Welcome to Gunatit Jyot. The interactive timeline below will guide you through our history, why Gunatit Jyot was founded and the story of succession from Lord Swaminarayan to our divine inspirer, Guruhari Param Pujya Pappaji Maharaj.
Our Vision
- Empowered women living with dignity and contributing in handling responsibilities equitably – spiritual, physical, mental, social and economic.
- Evolution of a society where children are given full opportunities for growth and development holistically.
Our Mission
- Empower women at all levels for spiritual development and advancement.
- Support for enabling the children to grow and develop to their full potential.
- Betterment of society through individual development by establishing values, promoting spirituality and nurturing growth.
- Community welfare services by education, social, cultural, economic & medical relief to the needy.
- Promote harmony and peace amongst individuals, families & diverse communities through spiritual guidance and activities.
The Gunatit Heritage
The Supreme being or ‘Parabrahma’ manifested Himself, popularly known among His devotees as Shreeji Maharaj also known as Lord Swaminarayan, and He in turn introduced Swamishree Gunatitanandji as the manifestation of ‘Akshar’ in whom He resides and through whom He can be reached. This has been a glorious advance in Hindu religious thought.
The tradition, since then has been continuous. He, the Lord Swaminarayan promised to manifest on earth through Gunatit saints to fulfil an epoch-making task. The link has never been snapped nor has the glory suffered a setback. The contribution made by Brahma Swaroop Shree Shastriji Maharaj and Brahma Swaroop Shree Yogiji Maharaj from 1916 to 1971 – a stretch of 55 years is indeed a saga of spiritual achievement.
Shree Yogiji Maharaj laid the foundation on 21st June, 1965 with an astounding prophesy:
The messages of Gunatit Gyan will spread throughout the world from here.’
Shree Yogiji Maharaj
Swaroopo
Param Pujya Sonaba
Param Pujya Sonaba was an ardent follower of Shastriji Maharaj and Yogimaharaj. It was by Yogiji Maharaj’s sankalp that she allowed her daughters, Param Pujya Taraben and Param Pujya Jyotiben, to take vows and join Gunatit Jyot, under the spiritual guidance of Guruhari Param Pujya Pappaji.
Param Pujya Ben
Param Pujya Ben (aka Shantaben Popat) was very devout and spiritually awakened from early childhood. She had darshan of Bal Krishna who played ras with her, and darshan of Shankar Bhagwan, who guided her to follow ‘Bhagwan Swaminarayan’. Although she married very young and was widowed in her early twenties, her heart was in constant search for ‘God’. She found Him first in Shastriji Maharaj and then in Yogiji Maharaj, whom she followed from Africa to India. Yogiji Maharaj asked her to take guidance from the sisters at Tardev and Guruhari Param Pujya Pappaji. This she did with the utmost sincerity, not only for herself, but for all those who followed her from Africa. Today, she is one of the first eight sisters of Gunatit Jyot.
Param Pujya Taraben
Param Pujya Taraben was the first to experience the divine presence of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and realised that Pappaji was one with Yogiji Maharaj. Hence she is known as ‘Avibhakta Atma’, in constant communion with Par-Atma (God). It was her deepest desire to enter into a divine sisterhood and follow Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Yogiji Maharaj heeded this lone soul’s prayers and requested Guruhari Param Pujya Pappaji to take on the task of guiding Taraben, Jyotiben and other sisters in their sadhana.
Param Pujya Jyotiben
Param Pujya Jyotiben took her vows into the sisterhood with Taraben, and is one of the pillars of the establish. She is natually very bold, adventurous, influential, pragmatic and progressive in introducing new ideas for the growth of Gunatit Jyot. Even today, she is inexhaustible and very prolific in serving the Lord.
Param Pujya Didi
Param Pujya Didi (aka Hansaben Dave) took her vows to join Taraben and Jyotiben, after having observed their progress. She became known as Didi because she was like an elder sister, very loving and affectionate towards everyone. Her talents lay in the arts and she has written many scripts for cultural programmes, and has composed countless bhajans (songs of praise). Param Pujya Didi is President of Gunatit Jyot.
Param Pujya Deviben
Param Pujya Deviben was one of the first highly educated women to be inspired to join the sisters at Tardev. She had a promising career in law when she decided to take her vows against the wishes of her parents. They approached Yogiji Maharaj to ask her to return home to them. She did return home at the behest of Guruhari Param Pujya Pappaji, however upon observing her resolve and determination, her parents relented and allowed her to continue her chosen spiritual path. She has acheived spiritual equanimity by denial of her innate intelligence and believing everyone to be the instrument of the Lord for the annihilation of her ‘self’.
Param Pujya Jasuben
Param Pujya Jasuben was a ‘Grahasta’ (married person) who frequently visited Guruhari Param Pujya Pappaji, P.P. Ba and the sisters at Tardev. She marvelled at the joys of leading such a spiritual life and wondered why God had not shown her this path earlier in her life. One day, she made a solemn vow, that she too would attain such spiritual bliss. In 1966, she requested Guruhari Param Pujya Pappaji to allow her and her family to live in Vidyanagar for seva. She renounced her children and husband and today she is also one of the eight elders of Gunatit Jyot.
Param Pujya Paduben
Param Pujya Paduben was born and brought up in an atmosphere of luxury and abundance and yet still felt that something was lacking in her life. She realised what this was when she had the darshan of PP Pappaji. His philosophy of the Sadhana system to achieve spiritual enlightenment convinced her to take the spiritual path. She put it into practice Guruhari Param Pujya Pappaji’s teachings and reached this goal within a very short time and at a very young age. Today she is also one of the elders of Gunatit Jyot.