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Shishya
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 Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 6:55 pm Post subject: Non-Violence (AHIMSA) |
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Non-Violence (AHIMSA)
by
Arya Putra
Ahimsa, or non-violence, is the root of life and the foundation of Yoga. It is the very first principle and practice of Yoga. Yoga means the union of our limited consciousness (soul) with Unlimited Consciousness (Supreme Consciousness). This union is experienced as Divine Bliss.
Life is for the purpose of attaining Divine Bliss or Ultimate Happiness. If life is uprooted or destroyed by an act of violence, happiness is not possible. It is impossible to be violent and happy at the same time. Only insane people can be cruel or violent, and at the same time imagine that they are happy.
We lose our sanity when we betray our real nature. Our real nature is to be compassionate and loving. Our real nature is to be merciful. It is natural to share in the joy and sorrow of our fellow beings—not just human beings, but all beings. If we see someone in a joyous state of mind, we too feel happy. If we see someone suffering, we are not happy about their suffering and would like to remove it.
Life teaches us that the cause of all suffering is Ignorance. If we are ignorant of our real nature we might ignore what is right and do what is wrong or injurious. When we cause injury to ourselves or others we are going against our real nature. The removal of ignorance is an act of non-violence. On the other hand, if we are arrogant and refuse to learn and change for the better, we are violating our real nature, and this is an act of VIOLENCE.
Our real nature as noble human beings is to continue to raise our consciousness to a nobler level. To practice non-violence we need to be aware and conscientious, and understand how our thoughts and actions affect ourselves and others. Our thoughts and actions should create positive effects in ourselves and in our environment. These ‘positive effects’ are called ‘good vibrations,’ and the opposite of this is bad vibrations.
In a slaughterhouse, you will not feel any good vibrations. In a pub house, people might act friendly under the influence of alcohol, but their vibrations are not good. In a home torn apart by domestic violence, there is madness and sadness and only bad vibrations. When we make our stomach a graveyard for dead animals, or our mind a den of drunkenness, shallowness and anger, or our home a battleground of ego and selfish emotions, then our lives are torn apart by violence.
To break the cycle of violence, we have to practice non-violence by giving up our bad habits such as:
• Eating meat
• Drinking alcoholic beverages
• Use of ‘recreational’ drugs
• Associating with people with no character
• Speaking harshly to our loved ones
• Harboring ill-will
• Making excuses for not improving
We must stop all of these and other acts of violence to be truly happy. Non-violence is the foundation of life and the essence of DHARMA. Those who are true to their Dharma (Real Nature) will embrace the principle and practice of Ahimsa (non-violence) in all their actions and interactions in this world. By the practice of non-violence, we are making the world a better world because we are making ourselves better people.
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Shishya
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:44 am Post subject: |
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Namaste All,
I would like to add a few of my own thoughts to Arya Ji's already insightful and helpful article. I begin with a passage from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali:
अहिंसाप्रतिष्ठायां तत्संनिधौ वैरत्यागः ॥२।३५॥
ahimsaapratishthaayaam tatsamnidhau vairatyaagah
ahimsaa – non-violence; pratishthaayaam – firmly established; tat – his; samnidhau – presence; vaira – hostility; tyaagah – abandoned.
2.35. When one is firmly established in the practice of non-violence, all hostility is abandoned in his presence.
The spiritual aspirant (yogi) who has made the principle of non-violence (ahimsa) an integral part of his being becomes a beacon of peace and tranquillity to others. He exudes calm and harmony, and this quality has an immediate effect on all who find themselves in his presence. By becoming non-violent ourselves, we help others to learn the virtue of non-violence. As Arya Ji said: “By the practice of non-violence, we are making the world a better world because we are making ourselves better people.” Therefore, if we would like to see more peace in the world, the first thing for us to do is to establish ourselves in ahimsa in regards to our thoughts, words and deeds.
In order to eradicate himsa or violence from our personalities, we must first become aware of its root. Violent behaviour is always the product of fear of one sort or another, and fear is in turn the product of ignorance. Therefore, as Arya Ji pointed out, the root of violence is ignorance. ‘Ignorance of what?’ you may ask. Ignorance of our true nature. For if we come to the realization of our true nature, which is that of an eternal, unchanging soul, neither born, nor capable of death, nor the suffrage of pain, then we free ourselves from all that could possibly give us cause to fear.
