Commanders invoke scriptures, poetry to assert military might

Indian military commanders on Monday invoked a range of cultural, religious and contemporary phrases to deliver a message of operational dominance over Pakistan to both the nation and the world.

Stern message to Pak

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Military commanders invoked Lord Shiva’s “Tandav”, poet Dinkar’s defiant verses and even cricket legends to send Pak an unmistakable message: India’s response to aggression will be fierce and unrelenting

The messaging began on Sunday when tri-services commanders, in their first joint briefing on Operation Sindoor, presented a compelling video featuring Pakistan-sponsored terror attacks and India’s firm responses.

The visuals were accompanied by “Shiv Tandav Stotram”, a powerful hymn celebrating Lord Shiva's cosmic dance, reinforcing the cyclical nature of creation and destruction. Slides displayed alongside read: “When terror strikes our soil, India's soul awakens”. The armed forces’ message – “If Pakistan hits, India will hit back harder” — wasn’t lost on anyone with the carefully selected hymn signalling the cyclical nature of creation and destruction. In the background, images of key Pakistan air bases, struck and razed, were displayed.

During a second briefing on Monday, commanders played a new video featuring powerful verses from national poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar’s “Krishna ki Chetavani”, a segment from his epic “Rashmirathi” ringing along.

The lines, “Hit vachan nahi tune maana, maitri kaa mulya na pehchaana, toh le ab main bhi jaata hoon, antim sankalp sunaata hoon; yachana nahi ab rann hoga, jeevan jaya yaa ki maran hoga” (You have disregarded the offer of friendship, so I pledge now a war unto victory or death), served as a clear message to Pakistan.

When asked about the choice of Dinkar’s verse to support military messaging, Air Marshal AK Bharti turned to a segment from “Ramcharitmanas” where Lord Rama takes aim at the ocean for its refusal to make way for his march to Lanka. “Vinay naa maaney jaldhi jad gaye teen din beeti, boley Ram sakop tab bhaya bin hiye na preeti” (There can be no love without fear), the Air Marshal said, adding, “The message has gone where it was intended to go.”

Director General of Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai employed cricket analogies to emphasise the impenetrability of India’s defences. Calling Virat Kohli his favorite cricketer, he recalled a famous 1975 poem dedicated to Australian bowlers Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee, who had demolished the English batting lineup that season. “Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust, if Thommo don’t get you, Lillee must,” said the Commander, telling Pakistan that breaching India’s military defences would be impossible.

Navy Operations Commander VN Pramod too invoked the Vedic verse, “Sham no Varunah” (May Varuna, God of the oceans, be auspicious to us) to assert India’s naval superiority over Pakistan.