Anandamayi Ma was surrounded throughout her life by many who regarded her as their guru, even though she often softened the boundaries of the formal guru–disciple relationship. She drew to herself both householders and renunciates, people from varied walks of life who sought her darshan, guidance, and inner counsel. Ashrams and centers grew up around her presence in different places, creating a living context in which seekers could remain near her and orient their lives around spiritual practice. Within this milieu, she gave spiritual guidance and, in some cases, mantras and initiation, while at the same time emphasizing that the Divine alone is the ultimate Guru. Thus, her role as a spiritual guide was both deeply personal and subtly universal, not confined to rigid institutional forms.

Among those who gathered around her were close disciples and devotees who helped preserve and share her teachings. Figures such as Bhaiji (Jyotish Chandra Roy) and Atmananda (Gurupriya Devi) are often remembered as intimate associates who assisted in the establishment and functioning of her ashrams. There were also other disciples, including monastics like Swami Ashokananda, who received her instruction and carried her influence into their own spheres of service. Many of these disciples, whether formally initiated or not, experienced her presence as the central spiritual axis of their lives. In this way, her circle of disciples was both extensive and diverse, united less by formal vows than by a shared recognition of her as a realized saint and spiritual guide.