However, all of what I have said may seem to be a bit abstract and hard to make manifest in the real world. Therefore I make the following suggestion so that anyone who is interested may see how to go about incorporating the principle of ahimsa into their lives.
In a notebook or personal diary, make a list of those activities you engage in which are harmful either to yourself or to others. Don’t rush through this activity, but instead spend a decent amount of time creating the list. Be serious and as objective as possible. Perhaps you will want to ask friends or loved ones if there are ways you harm them that you are not aware of. Consider not only physically harmful acts, but also harmful thoughts that cross your mind on occasion. Your goal is to create a more or less comprehensive list of those behaviours which cause harm and suffering to those around you as well as to your own person.
When you feel like your list contains the major events and/or situations in which himsa manifests itself, select the one that you think is the most serious and which causes the most suffering. Now concentrate on this one action. Imagine what you feel like while you are doing it, and write down what comes to mind, being as descriptive as possible. Also consider what you think causes you to behave this way, as well as how you feel after the action is completed. Record everything. Try and form as complete a picture as possible of the particular behaviour.
When your description is more or less complete, take a look at the causes you have written down. What do you see? Is there something in your environment which triggers the harmful behaviour? Or does the cause seem to arise from within, without any external stimuli? Examine your description and try to detect the pattern behind the harmful activity.
Now, spend some time reflecting on what you have discovered. Think of the damage and suffering you cause through your harmful actions. Think also upon the greatness for which you, as a human being, have been destined by God. Think of the chance that has been bestowed upon you to attain nobility and to help your fellow man, and how much of a waste it would be to continue with your lowly, destructive and selfish actions which inflict harm and suffering upon both yourself and others. Think upon this and other similar themes until you begin to feel both real remorse for your actions and the inclination to make a change for the better.
When you feel ready to make that change, open the Vedas and begin reading. Search for a verse which relates to your situation either particularly or generally. One (Rig Veda I.97.6) which could be of use in many situations is as follows (taken from the Aryabhivinaya by Swami Dayanand Saraswati):
| Quote: | त्वं हि विश्वतोमुख विश्वतः परिभूरसि ।
अप नः शोशुचदघम् ॥
Transliteration
tvam hi vishvatomukha vishvatah paribhuurasi
apa nah shoshucadagham
Translation
tvam – you; hi – alone; vishvatomukha – having a face everywhere; vishvatah – in everything; paribhuurasi – you are immanent; apa – take away; nah – from us; shoshucat – purify; agham – of all evil.
Interpretation
O God, You alone are immanent in everything and thus You have Your Face everywhere. Kindly expel from us all evil.
Invocation
O God, Self-effulgent Supreme Spirit, being immanent in everything You pervade the whole universe. O Vishvatomukha, You have Your Face everywhere, in as much as, from Your Abode in the soul within the human heart, You teach the Truth to every man and woman through Your Inherent Power. O Most Merciful Lord, we beseech You to expel from us all inclinations to evil so that we may become devoid of sins and remain always devoted to You by sincerely adhering to Your Commandments. |
When you have found an appropriate passage, commit it to memory. Now when you feel the desire to indulge in the harmful behaviour, repeat instead the mantra and call to memory your true purpose in life. It will not be easy in the beginning, and you will surely suffer setbacks. However, with perseverance, you will succeed in rooting out this behaviour from your life.
In this way work through all the activities on your list. It will take time and dedication, but a more noble work cannot be found.
_________________
Namaste,
Shishya
ॐ
ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads |
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Prabhat
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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Namaste Arya Ji,
What do you mean when you say "Associating with people with no character"? What kind of character are you talking about here?
_________________
Namaste,
Prabhat |
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Shishya
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 3:26 pm Post subject: |
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Namaste Arya Ji,
I have a question regarding our participation in a 'network of himsa' which we may or may not have the ability to control or direct, namely, how much responsibility to we personally bear for either directly or indirectly supporting others who perform acts of harm and inflict suffering? For example, say I buy a pair of shoes from some manufacturer, not knowning that the conditions under which the factory workers produce the shoes is extremely harmful. (For example, look here.) Have I contributed somehow to himsa?
