Remembering Abhay Paranjpe July/August 2024 Satsang | Volume 52 #3 | New Era 81

Remembering Abhay Paranjpe

Franklin C. Nelson
Madison, Virginia USA

With heavy hearts and profound sadness, we announce the passing of Abhay Paranjpe.

He was a remarkable soul who dedicated his life to sharing the divine message of Agnihotra and Fivefold Path of spiritual disciplines and profoundly touched the lives of all who crossed his path.

He departed this earthly realm on 18th July, 2024 at the age of 74. He left behind a legacy of love and compassion.

Abhay Paranjpe was born to Shree Vasant and Kusum Paranjpe on 10th December, 1950 at Dadar, Mumbai. He was the epitome of a devoted son. He completed his initial studies in Mumbai and later his higher studies in Belgaum. He was a beacon of humility from the very beginning. He was a dutiful son who always honored and cherished his parents, embodying the virtues they instilled in him. As he grew, his life became a testament to the teachings of Fivefold Path and the divine message of which he so fervently believed.

Gurudev Shree Vasant later shifted to Belgaum, where Abhay completed his higher studies. Shree Vasant then met Parama Sadguru Shree Gajanan Maharaj, the Kalki Avatar. This is when the lives of Shree Vasant and Abhay were changed.

Parama Sadguru commanded Shree Vasant to carry His blissful Message to the people of the world and start his work from the USA. He departed India on June 20th, 1972, for New York City, USA.

When Shree Vasant began this Divine work of sharing the message of Agnihotra and the Fivefold Path, slowly Abhay also entered this Divine Path. He left his job and started serving the Mission.

His life’s work began in Akkalkot when he started serving Parama Sadguru Shree Gajanan
Maharaj. He would assist Shree Vasant in his journeys across India.

Abhay was given the responsibility of Fivefold Path Mission on the command of Parama Sadguru Shree Gajanan Maharaj. He stayed incredibly calm, no matter what the difficulty. He was always helpful and quietly patient with the curious devotees from many different countries. He had the difficult task of serving as a bridge between various cultures. He facilitated people from the West coming to India to experience the Vedic way of life. Abhay took the devotees of Parama Sadguru everywhere, translated, and answered all their
questions, all the while caring for Shree Vasant’s every need with unwavering devotion. He was
always cheerful and focused on service, a very shining example of devotion.

When Parama Sadguru left the body, Abhay shifted to Dhule. This is where future work –
Shivadham temple and Tapovan – would unfold. He was actively involved in erecting the
Shivadham Temple at Ratnapimpri, district Jalgaon, Maharashtra. Shivadham temple was
inaugurated on May 6, 1993, by Shree Vasant. Later, the Shivadham temple was handed over to the people of the village.

After a few years, Tapovan was established. Abhay participated in creating a platform where 24 hours of Om Tryambakam Yajnya were performed for 22 years, starting on 25 March 2001.
Later, his work was mainly concentrated at Maheshwar Agnihotra Kendra, which was
established in 2000. Since 2007, under the command of Shree Vasant, many ancient Vedic Yajnyas were performed at Maheshwar under the supervision of Abhay.

Abhay’s life was filled with constant travel, and he shared Agnihotra with countless people everywhere. His simple living and unwavering commitment to spreading the Divine Message earned him the admiration and respect of all who knew him.

Although, because of his work, he was not always available to his wife, Anjali, and children, he was always a pillar of support and strength for his family. He had great respect for Anjali, and together they built a home filled with understanding and spiritual enrichment. His love was not confined to words but manifested in his actions, patience, and unwavering commitment.
As a father, he guided his children with a gentle, yet firm, hand, instilling in them the virtues of kindness, humility and integrity. His children often spoke of his unending patience and ability to teach profound lessons through simple, everyday moments.

But perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Abhay’s life was his boundless humanity. He had an extraordinary ability to connect with people from all walks of life, offering support, solace, and guidance whenever needed. His door was always open, his heart ever willing to help those in distress. His simple interactions made a lasting impact on everyone he encountered.

Above all, he was a great human being. His heart was a reservoir of kindness, always ready to
extend a helping hand to anyone in need. He was always soft-spoken and believed in the inherent goodness of people, and dedicated his life to serving others, regardless of their background or circumstances. His humility and generosity knew no bounds!

Whether it was a comforting word or simply a reassuring presence, Abhay had an innate ability to make everyone feel valued and loved. His life was an example of selflessness. He had the most  profound impact that one person can have on the world!

