SANATANA DHARMA PART 12 K RAJARAM IRS 30424 LDN KANCJHI
‘Ahimasa paramo Dharmah’- Concept and Practice of Ahimsa vide 1. Maha
Bhaarata Parvas- 2. Bhagavat Gita and 3. Select Smritis
1. Maha Bharata Adi Parva
ahimsā paramo dharmah sarvaprāmabhrth smrtah,
tasmāt prānabhrtah sarvān na himsyād brāhmanah kva
cit/
brāhmanah saumya eveha jāyateti parā śrutih,
vedavedāngavit tāta sarvabhūtābhaya
pradah/
ahimsā satyavacanam ksamā ceti viniścitam,
brāhmanasya paro dharmo vedānām
dharanād api/
ksatriyasya tu yo dharmah sa nehesyati vai tava,
dandadhāranam ugratvam prajānām
paripālanamtad idam
ksatriyasyāsīt karma/
Indeed, the highest virtue of man is sparing the life of others.
Therefore, a Brahmana should never take the life of any creature. A
Brahmana should be versed in the Vedas and Vedangas, and should inspire all
creatures with belief in God. 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 summary, he states that a brahmana should never take the life of any
creature however, a kshatriya may do so as it may be required to ensure
proper rule is replete with the illustrations of kings having made deep
tapasyaas-yagjna kaaryaas- daana dharmaas and such deeds of high virtues
and thus the praja too were inculcated with ‗mano shuddhata-sadaachaara-
and shubha kaaryaacharanas.
Vana Parva
kālalobha grahākīrṇāṃ pañcendriya jalāṃ nadīm,
nāvaṃ dhṛtimayīṃ kṛtvā janma durgāṇi saṃtara/
krameṇa saṃcito dharmo buddhiyogamayo mahān,
śiṣṭācāre bhavet sādhū rāgaḥ śukleva vāsasi
Among holy men, virtue is differentiated in three ways
--that great virtue which is inculcated in the Vedas,
the other which is inculcated in the dharma shastra,
and virtuous conduct
And virtuous conduct is indicated by acquisition of knowledge,
pilgrimage to sacred places, truthfulness, forbearance, purity and
straight-forwardness.
ahimsā satyavacanam sarvabhūtahitam param,
himsā paramo dharmah sa ca satye pratisthitah
satye krtvā pratisthām tu pravartante pravrttayah/
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.This
particular quotation uses ahimsa in the sense of not doing injury to any
creature and states that it is applied to 'holy men' who are typically
defined to be ascetics and sometimes as brahamanas.
Anusasana Parva
In the Anusasana Parva, Yudhisthira is asked by Lord Krishna to ask
Bhishma any questions he may have as this will be his last opportunity to
do so. Yudhisthira states that Bhishma has told him that 'ahimsa paramo
dharma' and is asking about it in the context of conducting shraddha in
which meat is offered.
ahimsā paramo dharma ity uktam bahuśas tvayā,
śrāddhesu ca bhavān āha pitrn āmisa kānksinah/
You had told me many times that abstention from injury is the highest
religion. In Shraddhas, however, that are performed in honour of the
Pitris, persons for their own good should make offerings of diverse kinds
of meat. Yudhisthira asks how can killing be avoided if meat is to be
offered in offering sraddha in honour of ancestors? Bhishma answers by
stating that abstention from eating meat is a great sacrifice and provides
many benefits. He goes on to state that:
prajānāṃ hitakāmena tv agastyena mahātmanā,
āraṇyāḥ sarvadaivatyāḥ prokṣitās tapasā mṛgā/ḥ
,kriyā hy evaṃ na hīyante pitṛdaivatasaṃśritāḥ,
prīyante pitaraś caiva nyāyato māṃsatarpitāḥ/]
Desirous of benefiting all men, the high-souled Agastya, by
the aid of his penances, dedicated, once for all, all wild animals of the
deer species to the deities. Hence, there is no longer any necessity of
sanctifying those animals for offering them to the deities and the Pitru
Devatas. After hearing his answer in full, Yudhisthira repeats his question:
Pitamaha! what is flesh, of what substances it is, the merits that
attach to abstention from it, and what the demerits are that attach to the
eating of flesh.. Bhishma again answers and concludes with that a person of
cleansed soul should be compassionate to all living creatures.
ahimsā paramo dharmas tathāhimsā paro damah,
ahimsā paramam dānam ahimsā paramas tapah/
ahimsā paramo yajñas tathāhismā param balam,
ahimsā paramam mitram ahimsā paramam sukham/
ahimsā paramam satyam ahimsā paramam śrutam,
sarvayajñesu vā dānam sarvatīrthesu cāplutam/
sarvadānaphalam vāpi naitat tulyam ahimsayā,
ahimsrasya tapo 'ksayyam ahimsro yajate sadā/
ahimsrah sarvabhūtānām yathā mātā yathā pitā,etat
phalam ahimsāyā bhūyaś ca kurupumgava na hi
śakyā gunā vaktum iha varsaśatair api/
Abstention from cruelty is the highest Religion. Abstention from
cruelty is the highest self-control. Abstention from cruelty is the highest
gift. Abstention from cruelty is the highest penance. Abstention from
cruelty is the highest sacrifice. Abstention from cruelty is the highest
puissance. Abstention from cruelty is the highest friend. Abstention from
cruelty is the highest happiness. Abstention from cruelty is the highest
truth. Abstention from cruelty is the highest Sruti. Gifts made in all
sacrifices, ablutions performed in all sacred waters, and the merit that
one acquires from making all kinds of gifts mentioned in the scriptures,
--all these do not come up to abstention from cruelty (in point of the
merit that attaches to it). The penances of a man that abstains from
cruelty are inexhaustible. The man that abstains from cruelty is regarded
as always performing sacrifices. The man that abstains from cruelty is the
father and mother of all creatures. Even these, are some of the merits of
abstention from cruelty. Altogether, the merits that attach to it are so
many that they are incapable of being exhausted even if one were to speak
for a hundred years.‘ Here ahimsa is translated as abstention from cruelty in
relation to killing for the sake of eating the flesh of the killed animal
for personal pleasure. In essence, Bhishma is stating that it is very
beneficial to be vegetarian because thereby there is no cruelty to animals.
2. Bhagavad Gita a) Chapter 10: 4-5 :
buddhir jnanam asammohah ksama satyam
damah samah sukham duhkham bhavo 'bhavo,
bhayam cabhayam eva ca ahimsa samata tustis
tapo danam yaso 'yasahbhavanti bhava bhutanam matta eva
prthag-vidhah/
Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from doubt and delusion,
forgiveness, truthfulness, self-control and calmness, pleasure and pain,
birth, death, fear, fearlessness, nonviolence, equanimity, satisfaction,
austerity, charity, fame and infamy are created by Me alone.
b) Chapter 13: 8-12
amanitvam adambhitvam ahimsa ksantir arjavam
acaryopasanam saucam, sthairyam atma-vinigrahah
indriyarthesu vairagyam/ anahankara eva ca
janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam asaktir
anabhisvangah
putra-dara-grhadisu /nityam ca sama-cittatvam
istanistopapattisu mayi
cananya-yogena bhaktir avyabhicarini vivikta-desa-sevitvam
aratir
jana-samsadi/ adhyatma-jnana-nityatvam
tattva-jnanartha-darsanam
etaj jnanam iti proktam ajnanam yad ato 'nyatha
Humility, pride lessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity,
approaching a bona fide spiritual master, cleanliness, steadiness and
self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification, absence
of false ego, the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and
disease; nonattachment to children, wife, home and the rest, and even
mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed
devotion to Me, resorting to solitary places, detachment from the general
mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization, and
philosophical search for the Absolute Truth-all these I thus declare to be
knowledge, and what is contrary to these is ignorance.