The reason I ask is because it seems at times that we live in a society of himsa, by which I mean a culture that exists on the basis of the suffering of others. Many businesses and several industries could not exist if they were to adopt and apply the principle of ahimsa. Of course, they have a vested interest in its continuance. But what role do we play as consumers?
_________________
Namaste,
Shishya
ॐ
ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads |
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Arya Putra
Senior Member
Joined: 26 Dec 2006
Posts: 137
Vaada Skills: +2
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | What do you mean when you say "Associating with people with no character"? What kind of character are you talking about here? |
Namaste Prabhat Ji,
I am referring to making friends with people whose habit it is to look upon you or others as objects of their lust. Such people are extremely deluded, and keeping their company will surely result in increasing one’s own self-delusion. People are ‘deluded’ when they convince themselves they are dead right when in fact they are dead wrong. In either case, they are ‘dead’ to the truth of who they really are, which is ATMAN, soul.
A person who has murdered their own soul (meaning they have extinguished the light or awareness of who and what they really are), lives in dense darkness and is like a dead corpse. As a dead corpse stinks and becomes a breeding ground for disease, similarly, a person who kills their true self by living an immoral dog-like life, is like a body without a soul. Such persons are shallow, mean, and have no essence. When we associate with them, we too become shallow and our life loses its meaning.
The purpose of life is to attain the highest state of Consciousness. We can achieve our noble aim only by associating with the noble, with those who are raising their consciousness. We can NOT rise higher by associating with those who are degrading themselves and who have no desire to improve
Self-degradation leads to self-hate and self-destruction. A person with no character is a person who has no hesitation to use you or another as a means for satisfying their selfish carnal desires. We should distance ourselves from such people, because their intentions are deliberately deceptive and their actions destructive.
A person with low character will suffer from low self-esteem, but a person with no character is totally deluded and will hide behind a façade of charm and false charisma. A person with no character should be avoided like the plague, even if they are wearing saffron robes, are eloquent speakers, religious leaders, or famous personalities.
Namaste
Arya Putra
Last edited by Arya Putra on Fri Mar 09, 2007 1:44 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Arya Putra
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Joined: 26 Dec 2006
Posts: 137
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Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 1:38 am Post subject: |
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Shishyaji, you have asked thoughtful questions in your post, and I will address those questions in more depth later. For now I want to share the following excerpt from a dialog on another Internet forum which I recently participated in.
The following scenario was posed by a writer on the Internet who goes by the name of Loving Atheist Guru (or simply, LA Guru). He answered the following question posed by himself, “Who are the Guilty?”, and I responded to him with my thoughts.
| Quote: |
WHO ARE THE GUILTY?
Ganga owns a ranch in Florida where he raises cattle for beef. All of his cows graze in open pastures. Ganga treats his animals humanely, and he is a vegetarian. When the cows reach maturity he invites Billy Bob (butcher) and after the prices are negotiated, the butcher hires Jason (trucker) to transport the cows to his processing plant in Georgia.
Mario leads the first cow to a stall where its movements are restricted. Billy Ray cocks the .45, puts it to the cow’s head and squeezes the trigger. Jorge shows up on a forklift and moves the carcass to an area where Elijah and Anna May hoist the animal and remove its skin. Bubba uses a power saw to cut the carcass into quarters. Down the line Leroy, Mary Ann, Justino, and Savitrie cut the meat into smaller pieces and package them for refrigeration.
Meanwhile, Jason hooks his tractor to a refrigerated trailer, and drives his cargo to Rubinstein’s grocery store in Brooklyn. Vinnie cuts the meat into smaller chunks then shrink wraps it and makes it “presentable” to the customers. Michael picks up a package of meat and takes it to Phillipe who scans the package and collects the payment.
Michael’s wife Cindy prepares the meat and they share dinner with their 16 yr. old son Todd, and 5 yr. old Michelle.
(Some smart alec will question who built the truck, ropes, power saws, etc., but we should assume that those items were not made specifically for the meat industry).
Let us just agree that killing animals is wrong. Forget scriptures, sin, or karma, and just apply logical reasoning in determining who are guilty.
I would say that Phillipe is innocent because her job is not linked directly to the meat. To her it is not meat but just one of the hundreds of items she checks out. She may not even look at the package. Michelle is not guilty because of her age.
