Dr. Sulekh Chand Jain
We all are familiar with the story of Mahabharta in which, because of the quarrels, disputes, animosity, and fighting between two families of close cousins, the biggest, most devastating, and the greatest war took place at Kurukshetra (India) in which more than a million innocent soldiers, elephants, and horses got killed for no fault of their own. That war of destruction, genocide, and himsa on an unprecedented scale could have been avoided if the two warring families would have imagined the scale of the destruction and instead would have settled their dispute between themselves by other means. Below is such a story.
Many Jains know of Bharat and Bahubali (the two sons of Lord Rishabha; the first Tirthankar of the Jains). Bharat (the elder brother) wanted to control all the land and resources and wanted his younger brother Bahubali to be given nothing. He felt Bahubali should accept his supremacy and be under his rule and command. Bahubali refused. Both brothers decided to go to war and settle this dispute. Both the armies are now in full readiness, facing each other and waiting for the signal to start the fighting. At that very moment, both the brothers realized that the fight is between them, the two brothers, and why should others fight and get killed for nothing?
So, the brothers decided to have a wrestling match rather than the fight between their armies. Now, both the brothers are wrestling (to settle their conflict) and lots of people, including both the armies, are watching. At one point Bahubali picks up his older brother with his hands, lifts him up to his shoulders, and is just about ready to throw him on the ground, pin him down and win this fight.
Right at that moment, Bahubali reflects that if he did that, this will be a terrible himsa, the animosity between two brothers will linger on for a long time and also he would be setting a bad historical example in humiliating his older brother. Realizing this, Bahubali brings his brother safely down and releases him completely and he himself renounces and becomes a mendicant. This is a great story where two brothers have much at stake (part of the empire and land) and still they are thinking of resolving with the spirit of ahimsa.
In our daily lives, even in small conflicts, we resort to himsa. But always there is a better way. Ahimsa and being an ahimsatmak means always bringing “win win” situations and lasting peace in families.
Ahimsa is living proof that spiritual values cannot only be combined with politics but that they also have a successful result in conflict resolution.
Now you decide: is this behavior consistent with ahimsa?
