Swami Dharmananda
Rayakot, 17.03.2006
Ahimsa Yatra entered the town with a big procession and was well received by the people for this one-day stay at Rayakot. Acharya Mahaprajna addressed the gathering in the Grain Market. In response to the welcome accorded to him he said, “Ahimsa Yatra at the one hand will try to find out the reasons of violence, and on the other hand to give solution of the problem of violence. During this Yatra, wherever we stayed, in a small village or town, people have told us about their problem of getting angry very fast. Giving them practical training had solved their problem.
When one becomes angry, he becomes easily pray of anger and acts violently. To get the solution of the problem of violence, training in non-violence is necessity. By training, one's actions can be modified and one can become non-violent. Lord Mahavira says that no living being wants to suffer, all want to enjoy life.
The real meaning of religion is to understand reality. When persons change their habits by contemplating, “Anger is not my habit, it is not my recognition” such type of self-awakening can discard the habit of anger.
The first maxim of religion is that one should not be troubled by any misery. The person who has got compassion and truthfulness cannot be involved in violence. There are many dowry deaths. That society cannot be called a good society, which has the system of dowry.
When there is no compassion, cruelty raises its head. Punjab is an agriculturist state. The work should be done in this direction that there should not be a single person hungry or poor. Then this state can become religious in reality. Society and municipality should take steps in this direction and take over their duty. Then all problems can be solved."