The rest will share the burden, including Mr Rubinstein.
If we apply the same scenario to a dairy farm where conditions are horrific, and calves are sold for veal, then follow the trail of the milk all the way to a home, I will hold the same folks responsible. |
The following was my reply. . .
| Quote: | A person is ‘guilty’ when they know the right thing to do but do the opposite. (Remember the infamous Duryodhana of Mahabharat?) The only reason Phillipe and Michelle were not guilty was because of their ignorance. Any of the others who were ignorant of the consequences of their actions (i.e., could not see how their actions contributed to unnecessary pain and suffering), can also NOT be called guilty. Guilty of ignorance, yes; guilty of violence, no.
The Truth is hidden from people due to the ‘wrappings’ and ‘trappings’ of Ignorance, which is manifested in innumerable ways. It is only when a human being is exposed to the Light of Wisdom that they realize their error. Their mistakes become so-called ‘sins’ only when they cling to their ego and refuse to do better even when they know better.
Until the ‘Light’ removes a person’s ‘Darkness,’ they cannot see what they are doing and cannot be blamed. Nevertheless, nature is very unforgiving. When we say ‘ignorance of the law is no excuse,’ it simply means the Laws of Nature prevail regardless of our ignorance of the law. If a small child is fed a hotdog made from a cow afflicted with ‘mad cow’ disease, the child is going to suffer the consequences even though the child had no choice in eating the hot dog.
[We could discuss the intricacies of the Law of Karma and how ultimately all actions are made by one’s free choice, and (as a result of that discussion) conclude that everyone is responsible for their actions and the consequences thereof. But, that is another matter. . .]
Arya Putra |
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Mitra
Bharat News Forum Moderator
Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Posts: 298
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| Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:13 am Post subject: |
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Namaste,
Isn't there a verse in Manusmriti which lists all the people involved in consuming meat - from the seller,butcher onwards to the person who cleans and cooks and eats it ?
I am not sure but I heard it quoted just once.
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Namaste
Manurbhava |
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Arya Putra
Senior Member
Joined: 26 Dec 2006
Posts: 137
Vaada Skills: +2
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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Shishya wrote:
| Quote: | | I have a question regarding our participation in a 'network of himsa' which we may or may not have the ability to control or direct, namely, how much responsibility to we personally bear for either directly or indirectly supporting others who perform acts of harm and inflict suffering? For example, say I buy a pair of shoes from some manufacturer, not knowing that the conditions under which the factory workers produce the shoes is extremely harmful. Have I contributed somehow to himsa? |
We contribute to violence when we ‘violate’ our own good judgment and do what we know we should NOT do, or do not do what we should do. If we are so ignorant that we cannot properly judge, then we cannot be blamed. However, we all know ignorance is no excuse, because our very nature is to grow and learn. We are committing an act of violence when we violate our nature and do not learn from our mistakes or the mistakes of others. This is where the violence begins. To put a stop to it we need to acquire knowledge and apply it.
We need to exercise our power of discernment. When we give up our personal likes and dislikes; when we stop looking for recognition and stop worrying about what others think about us (in other words, we stop seeking appreciation or worrying about being rejected), our power of discernment (Viveka) becomes extremely sharp. When we fully renounce the fruit of our actions (in other words, when we give up our ego which is the seeker of personal reward or fruit), then the power of perfect discernment is realized (actualized), and all selfish motives and pain end.
Violence is rooted in ignorance and ego. Selfish motives arise from ego. Ego arises from ignorance but becomes obstinate only when ignorance is not removed with the wisdom of Consciousness. Once our ego becomes obstinate, ignorance is perpetuated and the ego becomes like a hardened criminal imprisoned in one’s brain cells. Everyone’s brains are hardwired to act and react according to one’s impressions and tendencies. Some people’s brains are hardwired to act violently. Unless we intervene with wisdom, we remain victims of our own karmic cycle of violence and subsequent pain and suffering.
