Ahimsa Brings Peace

Before understanding what is Ahimsa, what is non-violence, we saw what is Himsa.

Himsa is not just violence, hurting, harming. Himsa has many facets, many forms, many degrees. Restraining yourself from all these is Ahimsa.

Converting yourself into a vegetarian or a vegan is not all about Ahimsa. Ahimsa has to be in action, in words, and also in the mind.

Himsa corrupts oneself. Himsa is more about harming oneself than harming others. Those who are violent, aggressive — they always have to live in fear. Those whom they have harmed can come back any time for a revenge. It is never ending.

So, practice of Ahimsa is for one’s own sake.

If you think that your child deserves a peaceful living, first teach the child non-violence. By saying teach, I don’t mean theory. Teach means demonstrate by your own example. Unless you practice, your child will never pick it up.

Do you know what is the advantage of practicing non-violence?

The environment around you becomes peaceful. Animosity, hatred, rage — they go not only from your mind. Not only that your mind becomes peaceful, your mind becomes without agitation. The environment around you also changes. People around will change — not only how they behave with you, how they behave with each other also. This also changes.

You must have heard these stories — tiger and deer living together peacefully in a muni’s ashrama. This is not imagination. This is a fact.

Yoga Shastra also says the same thing:

अहिंसाप्रतिष्ठायां तत्सन्निधौ वैरत्यागः सर्वप्राणिनां भवति।
शाश्वतिकविरोधाऽपि अश्व महिष मूषक मार्जार अहि नकुलादयोऽपि
भगवतः प्रतिष्ठिताहिंसस्य सन्निधानात् तच्चित्तानुकारिणो वैरं परित्यजन्ति।

Natural enemies like cat and mouse, snake and mongoose — even they give up violence in the presence of a person who is a firm practitioner of non-violence. He would radiate non-violence which would influence those around him.

The world around you will be peaceful. You will yourself be peaceful if you practice non-violence.

Non-violence is not being submissive or meek. If a situation which requires you to respond aggressively itself doesn’t come up in your life, then why do you have to be aggressive? Violent? This is what practice of non-violence can give you. Try it out. You will realize this yourself.

It may not happen overnight. That’s why Shastra says अहिंसाप्रतिष्ठायां — after your non-violence, non-aggression becomes firm in you, permanent in you, it becomes part of you.

If you practice Ahimsa perfectly, then you will have no enemies.

In India we have had many noble souls, great souls. This is because they practiced perfect Ahimsa. They never had enemies. They never created enemies. They are called Ajatashatru — one whose enemy is not even born.

There is a story about Lord Buddha. Once, a robber came to attack Buddha. He just looked at him — and the robber became his disciple.

What is that you want for your child — this kind of power, or one of showing off muscles and karate black belt, which is hardly any protection, you know that.

Mahatma Gandhi has said, Ahimsa and Truth are inseparable. They are two sides of the same coin.

What is meant by truth here? The ultimate truth — that we are all one, like branches and leaves of the same tree. We all have the same origin. When you do not understand this, then you are capable of harming others, hurting others.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi