In a notable moment during a press briefing on Operation Sindoor, Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, the Director General of Air Operations, quoted a verse from the Ramcharitmanas, a revered Hindu epic, to underscore India's stance against continued provocations from Pakistan. The recitation of this chaupai (a quatrain) served as a powerful message, blending cultural wisdom with military strategy.
The verse Air Marshal Bharti recited is: "Vinay na manat jaladhi jad, bhaye teen din beet, Bole Ram sakop tab, Bhay binu hoi na preeti". This translates to: "The ocean remained unmoved by humble requests, three days passed. Then Lord Rama, with rising anger, declared without fear, there can be no love". The verse alludes to the episode in the Ramayana where Lord Rama, awaiting passage to Lanka, beseeches the Sea God for three days. When his requests are ignored, Rama, angered by the ocean's obstinacy, declares that love and respect are only born out of fear and raises his bow. Only then does the Sea God appear and offer assistance.
Air Marshal Bharti's choice of this particular verse was far from accidental. It was a strategic communication, intended to convey a multi-layered message to Pakistan. Firstly, it highlighted India's initial preference for peace and dialogue, symbolized by Rama's three days of polite requests to the Sea God. Secondly, it signaled the shift from restraint to assertive action, mirroring Rama's expression of anger when his pleas were ignored. Finally, it conveyed the message that while India values peace, it is also prepared to use force when necessary to protect its interests. The underlying message was clear: "a hint is enough for an intelligent person".
The Air Marshal's poetic response was not merely cultural but strategic. It reflected India's military philosophy: peace is always the first option, but it should not be mistaken for passivity. His quote subtly conveyed that while India respects dialogue and diplomacy, it will not hesitate to act firmly when provoked.
The Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Rajiv Ghai stated that Operation Sindoor was initiated after repeated terrorist activities, particularly the Pahalgam attack, crossed a threshold. He said that in recent years, terrorist activities had increasingly targeted innocent civilians. Air Marshal Bharti clarified that India's military actions targeted terrorist infrastructure and support systems, not the Pakistani military. However, he added that when the Pakistani military intervened to support the terrorists by attacking Indian territory with drones and missiles, India was compelled to respond in kind.
The briefing also included a recitation of lines by the poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar: "Jab naash manuj par chhata hai, pehle vivek mar jaata hai (when destruction awaits, common sense is the first to die)… Hit vachan nahin tune maana, maitri ka mool na pehchana/Tou le main bhi ab jaata hun, antim sankalp sunata hun/Yachna nahin ab rann hoga, jeewan jay ya ki maran hoga (You did not listen to peace overtures, did not appreciate the value of friendship/ So I am leaving, and here's my final resolve/No talks, now there will be combat, the triumph of life, or the ultimate bloodshed)". These lines, drawn from Dinkar's epic poem Rashmirathi, further emphasized the futility of ignoring peaceful overtures and the inevitability of conflict when dialogue fails.
The invocation of both the Ramcharitmanas verse and Dinkar's poetry added emotional and cultural depth to the briefing. It served as a reminder that India's leadership and strategy are shaped not only by realpolitik but also by a moral consciousness rooted in its heritage. The message resonated deeply, presenting Operation Sindoor not merely as a military operation but as a righteous action grounded in dharma – a sense of duty that blends compassion with courage.
