On Sunday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed as a guest on the latest episode of the ‘Lex Fridman Podcast’. PM Modi praised Hinduism and talked about Spirituality.
PM Modi stated that through the year, he keeps many fasts, including a major one for almost four-and-a-half months during which he has just one meal. During two auspicious periods of nine days each, PM Modi just has a fruit once daily on one occasion, and he survives just on hot water during the second period of nine days.
Prime Minister said, “There is an ancient tradition in India called Chaturmas. We know that the digestion tends to slow down during monsoon, and so in this season, many people in India follow the practice of eating only a single meal within 24 hours. This starts around mid-June and goes on until following Diwali around November. For about four to four-and-a-half months, I follow this tradition of eating only once in 24 hours”.
He further talked about Navratri festival. PM Modi said, “The Navratri festival in India usually falls in September or October. During this time, the whole country celebrates Durga Puja, a festival of strength, devotion, and spiritual discipline. This lasts for nine days. During this time, I completely abstain from food and only drink hot water. Although drinking hot water has always been a part of my daily routine, my past lifestyle was such that I naturally developed this habit over time”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Then in March or April, another Navratri occurs called Chaitra Navratri. This year, it will likely begin around March 31. During this nine-day fast, I eat only one specific fruit, once a day. So, for those nine days, if let’s say I choose papaya, then for all nine days, I won’t touch anything else. Just papaya. That too, I eat only once a day. That’s how I follow my nine-day fasting routine
“So, there are many fasts I keep throughout the year, and this has become a deeply ingrained tradition in my life. Perhaps I can say that I’ve been following these practices for 50 to 55 years.”
In a display of cultural appreciation, Lex Fridiman chanted the sacred Gayatri Mantra during his conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his podcast. This ancient Hindu mantra is deeply revered for its spiritual significance and is believed to bring about peace, prosperity, and spiritual growth. Prime Minister Modi took notice of Mr Fridman’s gesture and praised it as “great”.
Fridman asked PM Modi, “In this moment, I was wondering if you could guide me perhaps through a Hindu prayer or meditation for a few moments. I learned, I’m trying to learn the Gayatri Mantra. In my fast I was trying to do the chants. Perhaps I could try chanting. You could tell me about the importance of this mantra and maybe others in your life, in your spirituality? Should I try?”
PM Modi replied, “Yes, please”. After chanting the mantra, he turned towards PM Modi asking, “How did I do? It’s okay.” PM Modi said while hailing his efforts, “You did great. This mantra is dedicated to the radiant power of the sun and is considered a powerful tool for spiritual enlightenment”.
There have been several times when Rahul Gandhi spoke negative about Hinduism. Earlier while speaking in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, Rahul Gandhi ignited controversy with his comments on Hinduism, specifically targeting the concept of ‘Shakti’. Gandhi’s speech revolved around his intention to combat what he termed as ‘Shakti’, which he attributed to the Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Earlier while speaking at a diaspora event in Herndon, a Virginia suburb of Washington DC, Gandhi claimed that RSS treat some religions, languages and cultures as inferior to others and expressed concern over the status of religious and linguistic minorities in India.
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