c) Chapter 16:1-3
sri-bhagavan uvaca: abhayam sattva-samsuddhir
jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih,danam damas ca yajnas ca/ svadhyayas tapa arjavam
ahimsa satyam akrodhas tyagah santir apaisunam/daya bhutesv
aloluptvam mardavam hrir acapalam, tejah ksama dhrtih saucam
adroho nati-manita,havanti sampadam daivim abhijatasya bharata/
The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purification of one's
existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control,
performance of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity and simplicity;
nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger; renunciation, tranquillity,
aversion to fault finding, compassion and freedom from covetousness;
gentleness, modesty and steady determination; vigour, forgiveness,
fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from envy and the passion for honour-these
transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed
with divine nature.
d) Chapter 17:
deva-dvija-guru-prajna- pujanam saucam arjavam,brahmacaryam ahimsa ca
sariram tapa ucyate/
Austerity of the body consists in this: worship of the Supreme Lord,
the brahmanas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and
mother. Cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence are also
austerities of the body.
Select Smritis Paraashara Smriti
Paashako matsya ghati va vyaadhah shaakunistathaa,
Adaataa karshakaschaiva panchaite samabhakinah/
(The sin committed by a fisherman, a hunter, a slaughterer, a dice man
and bird killer might be worse than that of a Brahmana tilling land with
two oxen).
Kundini peshani chulli udakumbhatha maarjani,
Pancha suna grihastasya ahanyahani vartate/
(As it is, in each house hold there are five killing places viz. a
pounder, a gastric mill, a cooking stove, a water pot and a sweeper).
Vaishwadevo balibhikshaa gograaso hantaaarakah, Grihasthah pratyaha
kuryaat sunaa dorsharna lipyate/
(The five relieving remedies absorbing the five places of killings in
a household happen to be the Vaishwadeva Yagjna, bali karma, bhiksha
pradana, giving grass to cows, and these offsetting the daily killings
otherwise).
Vrikshaan chitwaa Maheem bhitwaa hatwaa tu mriga keetakaan, Karshakah
khalu yagjnena sarvaa paapaat pramuchyate/
(The farmer is saving himself by performing yagjnas from the sins
committed by cutting trees, digging earth, killings of animals and ‗krimi
keetas‘)
Yon a dadyaad dwijaatibhyo raashi mulamupaagatah, sa chourah sa
cha paapishtho Brahmaghnam tam vinirdishet/
(Those farmers seated near the heaps of foodgrains without parting any
to Brahmanas would be aptly named thieves and sinners, worth being called
Brahma ghaatis!)
Kshatriyopi krushim krutwaa Dwijaan Devaamscha pujayet, Vaishyah
anyastathaakuryat krushi vaanijya shilpikaan/
(Indeeed, Kshatrias display their industriousness and courage and
serve Brahmanas for their involvement and dedication in Deva Pujas,
Vaishyas earn out of their trading and business skills and so do the other
class of the Society due to their ability in crafts).
Chaturnaamapi varnaamsha dharma sanaatanah/
(Thus, the Four Varnas are engaged in their own respective duties
as per dharmas).
