Acharya Tulsi
Question—Is it possible to create a society free of exploitation without any violence or pressure? Is non-violent pressure not a process of violence only? Is it possible for non-violent pressure to be successful in the absence of love or fear?
Answer—In creation of a society accumulation and violence play a vital role that become an edifice of it. When a person accepts any group then he creates an attachment with it. My family, my community, my society, my responsibility towards my society, my nation, my responsibilities towards my nation—this feeling of my creates such a bondage that makes him an alien for others. With the acceptance of accumulation the violence begins. How to protect the welfare of my nation or society, how to develop it, how to expand it, to make sure I do not remain weak compared to others—all these worries come along with the acceptance of the feeling of possession. This way whether a society is full of exploitation it is force of exploitation violence and accumulation remain a part and parcel of it. I do not see the possibility of having full non-violence there.
I believe that there are many components that help create a society. Non-violence is also one of them. It cannot function fully as fear and accumulation function as the main components in creation of a society. It is impossible to adjust non-violence with fear and accumulation. Even then it is necessary to have the conscience of violence and non- violence to lead a social life.
There are many layers of violence. One of the layers asserts that the solution of every problem must be sought by bullets and the police. Another layer asserts that the bullets and police must be sought as a last resort. The first layer is very hard; the second one is slightly lighter than the first one. Solution of every problem must be solved through understanding and welfare is what pure non-violence is. If the solution doesn’t come from understanding then passive resistance, to create pressure by lying before the premises, fast unto death can be taken as a resort which is active non-violence. It can also be not called complete non-violence because there is a compulsion. Where there is compulsion without arms it can only be called behavioural non-violence. No compulsion can be accepted in pure non-violence because to accept compulsion is a subtle layer of violence.
Fasting also has got two forms. It’s one form is where a person is compelled to follow one’s demands. Gandhiji once said to his son Devdas, ‘If you leave fasting and consume salt then, would not take a single morsel of food. Here Devdas was forced to keep his vow. The second form of it is of self-purification. Here a person accepts fasting not to force anyone but for his own purification. Whether the other person gets influenced by it or not is not his concern. With this process of self-purification unconditionally if any other person’s heart is transformed and it brings any positive consequence, then it would be called a relevant result of it.
In these forms of fasting there is no direct violence but I cannot consider the first form completely non-violent because the question of transformation of heart doesn’t arise here, rather a pressure is created. In the process of creating pressure there is a subtle mental violence that is incorporated in it. In the ancient days expulsion from one’s community was prevalent and held a special place. A person violating the traditions and the laws of society would be expelled from the community. There was no direct violence even in that but there was social pressure. There is a fear in the mind of a person to get socially rejected; it is also a form of non-violent pressure.
These compulsions may be necessary to maintain the system of society but they can never be incorporated in the category of pure non-violence. The pure non-violence is present only in the process of self-purification and transformation of one’s heart.
A question arises here. If it is possible for non-violent pressure to be successful in the absence of love or fear, where the application of non-violence is used as a pressure, then if there is an absence of love or fear in the person concerned then I doubt its success. The non-violent methods that Gandhiji applied for independence were successful only because the British were pressurized from all directions. This way the environment of revolution was created rapidly all over the nation. So due to this external and internal pressure they were forced to leave India, otherwise it was impossible that they would leave India tries to use some non-violent methods like fasting to improve the relation with China or Pakistan then to hope of any positive result would be our illusion because they have no element of love for India nor are they dictated by any kind of fear. So, where non-violence causes pressure, for it to be successful it is important for the person whom the pressure is created upon, he must feel and he can only feel when he is attached to him in some way or he is dictated by the person concerned.
Question—-Is it possible that the principal of heart transformation be effective in retaining social system?
Answer—I never restrict the sphere of non-violence. It is omnipotent and omnipresent. So to restrict its influence only over individuals would be a mistake, although individually when every person’s heart gets transformed that only leads to create the base for the reformation of society. The truth is that when the system gets reformed as outcomes of every individual’s heart transformation it lasts for a long time and is even more beneficial.
The problem becomes even more critical when a person of society or any particular community, aims the society to give priority to its own interest. It is not that he doesn’t test the truth but he becomes so blind-folded in his own interests that he starts all other systems of society. The social system also cannot deny support of any power or strength where there is kind heartedness in a person the principle of heart transformation can function. In an animalistic or a ruthless world strength or power can only be applied.
