Acharya Tulsi
‘अहिंसा परमो धर्म’ Non-violence is the ultimate religion. The question arises why non-violence has been regarded as the ultimate religion? If we focus minutely over it then we shall find that truth, contentment, decency, non-accumulation and other such virtues are different names assigned to the same virtue and that is non-violence. In fact we may include the entire religion in non-violence. One who has grasped the essence of non-violence has understood religion as well. On the contrary one who has failed to value non-violence has also failed to value religion. Even important than this is that non-violence is the only yardstick that measures a person of his being religious. The man is in the- same degree religious as he is non-violent. The saints and recluses are considered fully religious because they are absolutely non-violent. They renounce violence completely from their mind, speech and actions.
It may be said that the principles of non-violence are very good indeed but they are not practical for family persons, because they have to get involved with violence almost at every stage. Without it their life comes to a standstill. I do agree with it that family persons are involved with violence. For the subsistence of his body, family, society and nation a family man has to commit an act of violence any time, but this doesn’t mean that he cannot follow non-violence in his life at all. I understood that even while fulfilling family’s responsibilities a person can escape from violence to a certain extent. Why can’t he avoid violence that comes at will? Why can’t he avoid violence that happens unnecessarily? He can surely save himself from such acts of violence. All that he needs is a little conscience.
In this context there is one more point that needs contemplation and that is one must keep a balanced perspective towards violence. Even those acts of violence that he is compelled to commit he must treat them as violence only and not otherwise. Many people because of this confused perception treat necessary violence also as an act of non-violence. That is a dangerous folly. Although a family person cannot avoid violence completely for certain needs but that doesn’t turn violence into non-violence. Violence would always remain violence in all three dimensions. In my view to consider an act of violence as non-violence is even a greater sin. So every person must certainly save oneself from committing such a sin. One must always strive to save oneself from violence to a greater extent. That is the right way.
