FIRST STIRRINGS | IAS officer who became a monk!

FIRST STIRRINGS

sunil patnaik

IAS officer who became a monk!

By Shailaja Chandra

I had heard of civil servants doing extraordinary things, but becoming a full-time servant of God was exceptional. This, then, is the story of an IAS officer who became a monk! He is today the vice-president of the Divine Life Society with its headquarters at the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh. I wondered how monkhood could offer the same satisfaction as making and implementing policy at the national or State-level. How difficult was it to abandon the unquestioned authority he must have once enjoyed in exchange for continuous communication with God?

I had hazy recollections of a batchmate, Sunil Patnaik, when we were doubts? Did he feel up to facing celibacy forever?
Unlike all the people I have interviewed, Swamiji read each question and answered it exactly to the point. But the flip side was that he did not offer a single extra word from his side. I, therefore, had to ask a variety of persons to fill in the blanks.... Read More..