Lord Shiva is the beginning, the eternal, the infinite: Raksha Mantri
Text of RM’s speech at the ‘Maha Shivaratri’ celebrations in Coimbatore.
On this sacred occasion of Mahashivratri, being here among all of you is a truly special and spiritual experience of my life. First of all, I bow to Adiyogi Shiva, and I also extend my respectful greetings to all the devotees present here.
Friends, Lord Shiva is the beginning, the eternal, the infinite. He is indivisible, free from sorrow, and beyond all differences. Shiva is truth, and whatever is true is Shiva. It is believed that these Velliangiri hills are the sacred abode of Lord Shiva. Known as the “Kailash of the South,” and being here in these hills fills me with a deep sense of spiritual peace and joy.
In the great poet Kalidasa’s Abhigyan Shakuntalam, there is a beautiful description. King Dushyanta, riding on his chariot, arrives at a place filled with natural beauty and divine presence. There, he says to his charioteer: “अ-कथितो पि ज्ञायत एवा-यमा, भोग: तपोवनः इति।” It means, “O charioteer, even without being told, it is clear that this place is a Tapovan — a sacred land of penance, the abode of a sage.”
Friends, what I wish to say is that the divinity I am experiencing here makes it clear, even without anyone telling me, that this place is blessed by Mahadev, the Lord of Lords. It truly feels like a sacred land of penance, a place sanctified by the deep meditation of sages.
Friends, I come from the sacred land of Kashi, the holy city of Lord Mahadev himself. In that sense, coming to this sacred place, in the presence of Adiyogi, as a humble devotee of Mahadev, I feel truly blessed. The connection between Kashi and Tamil Nadu is also very ancient. On one hand, Kashi is among the oldest living cities in the world; on the other hand, Tamil culture is counted among the most ancient cultures of the world.
In language, culture, and cuisine, Tamil Nadu is deeply rich and rooted in history. For me, coming to the sacred land of Tamil Nadu feels like a blessing. I have not come here as a guest, but as a seeker, as a spiritual person.
Friends, on the occasion of Mahashivratri today, the entire nation of India is echoing with the chant of “Har Har Mahadev.” From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from the hills of Arunachal to the land of Gujarat, Shiva lives in the consciousness of every person. Under the guidance of Sadhguru, Mahashivratri celebration at Isha Yoga Centre has today become an international spiritual celebration. This is no ordinary achievement. It is a renewed proclamation of India’s cultural renaissance.
There was a time when India was known as the Vishwaguru — the teacher of the world. The foundation of that greatness was not just geography; it was philosophy, spirituality, and universal wisdom. And Shiva is the most ancient and the most expansive symbol of that wisdom.
The knowledge given to us by our ancient traditions is not limited to books; it is a living, breathing science. And Shiva stands at the very centre of this tradition. Shiva has no single form, yet He is the source of all forms. When nothing existed, Shiva was there. And when nothing remains, Shiva will still be. This very concept is the greatest strength of our culture.
Today, the Mahashivratri that we are celebrating is the sacred festival of the union of Shiva and Shakti. It carries the message that without Shakti, Shiva is incomplete — and without Shiva, Shakti has no direction. With this very philosophy, India envisioned the form of Ardhanarishvar.
If we look at the Dhyanalinga situated in these very premises, we see a powerful symbol of stability and creation combined. The Linga Bhairavi enshrined here represents the living tradition of Shakti. The clarity with which this tradition has been articulated in modern times by Sadhguru is truly remarkable. It demonstrates that Indian philosophy is not static — it is a living, conscious, and dynamic philosophy.
In today’s time, when humanity is going through stress, anxiety, and inner restlessness, the relevance of Lord Shiva becomes even deeper. Shiva is a living possibility, a possibility that shows us how to maintain balance even amidst chaos.
Our sages never confined Shiva to a single role. He is the creator, the destroyer, and beyond that, the symbol of ultimate stillness. This is why Shiva remains as relevant for modern humans as He was in ancient times.
Friends, if we observe life closely, we will realize that life does not operate at extremes. It always flows as a balance between creation and destruction. Shiva is the embodiment of this very balance.
On one hand, He remains absorbed in deep meditation; on the other, He performs the Tandava. In other words, He symbolizes complete inner peace, and at the same time, action and transformation. Today, human beings either remain constantly entangled in the compulsions of action, or they sink into inertia.
Shiva teaches us when to act, when to move forward — and equally importantly, while moving, when to pause, when to become still. This awareness is what is most needed today.
Sadhguru has brought this very essence of Lord Shiva before humanity. He has presented spirituality to the world as a science. He has demonstrated that spirituality is a science that makes life more effective and more balanced. In today’s times, society is focusing heavily on external achievements and material aspects, while often neglecting inner joy and well-being. In such a scenario, spirituality becomes a true blessing for society.
Today, the greatest need of society is for each individual to recognize their full potential. When a person discovers their inner capacity, their contribution is not limited to personal success alone, they become a valuable asset for society and for the nation.
Friends, even as a Defence Minister, I often feel this truth deeply. National security is usually associated with weapons, technology, and the physical strength of our soldiers. All of these are important, without a doubt. But if you look closely, real security does not come from external power alone. True security comes from a strong national consciousness.
A fear-based society can never be truly secure in the long term. Only a fearless society can build a strong nation. This fearlessness does not come from physical strength; it comes from the spiritual core.
Just as Lord Shiva embodies both protection and destruction, our armed forces today carry within themselves both fearlessness and patience.