Wisdom causes us to exercise our power of discernment. The more it is exercised, the better it gets. As we apply wisdom, the more we are able to acquire it; in other words, our capacity to understand the subtle truth is increased. We become very sensitive to vibrations and know intuitively what is right and what is wrong; what is good and what is vile; what is non-violent and what is violent.
| Quote: | | “How much responsibility to we personally bear for either directly or indirectly supporting others who perform acts of harm and inflict suffering?” |
We bear full responsibility and personally bear the consequences if we knowingly support (directly or indirectly) others who perform acts of violence (which is any act in violation of our Dharma, our True Nature).
| Quote: | | “…we live in a society of himsa, by which I mean a culture that exists on the basis of the suffering of others” |
I would say we live in a society of Avidya (Ignorance), which is a ‘vulture-culture’ that feeds on dead carcasses and the pain and misery of others. Vultures are not violent; they are just ignorant. Similarly, most people are just ignorant. Few people are deliberately violent. However, since we are human beings, we really have no excuse for remaining ignorant. We remain ignorant when we deliberately choose to ignore Wisdom and sound advice. When we do that, we are betraying our higher nature, and that is certainly vile and violent.
| Quote: | | “Many businesses and several industries could not exist if they were to adopt and apply the principle of ahimsa. Of course, they have a vested interest in its continuance. But what role do we play as consumers?” |
As you know, capitalism is a matter of ‘supply and demand.’ Where there is a significant demand (desire) for a particular commodity, there will arise a supplier to provide the desired object for a set price. The more the demand, the more suppliers will appear to compete to fill it, and hopefully (for them) keep refilling it indefinitely. That’s business.
The desire for, and pursuit of, permanent happiness by means of the acquisition of temporary objects is called Samsara. Samsara is the world of the selfish. It exists for those who are selfish. It does not exist for those who are not selfish. Samsara exists in the unenlightened mind.
When the mind is enlightened with Divine Wisdom it ceases to believe in the propaganda of ego-gratification or the belief that one can find fulfillment by playing mind games. Divine Wisdom is VERY satisfying. Wisdom brings pure peace to the living soul, and one no longer tries to appease one’s intrinsic spiritual thirst with essenceless material objects and intellectual property.
As human beings, our very nature is that we are consumers. We begin ‘consuming’ even while still in our mother’s womb. We are consumers throughout our life; and then, eventually, we are consumed by disease, old age, and death.
Unless we ‘consume’ divine wisdom, we are not going to find lasting peace and happiness. When we consume wisdom it gives us a strong mental constitution which protects us from the barrage of misinformation and lies. When human beings assimilate the knowledge they acquire, they are no longer inclined to seek happiness where it cannot be found. They ‘wise-up.’ They hold their heads high because they set their standards high and make up their mind to do what is right.
The ignorant are often confused about the difference between right and wrong. Wisdom makes the distinction clear. Those who know better but do not ‘do better’ never ‘get better’ but only ‘get worse.’
People who deliberately do the wrong thing are people with a vested interest. Their ‘interest’ is vested in their personality and ego which they want to believe is real. This is called Ku-ruchi, or bad interest. People with bad interests want others to buy into their mind games. On the other hand, people who see their own flaws and want to improve have only one interest: they want to rise above their ego-perception and realize their own True Self (ATMAN). This is called Su-ruchi, or good interest. These noble people are not misled by the consumerism of gross ego-fulfillment and sensual gratification.
In this world of Samsara, our role as noble human beings is to rise above our petty likes and dislikes and build a firm foundation in the Wisdom of Consciousness. Those who remain bound to their ego and images are manipulated by the selfish and the conniving. The foolish seek to buy happiness with their money or popularity, and others are there to rob them blind. It is a case of the blind leading the blind; the ignorant cheating the ignorant; and the ‘dead burying the dead.’
When we are alive to the spirit in our hearts, we will not kill ourselves with the ‘spirit in the bottle.’ When our minds are filled with wisdom and we use our common sense, we will not behave as common ignorant people who are swallowed up by the world of Samsara, the world of mass-consumerism and mass-suicide. Instead, we will kill our ego and become extraordinary people who can lead others from the dense darkness of Ignorance to the shining Light of Divine Consciousness.
OM
Arya Putra |
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Arya Putra
Senior Member
Joined: 26 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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Shishya wrote:
| Quote: |
अहिंसाप्रतिष्ठायां तत्संनिधौ वैरत्यागः ॥२।३५॥
ahimsaapratishthaayaam tatsamnidhau vairatyaagah
ahimsaa – non-violence; pratishthaayaam – firmly established; tat – his; samnidhau – presence; vaira – hostility; tyaagah – abandoned.
