Light of our world has gone

Saddened hearts and profound grief remain after the passing away of our Beloved Anant Sri Vibhusit Pratham Parvatyacharya Jyotishanand Saraswati (GuruMaa) who attained ‘mahasamadhi’ as she left for Her heavenly abode on March 3, 2023.

She was a light in this world, and the pillar of the Vedic Heritage, Inc. and she will continue to be the source of strength and inspiration for all her devotees and the numerous lives she touched in her lifetime.

A life so beautifully lived, GuruMaa devoted herself to Hanuman Baba. Leaving all worldly pleasures, she came to New York in 1978, and converted a barren piece of land in Hempstead into this glorious ashram that all worship in today – the Vedic Heritage Hanuman Mandir.

GuruMaa has left behind a legacy of universal living: love, virtue, integrity, courage, vigor and self-discipline.

We are very fortunate that a living saint, a real spiritual teacher and mother to everyone has created an ashram in New York, with Sri Hanuman Temple and Sri Shiv Shakti Mandir, for the benefit of the Indian community in the NY tristate area.

She has written so many other books too, many have been published and many yet to be published. Her command of the Sanskrit and Hindi languages is unsurpassed. She was a famous astrologer to people from all walks of life, including rich, famous and powerful like Indira Gandhi, and Margaret Thatcher.

She taught me Sri Hanuman Puja, Yagna and other Paths. She was an amazing preacher, and her lectures are what attracted me to Vedic Heritage almost four decades ago.  She was an amazing singer of Bhajans and Kirtans, and her first teacher was Pandit Jasraj himself. She was an expert in Meditation, having learnt it from Manak Muniji.

She was the first “Parvatyacharya” in the history of Sanathan Dharma, after being one of the first women to be a Maha-Mandleshwar.

She has been such an inspiration in my life and transformed it since my initiation as her disciple, 35 years ago. We are what we are because of her blessings, including our only daughter, Karnika.

Jai Sri Hanuman,

Nayanmitra Kisnadwala 

Disciple & President – Vedic Heritage Inc. 

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Mother and Guru to all 

Guruma was the Chairman of Vedic Hindu Inc., but primarily the mother figure as well as a Guru to all of us who visited the temple.

Under her leadership we learned a lot and came to know many things which otherwise would remain questions in our mind. She is no longer with us but under her guidance and teachings what we have come to know about – “a spiritual way of life, life management, discipline,” and to follow the right path.

She was a great thinker, a visionary, courageous, knew how to implement her futuristic plans, a decisive micromanager, a hard worker who loved children and all others alike. She was everyone’s confidante, and all hoped for a magical turnaround with her.

Those who were in close connection with Guru Ma, her recipes and cuisine will have an aftertaste forever.

Though she came from a rich family and had two sons and grandchildren, etc. but after she became a ‘Sadhvi,’ she never looked back and solely devoted her life to Lord Hanuman ji and the institution. The Hanuman Temple, now in Hempstead since 1984, was to be established with her own hands as perhaps God’s will. The team around her made it happen.

It was amazing how she had answers for everything, and they were her own intuitive words but often felt as if they were divine.

I have known her personally since 1995. Whatever she did for us is now her legacy and testimony to the glorious years of spiritual and cultural heritage all came to understand and love besides the privilege of seeing and listening to the best of maestro artists in Indian dance, music and instrumental genres she pioneered in the USA as well as listening to words of wisdom of many other spiritual leaders who visited.

I know she will remain in our hearts and in our minds for a very long time to come as a divine soul connected with Lord Hanuman ji.

She remains in spirit with us and as our guiding voice.

Nilima Madan

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Strong woman unafraid of challenges 

Guru Ma, I recollect her as this strong lady ready to take on any challenge in her life. She was a “Little Mother” to my mother Meena Dadha – her younger sister and was deeply attached to her.

May her soul rest in peace.

Om Shanti.

Shilpa Dugar, Bangalore

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A friend and guide forever 

The friendship between Gurumaa and my mother Hansa Mehta spanned over five decades. They first met in Amravati. Their friendship remained strong and true as time went by. Gurumaa always considered Hansaben to be her closest friend and treated her as such – never as a follower.

They always kept in touch and had a deep affection for each other until the very end. In fact, they both passed on within two months of each other, Hansaben going first.

Their friendship was one of those rare ones that withstood the test of time and distance – a relationship of genuine love and caring.

Radhika (Mehta) Kothari, Singapore

Image courtesy of Image Provided

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