Lord Shiva is simplicity itself—kind, compassionate, and yet supremely powerful. His presence is not confined to temples; he exists in forests, villages, cities, streets, and even in every particle of existence. In remote jungles, wildlife photographs often show animals near Shiva temples, as if even the fiercest creatures bow before him. After all, Shiva is Pashupatinath, the lord of all beings.
Shiva’s physical form is unique and symbolic—ashes smeared on his body, matted hair tied in a topknot, the crescent moon on his head, a serpent as his sacred thread, and poison held in his throat. This is the form of Neelkanth, the blue-throated one.
Today, we are not discussing why Shiva became Neelkanth. That story is well known.
Instead, we ask: What does Neelkanth teach us? What should we learn from the blue throat of Shiva? These lines well elaborates on what Neelkanth means:
Shiv se milne se pehle tumhe Shiv sa banna hoga,
zehar nahi peena bas zehar si baaton ko peena hoga.
Man mein uthe shabdon ke chakravaat,
filhaal ugalna nahi halaahal,
dhairya ka saath rakhna hoga.
Kadvi baaton ko rok kanth mein,
Neelkanth sa banna hoga,
Shiv se milne se pehle tumhe Shiv sa banna hoga.
Tabhi kahi jaakar Shiv se milan sambhav hoga.
(Do not drink poison—drink poisonous words.
A storm of words rises in your mind.
Do not spit out poison.
Be patient.
Hold bitter words in your throat.
Become Neelkanth.
Worshiping Shiva is easy, but becoming like Shiva is difficult. His Neelkanth form teaches us the art of restraint, patience, and inner strength.)
In life, most relationships are built on words. Conversations, stories, arguments, memories—everything is an exchange of words (vyavahar). But sometimes, harsh or abusive words from others ignite poisonous thoughts within us. In that moment, we are tempted to respond with even more poisonous words.
One careless sentence can destroy relationships forever. One angry reply can poison minds for a lifetime.
Shiva teaches us a different path. He teaches us not to spew poison back into the world. Instead, hold it within, without letting it harm others. The blue throat is a symbol of self-control, emotional maturity, and spiritual strength.
Neelkanth does not mean suppressing emotions—it means transforming poison into silence, wisdom, and compassion.
The Greatest Lesson of Neelkanth
The Neelkanth form is not just mythology—it is life philosophy.
The power to tolerate poison, but not to spread it.
The strength to stay calm when provoked.
The wisdom to hold bitterness, not pass it on.
Because before meeting Shiva, you must become like Shiva.
And only when you become Neelkanth, can you truly understand Mahadev.
(The writer of this article is Rohit Awasthi )