Yagnyavalkya Smriti
In case, if a person were to have been killed in secrecy with no
witness, once noticed of the tragedy, the clues by collected by the signs
of death be registered such as strangulation, physical assault of specified
signs of beating, head hitting, burning, drowning, or such indications as
noticed on the dead body. Once suspected and confirmed, the perpetrator be
punished as per the gradations prescribed; for killings due to body burns
and camouflaging by dust be of ten units, and as the extracts from the face
of the dead of shleshma, nails, hairs, ears and such ‗daaruna hatyas‘ the
punishment be more severe by twenty units. This scale of punishment be
applicable to the same varnas. The ‗atyachara‘on strees or on ‗uttama varnas‘,
the gradation of punishment be doubled. On ‗heena varnaas‘, the scale of
punishment be halved. Chittavaikalya or Madyapaana punishments are
lessened. In case an ‗abrahmana‘ might injure a brahmana, especially by
manhandling or by ‗shastraprayogas‘ then the punishment of what is known as
‗Prathama Saahasa‘ or of the minimum grade worthy of ‗ardha danda‘. For
‗Samaana varnas‘ resorting to ‗atyaachara‘, then the punishment be of
Madhyama Saahasa‘ medium category deserving of a twenty unit of monetary
fine. Badly hurting and trampling severe injuries of the victim‘s
feet-head- etc. besides pulling off or tightening the ‗deha vastras‘
deserving of hundred units of monetary fine. Grievous injuries of blood and
of burns deserve monetary fines of thirty units and for nonstop flows of
blood be doubled thereof. Damage to the victim ‘s hands, feet, teeth, ears
equivalent to near deathless is stated as of a ‗madhyama saahasa‘ or medium
category of punishment. Holding the neck tightly, denying food by force,
seeking to strangulate, pull off eyelids, severing eye lids, clasp
shoulders, hands and waist is also of madhyama saahasa. Beating back and
blue of one person by a group be doubly punished and so would be when one‘s
material snatched off be nonreturned and damaged severely. As the walls of
else‘s house were drilled by another person, or even collapsed then the
range of damages be fined in the range of five-ten-twenty units of currency
in addition to bearing the expenses of reconstruction. Throwing severe
acids on the houses of others or praanahaani vishas and serpents, then that
be notetd as ‗madhyama saahasa‘ and punishment imposed accordingly.
Severing goats, sheep, deer and the like for their horns, skins and so on
be fined units of currencies 2-4-6 units. Cutting off the loins of these
animals would be a madhyama saahasa, especially of cows, bulls, elephants,
horses by paid for double as per the presccried fines. Damaging public tree
trunks , branches, or even uprooting, be too as per appropriate- or
presribed rates of penalieties .And so would be damages for Chaityas or
public religious places, smashaanaas, seemaas, pavitra sthalas, and public
gardens be punished in a graded manner. In respect of all such places, the
due punishments be imposed for the spoilages of gulmas like malatis,
gucchas like bent down ‗karandas‘, lataas or creepers of drakshaas, and
oushdhis. Yājñavalkya (1.122).—‗Abstention from injury, Truthfulness,
Abstention from theft, Purity, Control of the senses, Liberality,
Self-control, Mercy, Tolerance,—these are the means of righteousness for
all men.‘
Vyāsa (Aparārka, p. 164).—‗
Freedom from cruelty, Abstention from injury, Kindness,
Liberality, Performance of Śrāddha, Honouring guests, Truthfulness, Freedom
from anger, Contentment with one‘s own wife, Purity, Freedom from envy,
Self-knowledge and Patience are the common virtues...... Truth,
Self-control, Austerity, Purity, Contentment, Shyness, Tolerance,
Straightforwardness, Wisdom, Calmness, Mercy, Concentrated mind—these
constitute the eternal Dharma.—That is Truth which is beneficial to living
beings; Self-Control consists in controlling the mind; Austerity consists
in remaining firm in one‘s own duty; Purity consists in the evading of
inter-mixtures; Contentment consists in giving up objects of sense; Shyness
consists in desisting from evil deeds; Tolerance consists in the capacity
to bear the pairs of opposites; Straightforwardness consists in balance of
mind; Wisdom consists in discerning the true nature of things; Calmness
consists in peacefulness of mind; Mercy consists in the inclination to do
