Senior Citizens
• Orphanage Centres
• Women Empowerment Programs
• Disaster Management Programs
• Cow Protection Shelters
• Tribal Development Programs
• Satsang, Yogā & Meditation Programmes
About VJMNA
Inspired by the values of Maharaj Shri, to serve the needy and uplifting humanity, Vishwa Jagriti Mission of North America (VJMNA) organizes regular spiritual and charitable activities for the local community in the US.
Monthly Satsang
Every second Sunday, devotees meet over zoom for an hour of meditation, satsang, and a brief message from Maharaj Shri.
Meditation & Spiritual Camps
VJMNA has been organizing periodic spiritual and meditation camps for seekers in the US for nearly 20 years.
Humanitarian Services
VJMNA is committed to serving local charities in the Chicago region. Volunteer services include serving a local homeless shelter by feeding the homeless and less privileged, and offering gift items for children during holidays.
VJMNA Executive Board
Sudhir Kumar
President, Chicago
Praveen Verma
Vice President, Chicago
Hari Gupta
Treasurer, Chicago
Prakash Wadhwa
Secretary, Kansas City