Community members recall countless instances when Abhay went above and beyond to assist
those in need. His acts of kindness were not driven by obligation, but by an innate compassion and a genuine desire to make the world a better place. He believed in the goodness of people and dedicated his life to fostering that goodness, one person at a time.

His last rites, Agni Sanskar, were performed at Maheshwar Agnihtora Kendra, as he wished. The Asti Visarjan was performed in the holy Narmada River.

As we say goodbye to this extraordinary man, we find solace in knowing that his soul is now at
peace. His legacy of love and kindness will be engraved in our hearts.

We are reminded of the profound impact one individual can have on the world. His life was a
testament to the power of love, faith, and selfless service.
OM SHREE!

Myrtle Beach Agnihotra Group Visits Madison Homa Community

Ed.

From Friday, June 21st to Sunday, June 23rd, a group of Agnihotra practitioners from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA, visited Madison, Virginia, to learn more about Agnihotra, Homa Therapy and Fivefold Path. Kristopher Dumas has been active in spreading Agnihotra in Myrtle Beach, and brought a small group to Madison to visit the Parama Dham Fire Temple and more. The group is called The Fire With Zen.

The group made arrangements to stay in a house near the temple, where they could attend morning and evening Agnihotra and sit for silent meditation. An in-depth class on Agnihotra was given at the house by me, as well as a class on Daan. The participants impressed me with their sincerity and the depth of their questions and comments.

On Saturday night, we met at the pavilion on our property, for a group Agnihotra. Several longtime Agnihotra practitioners from the Madison area also came, along with a few friends. Eleven Agnihotra fires burned that night, creating a wonderful atmosphere.

At the pavilion after evening Agnihotra.

Heartfelt thanks to Kris Dumas for arranging to bring these Agnihotris to Madison. We look forward to their next visit!

Agnihotra at The Big What? Music Festival

August 22-24th,Kristopher Dumas’s group, The Fire With Zen, took Agnihotra to The Big What? annual music festival in Pittsboro, North Carolina. In addition to sharing Agnihotra, they offered hatha yoga and breathwork.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Satsang thanks Kris and his group for their work in spreading Agnihotra!

An Agnihotri’s Amazing Experience

Janardhun Nuckched
Mauritius

On 31st July, 2024 I received  a phone call from one of us here in the Mauritius Agnihotra group. She narrated how she met with a road accident. It is incredible to note that there was no injury; despite her car being completely damaged, she and her aunt were safe.

The pictures of the accident tell us more  about the life-threatening violent impact.

It is unbelievable how she and her aunt weren’t injured.

Yes, Agnihotra offers us a shield of protection. The Divine deals with mishaps in amazing ways. There have been feedbacks from other Agnihotris who went through accidents/ mishaps  and amazingly they were not injured.

Hereunder is what my friend wrote:

“On Saturday 27th July I was driving from Bambou to Cascavelle, accompanied  by my aunt who was seated in the front seat. Our car was going down the slope at a speed of 40 kilometers  per hour. At one instant I realized that the brakes failed; I managed to shift down from the 4th gear to 2nd gear. As it was a steep down slope; the car was gaining speed.

“In order not to hit any vehicle at the front or any vehicle coming in the opposite right lane, I steered the wheels to the left. I remember telling, ‘O God, protect us!’ The car smashed against the metallic handrail that entered the car through the  windshield . Passing in between the two of us the metallic structure went out through the rear windshield,  and then the car stopped.

“Due to being in shock, it was hard to understand what was happening. Luckily, the car doors opened without any difficulty and a few good people rushed to help us to get out of the car.

“Good there was no fire; however, the car was completely damaged from  front to the back, a case of total loss.

“Grateful to the Almighty, neither of us was injured. More astonishing is that there were 100 glass jars containing confit and achard [pickled vegetables–Ed] and our porcelain drinking mugs in the car. None of the glass jars nor the porcelain  mugs were broken; all were intact.

“Since January 2022 I have been performing Agnihotra. I do the sunrise session most of the time, as at time of sunset Agnihotra  I do not yet reach home. On weekends I try to do both sunrise and sunset Agnihotra. I am grateful to  the subtle energies for protecting out lives. I thus advocate performing the Agnihotra and  Om Tryambakam homas; you never know in which way you will be protected from mishaps.”

(The writer’s relatives asked that she not disclose her identity.