On one hand, they provide humanitarian assistance with the spirit of Shiva during times of crisis; on the other hand, when necessary, they execute operations like Operation Sindoor with the intensity of Rudra. The spirit within our soldiers comes from our culture, from the inspiration of Lord Shiva.
Today, Isha Foundation has instituted, for the very first time, the “Bhavya Bharat Bhushan” Awards to recognise and celebrate exceptional individuals who have made outstanding contributions to our society. These awards honour excellence across diverse fields including Science & Technology, Arts, History & Culture, and Sports.
Today, alongside the distinguished stalwarts from these domains who were conferred this honour, three institutions of our Armed Forces were also felicitated in recognition of the remarkable success of Operation Sindoor. These are Western Air Command, Army’s Southern Command and Western Naval Command. Personally, this filled me with great joy and a deep sense of pride. It was an honour bestowed by the spiritual world upon the valour of the nation, something that is truly possible only on the sacred land of Shiva. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the awardees.
Friends, as a civilization, we are truly fortunate that India’s greatest strength lies in its cultural unity and spiritual ethos. Our government has also made every effort to carry this spirit to the global stage. Today, India has offered the priceless gift of Yoga to the world in a renewed and expansive form. The spiritual essence of Indian culture is now being embraced across the globe.
Isha Foundation, too, is presenting this spiritual spirit to the world in a modern, scientific, and accessible language. That is why people from every section of society are connecting with Isha today.
Initiatives such as Inner Engineering, Sadhanapada, and Shambhavi Mahamudra are helping individuals progress spiritually in meaningful ways. Through a scientific approach, you have carried the depth of our culture to people everywhere. For this, I believe, Sadhguru and the Isha Foundation deserve our deepest appreciation.
Friends, culture and science are often seen as separate from one another, but in India, they have always been complementary. Culture is not merely a set of rituals; it is our way of life.
In our tradition, the Sun and the Moon are not just celestial bodies, they form the basis of our calendar and festivals. Our fasts, festivals, and auspicious timings are determined through precise scientific calculations. Today, missions like Chandrayaan and other space programs are modern expressions of our ancient scientific heritage, where tradition and technology move forward together.
Today, when India launches missions like Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, and Aditya-L1, it is not just a technological achievement; it is also the modern expression of that ancient scientific spirit which has always been part of our cultural identity. As we send satellites into space, we are simultaneously advancing our scientific culture.
You have all seen Lord Shiva in His form as Nataraja. The dance of Nataraja is the rhythm of the cosmos, the movement of the universe. The great sculptor Auguste Rodin once called the dancing Shiva the most beautiful expression of rhythmic motion in the world. The British thinker Aldous Huxley also remarked that Western civilization has no symbol like Nataraja, which can simultaneously convey the universe, the mind, and spirituality.
Modern science today is trying to articulate truths long ago, that Indian thought had already discovered at the level of direct experience.
At the beginning of the 20th century, when the world’s attention turned to Quantum Physics, exploring the sub-atomic world, scientists began observing the movement of particles. They found that the motion, patterns, and energy of these particles astonishingly resembled the cosmic dance of Nataraja. The renowned physicist फ्रिट्जॉफ कैप्रा once said, “For the modern physicists, Shiva’s dance is the dance of sub-atomic matter.”
This statement also points to the fact that science and spirituality do not move in separate directions. Both are attempts to understand the same truth, expressed in different languages. Here, the 112- feet tall statue of Adiyogi symbolizes the 112 methods that Adiyogi himself taught the Saptarishis — methods through which a human being can reach their ultimate nature. Just as different rivers flow from different directions but ultimately merge into the same ocean, human beings, following different paths, ultimately arrive at the same truth.
Friends, the essence of Shiva is vast and all-encompassing. Understanding it fully is a subject in itself. But I believe that the best way to serve Lord Shiva is by serving humanity. The more we serve the people of this country, the closer we come to the essence of Shiva. Inspired by this very spirit, the government has undertaken numerous welfare initiatives over the past decade. Education, healthcare, and people’s standard of living, in every sector, the country has made progress.
In addition, to strengthen and promote our cultural consciousness, we have ensured the development of our sacred pilgrimage sites. From the Ujjain Mahakal Corridor to the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, from Bhagwan Somnath Corridor to the grand construction of the temple of Lord Rama, we have undertaken numerous initiatives that have enriched our cultural heritage and awareness. Guided by the core mantra of “Development as well as Heritage,” we are moving forward with unwavering commitment. The people of this country have placed their trust in us, and we are making every effort to live up to it.
I just had the opportunity to meet the children of Isha Home School, and it was truly heartening to see how Isha is shaping young minds who are progressing in both science and spirituality. In their eyes, I saw a spark — a desire to grow, a hunger to do something meaningful.
The education system at Isha Home School connects children with meditation and sadhana. Its daily routine and discipline teaches them the value of time and responsibility from a young age. In today’s era, where mobile phones often draw children into a different world, the students at Isha School give importance to yoga, exercise, and physical activities. Beyond that, through trekking, hiking, and volunteer activities, they are also connecting with nature.
In addition, I congratulate the Isha Foundation. The work you are doing for society’s welfare is truly inspirational. Under Sadhguru’s leadership, movements like ‘कावेरी Calling’ and ‘Save Soil’ have influenced not just India but people around the world. I wish you success in all your future initiatives.
Today, on this sacred occasion of Mahashivratri, as we all sit together meditating on “चिदानंद रूपः शिवोऽहम्, शिवोऽहम्।” we must also make a resolve: that we will continue to work together for the unity of our nation and for its cultural revival. With this belief in our hearts, I extend my warmest wishes to all of you on Mahashivratri, bow respectfully to the revered Sadhguru, and conclude my address.