good to living beings;—this is eternal Dharma.‘ Bṛhaspati (Do.).—‗Mercy,
Tolerance, Freedom from envy, Purity, Abstention from over-exertion,
Propitiousness, Freedom from miserliness, Freedom from desires,—these are
common to all men.—When one protects another person in times of
trouble,—whether he be a stranger or a relation, an enemy or a friend,—this
is what is meant by Mercy. Tolerance is that by virtue of which one does
not become angry on suffering pain. When one does not feel unhappy at the
good qualities of another, and eulogises even those whose qualities are not
of the best;—this is called Freedom from envy. Purity consists in avoiding
forbidden food and in associating with blameless persons. When one avoids
those acts which, though good, bring suffering to the body, that is
Abstention from over-exertion. Propitiousness consists in doing what is
good and desisting from what is not commended. Freedom from Miserliness is
that by virtue of which one gives away, without pain, even the little that
he possesses. Freedom from Desires is that by which one remains contented
with whatever he obtains, without thinking of what others have got.‘
Gautama (8.22-23).—‗
Now follow the eight qualities of the soul—Compassion on all
creatures, Forbearance, Freedom from anger, Purity, Quietism,
Propitiousness, Freedom from avarice and Freedom from covetousness.‘
Manu Smriti 10 -63
ahiṃsā satyamasteyaṃ śaucamindriyanigrahaḥ etaṃ sāmāsikaṃ dharmaṃ
cāturvarṇye'bravīn manuḥ ||
Abstention from injuring, truthfulness, abstention from unlawful
appropriation, purity and control of the sense-organs,—this Manu has
declared to be the sum and substance of duty for the four castes Medhātithi‘s
commentary (manubhāṣya) explains: Purity‘—refers to external purity,
brought about by the use of clay, water and such things. This means that
this is what pertains to entire human community, and not only to the
Brāhmaṇa and the other castes. If ‗abstention from injuring creatures‘ is
the duty of the mixed castes of the ‗inverse‘ order, how is it that it has
been declared that—‗killing fish is the livelihood of the Niṣādas‘ (48), ‗and
the catching of animals,‘ living underground‘ (49), and ‗the killing of
wild animals for the Kṣattṛ and others? In answer to this some people offer
the explanation that the ‗abstention from injuring‘refers to injury other
than that which has been prescribed as one‘s livelihood. Others think that
what is here meant is that ‗abstention from injury‘ is that kind of duty
which is the source of spiritual welfare*, and it does not mean the
absolute prohibition of all injury.* Just As it is in the case of the
assertion—‗there is no harm in the eating of meat etc., etc.‘―If
‗abstention from injury‘ is a duty, how are the men to subsist? Other
sources of income being not available to them, and abstention from injury
being regarded sis conducive to spiritual welfare, what would be their
means of livelihood? Specially as all other professions have been
restricted to each distinct caste. For instance, teaching and other similar
professions; are absolutely impossible, and cannot be available;
agriculture and cognate professions are restricted to Vaiśyas; and service
is the exclusive duty of the Śūdra.‖ Thus is free from killing co-beings.
Āpastamba (1.23-6).—‗
Freedom from anger, from exultation, from grumbling, from
covetousness, from perplexity, from hypocrisy and
hurtfulness,—Truthfulness, Moderation in eating, Silencing slander, Freedom
from envy, Self-denying, Liberality, Avoiding of gifts, Uprightness,
Affability, Extinction of the passions, Subjugation of the senses, Peace
with all beings, Concentration of mind, Regulation of conduct according to
the Āryas, Peacefulness and Contentment;—these good qualities have been
settled by the agreement of the wise for all the four orders. He who,
according to the precepts of the sacred Law, practises these, enters the
Universal Self.‘
Viṣṇu (2.16-17).—‗
Forbearance, Veracity, Restraint, Purity, Liberality, Self-control,
Avoiding the killing of animals, Obedience to elders, Pilgrimage, Sympathy
with the afflicted,—Straightforwardness, Freedom from covetousness,
Reverence towards God and Brāhmaṇas, and Freedom from anger are duties
common to all.‘
K Rajaram IRS 30424
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