Shree Vasant Paranjpe wrote, “Thousands of people on all continents belonging to different races, languages, religions and spiritual groups who practice Agnihotra have remarked that simply by performing daily HOMA, (i.e., Agnihotra at sunrise/sunset) they feel as if a protective film surrounds them.”-Ed.)

Agnihotra Experiences

Gwenn Bennett
Myrtle Beach, Virginia, USA

I have been doing Agnihotra since January 1 of 2024. A few weeks before the New Year I met Kristopher Dumas here at a local meeting in the Grand Strand and he friend requested me on Facebook. I accepted and I had been watching his Facebook stories. While he was doing Agnihotra I felt pulled to know more about what he was doing and what Agnihotra had to offer.

Since starting the fires, I have found great peace, clarity, and an amazing practice in the fires. I met my current love while doing Agnihotra. I found my self-worth and self-confidence in a way that I never knew existed before the fires. I have been blessed with amazing friends and opportunities that I don’t think would have happened had I not been practicing Agnihotra.

I got the opportunity to visit Lisa and Richard Powers in Madison, Virginia and got a deeper understanding of the Agnihotra/Fivefold Path. This has become something that will be a part of my life forever. I am so grateful.

From Shree Vasant’s Teachings

Renewal of the mind through Agnihotra
Atmosphere, Prana [life energy which is everywhere and connects us with the cosmos-Ed.] and mind form the nexus. Any change induced in the atmosphere is automatically transposed to the realm of the mind. To transform the mind is the only spiritual process to be practiced.

“Be thou transformed by the renewal of the mind.”–Holy Bible, Romans 12:2

“Mind is the instrument of bondage. Mind can be an instrument of liberation.”–Bhagavad Gita

Healing the planet through Agnihotra
When we say, “Agnihotra is the only way,” please understand. You may have any faith, any Guru, any path you wish to follow. To heal the atmosphere Agnihotra is the method which WILL work. It is too late for anything else to have as profound an effect on the planet.

Yes, recycled bottles, papers, trash, that is fine. But this will not affect the bacteria in the atmosphere. Certainly, it has a good effect on cleaning up the environment. Through Agnihotra we can heal the atmosphere. So be conscious. Do whatever you can ecologically. Farm organically. Use HOMA on all levels.

Agnihotra is given. There is no charge, no requirement, no prerequisite. Agnihotra can be performed by anyone, any age, any race, any faith. IT IS SCIENCE.

The universe is at war. The atmosphere is at war. It is not only the soldiers who are fighting. It is not only armies marching, sons and daughters dying. It is trees. It is animals, seas, fields and mountains. When you light one Agnihotra fire, you are contributing to the harmony of nature, the HEALING OF OUR AILING PLANET.

Fivefold Path for Happy Living

1. Yajnya
HOMA Therapy is the science of purification of the atmosphere through the agency of FIRE. AGNIHOTRA HOMA (YAJNYA) is the basic HOMA. It is tuned to the biorhythm of sunrise/sunset and gives nutrients to the plant kingdom, removes diseases in a certain area and removes tension on the mind. This is the basic process in the Vedic sciences of medicine, agriculture, climate engineering and interplanetary communication.
2. Daan
Sharing of your assets in a spirit of humility. This corrects imbalance in financial matters and creates non-attachment to worldly possessions.
3. Tapa
Self-discipline of body and mind. This is conducive to a change in attitudes of mind and body. It results in a harmonious state of mind.
4. Karma
“You reap as you sow.” Always practicing good Karma (actions) diminishes the burden of negative Karma and one begins to invest in his own future. This means that what you do today will bring its fruits. Sowing seeds of love and kindness will bless my garden with plenty of love. Do Karma for self-purification.
5. Swadhyaya
Practice Swadhyaya (Self-study) for liberation. Who am I? Why am I here? My work on this planet is to learn to react with total LOVE with each opportunity given to me.

This is the Fivefold Path for happy living on the planet. By practicing the Fivefold Path you become better members of your society, group, religion, community, etc.

Publisher: Fivefold Path Inc.
Parama Dham (House of Almighty Father), 278 N. White Oak Dr., Madison, VA 22727 USA
Editor: Lisa Powers
Published seven times yearly.
Please direct all Satsang correspondence to the Editor.
Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of Satsang.
ISSN 0735-1321

Want to share this issue? Use this link:
https://www.agnihotra.org/2024/09/08/remembering-abhay-paranjpe/