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Ahimsa Paramo Dharma: The Half-truth

Sanskriti 8 years ago

Ahimsa Paramo Dharma

अ हसा परमो धमः
A Sanskrit phrase largely popularized by Gandhi and is repeated by many across the world today to emphasise on
Non-Violence.

The phrase was first used in Mahabharata and literally means “non-violence is the ultimate duty” to the extent
that it supersedes all other duties.

For someone following this practice, it means that there is no selective application of practice of ahimsa. It must
be applied to each and everything related to their lives, leading to an unconditional and unilateral abandonment of
violent resistance under any and all circumstances. Yet, this is true only in the philosophy and strict practitioners
of Buddhism and Jainism.

Many of us are so familiar with this phrase that we do not realize that it is only the half-truth. The
full phrase in Mahabharata is:

अ हसा परमो धमः

धम हसा तथैव च
Non-violence is the ultimate dharma.
So too is violence in service of Dharma.

In Sanatana Dharma, the first line of the phrase is only applicable to the renunciates and the ascetics. Even if
provoked, a Sannyansin should not defend himself even when his life is in danger because he identifies himself
with the Atman rather than associating with his body.

However it is the second line that is purposefully dropped by the preachers of

Dharma and Ahimsa.

The word, non-violence in English is absolute in its meaning but ahimsa means non-violence in a relative sense.
In Sanatana Dharma, it is the moral duty of a person to practice violence if it is used to stop a greater violence or
evil. For example, in order to keep peace and order in his country, a king has to be strict in his punishment. To
practice ahimsa, he may even have to kill a man who is, for example, taking away the lives of others.

So, the statement, when taken in full context and meaning within Sanatana Dharma, is applicable to most people.
In ancient times, it was the duty of a Brahmin to be well versed in matters of spirituality and be benevolent and
kind to all creatures, while a Kshatriya was the protector of everything including Dharma.

In Adi Parva, it is stated:

अ हसा परमॊ धमः सव ाणभृतां समृतः

त मात पराणभृतः सवान न ह याथ बरा णः कव चत

Verily the highest virtue of man is sparing the life of others. Therefore a Brahmana should never take the life of
any creature.

बरा णः सौ य एवेह जायते त परा श तः

वेथवेथा वत तात सवभूताभय परथः

A Brahmana should be versed in the Vedas and Vedangas, and should inspire all creatures with belief in God.

अ हसा स यवचनं कषमा चे त व न तम

बरा ण य परॊ धम वेथानां धरणाथ अ प

He should be benevolent to all creatures, truthful, and forgiving, even as it is his paramount duty to retain
the Vedas in his memory.

The duties of the Kshatriya are not thine. To be stern, to wield the sceptre and to rule the subjects properly are the
duties of the Kshatriya.

In short, he states that a Brahmin should never take the life of any creature, however a Kshatriya may do so as it
may be required to ensure proper rule of law and order.

In Vana Parva, Markandya Muni narrates:

काललॊभ गरहाक णा प चे य जलां नथीम

नावं धृ तमय कृ वा ज म थुगा ण संतर
 करमेण सं चतॊ धम बु धयॊगमयॊ महान
श ाचारे भवेत साधू रागः शु लेव वास स

Virtuous men are always kind to all creatures, and well-disposed towards regenerate men. They abstain from
doing injury to any creature, and are never rude in speech. Those good men, who know well the consequences of
the fruition of their good and evil deeds, are commended by virtuous men.

The above statement uses “ahimsa” to emphasize on non-injury to any creature by spiritual or holy men.

This phrase is not found in Bhagavad Gita as it is often depicted. On the other hand,
Lord Krishna tells Arjuna to get up and fight:

अथ चे व ममं ध य सं ामं न क र य स
ततः वधम क त च ह वा पापमवा य स

If, however, you do not fight this religious war, then you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties and
thus lose your reputation as a fighter.

In this instance, it is the duty of a man to fight against injustice and evil rather than practice the greater dharma of
non-violence. Lord Krishna clearly states that ahimsa, while highly regarded, is not the highest dharma for
everyone and certainly not for Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

When a person turns away from sensory objects by giving up the doership of action and embraces the Inner Self
(the Atman) in pursuit of Jnana and Moksha, then they rightfully follow the path of Ahimsa.

But for a householder still involved in worldly pursuits, the path of ahimsa is impractical. For example, practicing
ahimsa when someone enters a house and molests a householder’s wife or child would be an act of cowardice. In
the same manner, a soldier cannot put down his weapons in a war; nor can a king let criminals and neighbouring
kingdoms continue oppressing and attacking his subjects and pretend to be a follower of non-violence.

In either of the cases above, practicing of ahimsa would be adharma, not Dharma!

Even Lord Krishna states:

 प र ाणाय साधून ां वनाशाय च कृताम्
धमसं थापनाथाय स भवा म युगे युगे

To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of
religion,
I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.

Categories: Hinduism

Tags: Ahimsa, Dharma, Gandhi, Hindu, Hinduism

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