2.35. When one is firmly established in the practice of non-violence, all hostility is abandoned in his presence.
The spiritual aspirant (yogi) who has made the principle of non-violence (ahimsa) an integral part of his being becomes a beacon of peace and tranquility to others. He exudes calm and harmony, and this quality has an immediate effect on all who find themselves in his presence. By becoming non-violent ourselves, we help others to learn the virtue of non-violence. |
This is a beautiful interpretation. Hopefully the members of this forum will revisit this post of Shishya’s and also deliberate on the suggestions he has made in it.
The following is another interpretation for this sutra:
All ill-will disappears from one who has firmly resolved never to violate his higher nature.
One who refuses to go against his Dharma—one who persists in putting the principles of Consciousness into practice—never harbors any ill-will towards anyone because he sees everyone as a soul and not just as a ‘person.’
The ‘principles of Consciousness’ are the underlying fundamentals of a wholesome life. In other words, they are the ‘law of our being’ that constitute the state of well-being, and breaking that law always results in mental torture, torment, and despair.
The ‘Law of our Being’, the ‘principles of Consciousness,’ ‘Dharma’. . . these all mean the same thing. When we break this ‘Law,’ when we compromise our principles, when we go against our Dharma, our own Higher Nature punishes us by means of the Law of Karma.
Our body and mind are the result of karma (action). The first action is the union of Purush (the Spirit-Self) with Prakriti (the essence of Matter). Through the sequence of innumerable births we eventually take birth as a human being equipped with higher intelligence, which gives us the power to discern between what is conducive to our total well-being and what is detrimental or injurious to it. Our lower nature (in the form of the gross body, gross mind, and gross senses) tries to pull us in the direction of temporary worldly enjoyment, false security, and personality satisfaction. At the same time, our Higher Nature, influencing our mind (by means of our power of discernment) inspires us to refine our mind to experience the subtle and extremely satisfying Truth (Reality).
So long as we persist in refining our mind, our mind becomes more and more subtle (less and less gross). This perseverance is a quality of the soul; it is an element of our higher nature. It is not a personality trait; it is a quality of our character. Our character is the integrity of our soul (Atman), whereas personality is just an expression of ego (the false idea that we are the mind, body, and senses).
Persons love and persons hate; but persons are very temporary because they are simply expressions of ego clothed in ever-changing mental make-up. The love of the Soul is permanent because it emanates from within the soul which is itself permanent and unchangeable.
When the mind is purified through the application of Wisdom, it reflects the Light of the Soul (it expresses the nature of the Spirit-Self). In that Light, one perceives himself (or herself), and everyone else, as ATMAN. In other words, when the mind has been purged of its violent tendencies (its tendencies to violate one’s higher nature), that mind is completely free of inimical feelings or feelings of ill-will. There are no grudges, no resentments, no blaming, cursing, or selfish anger.
Anger in the form of ‘righteous indignation’ is NOT selfish. Abhorrence of evil and wickedness is an expression of our Higher Nature. To be ‘peaceful’ and ‘content’ while someone is being tortured, raped, or murdered in your presence is an act of violence. One should invoke the ‘wrath of God’ in such instances. ‘Invoking the wrath of God’ means to rise to the occasion and do whatever one can do to stop the injustice, including, if necessary, causing physical injury to the perpetrator. This would be an act of non-violence. The failure to take action in such instances would be a violation of Dharma, and thus an act of violence.
Maharishi Dayananda spoke the Truth because he could not stand by and do nothing while millions of innocent people were being led astray by false religion, superstition, and the lies of false prophets, gurus, dogmen masquerading as godmen, and other selfish profiteers. Though he was a reservoir of compassion and loved all alike, regardless of their religious, philosophical, academic, or economic background, he was nevertheless hated by those who stubbornly persisted in their crooked self interests.
One who is a model of Ahimsa will harbor ill-will to no one, but this does not mean others will reciprocate in kind. There are many instances where enlightened people have been murdered and noble people massacred by those who have become demons by deviating from their Real Nature.
The more the message of Truth reaches into the hearts of all the people of this beautiful planet Earth, the less violent they will become, and the more their lives will prosper.
Arya Putra |
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