Prime Minister Narendra Modi considers Swami Atmasthananda of the Ramakrishna Mission as his guru. Here’s an interesting tale of how the swami declined to accept Modi as a sanyasi of the organisation when he went to express his desire.
Bengaluru: It might sound interesting to you when we say that Prime Minister Narendra Modi once wanted to be an ascetic. As per his desire, he wanted to even join the famous Ramakrishna Order, headquartered at Belur Math, in West Bengal.
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But fate had different plans for him, as his calling was elsewhere. One of the monks from the Mission himself prophesied that Modi would leave a mark in politics.
Swami Atmasthananda is the monk in question. He was posted to the Rajkot centre of the Mission in the year 1966. Incidentally, Modi met him at the monastery and expressed his willingness to wear the ochre robes. After a brief chinwag with Modi, the swami told him his field of action was elsewhere (life dedicated to the service of the poor).
Modi promptly nodded his head as he had high regards for the monk. But at that point in time, little did Modi know that the swami’s prediction would become true. Today, as he enjoys a second term as India’s Prime Minister, he would certainly be full of gratitude.
During his first term, Modi even paid a visit to Belur Math and met Swami Atmasthananda. Then, he remarked, "I had the fortune of spending time with Swami Atmasthanandaji during my childhood. I have received a lot of affection from him. He has been by my side and supported me at every crucial juncture of my life."
In the year 2014, when he took oath as the PM, the monk sent him a flower as a token of blessing. He had also sent him a letter.
In that letter, Swami Atmasthananda wrote to the newly elected PM Modi: "I am eagerly looking forward to your visit to Belur Math as the Prime Minister of India. I am happy to learn that you have got a thumping majority. Sri Ramakrishna has given you the opportunity to serve the people of India irrespective of caste, creed and religion."
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