Live harmoniously with the Universe is the Most
Sublime Peace Message of Vedas
The
International Day of Non-Violence (Ahimsa) marks the birthday of Mahatma
Gandhi, leader of India's independence movement, whose non-violence philosophy
inspired by Upanishads Da, Da,
Da--Constraint, Compassion, Charity and
the peaceful means of fighting for justice or Dharma have been adopted by leaders around the
world. International Day of Non-Violence
in 2019 coincided with the 150th anniversary of the birth of the global peace
icon who led India to independence, Mahatma Gandhi.
“I
call on global citizens everywhere to be inspired by the courage of people like
Mahatma Gandhi. Turn your back to division and hatred; stand up for what is
right and just. Work with your fellow women and men for a world of lasting justice,
peace and prosperity for all. Poverty is a fertile ground for
violence and crime; it is inherently violent to the needs and aspirations of
the world's most vulnerable people.” Mr.
Ban Ki Moon said in his message for
the Day.
“The
religion that has come to be known as Hinduism is certainly the oldest and the
most varied of all the great religions of the world. Hinduism calls itself the Sanatana Dharma, the
eternal faith, because it is based not upon the teachings of a single preceptor,
or on any one text but on the collective wisdom and inspiration of great seers
and sages from the very dawn of Indian civilization. A variety of beliefs,
customs, rites and philosophies have merged here from time to time. According
to Hindu thought, Dharma is the first
of the four goals because it is the most comprehensive and is valid throughout
the life of a human being. It implies not only the religious and philosophical
framework but a total world-view, including the scheme of right conduct under
various circumstances. Hinduism seeks to look after the welfare of the entire
humanity. Peace and non-violence are the virtues broadly accepted in Hinduism
in the ancient texts and practice.
In
Sanskrit the term shanti is used for peace. The word’s literary meaning is peaceful, non-violent, calm
or undisturbed. It denotes abstention from mental and physical violence and
disturbances. It is a virtue under which some sentiment is to be removed from
the mind instead of generating some sentiment in the mind. It is to bring the
refusal of violent feelings from mind and violent activities from the life.
The
principles of peace are described variously in Hinduism. The Vedic rishis were spiritualists.
They instructed a philosophy of non-difference of self and others. Hindu
religion believes in the existence of God (Ishvara)
everywhere, as an all-pervasive, self-effulgent energy and consciousness. This
basic belief creates the attitude of sublime tolerance and acceptance toward
others. All living beings are same and are from the same God so there should be
a sense of equality and one should not harm or hurt others. For a peaceful
coexistence, the Vedas visualize the key principles of synthesis and balance.
The concept of shanti
is established on these principles. Peace as a highest human value is
interlinked with other values such as with truth, nonviolence, purity,
friendliness, forgiveness, tolerance, and. Peaceful attitude is regarded the
foundation of all morality.
Shri
Krishna became Shantiduta
i.e. messenger of peace in Mahabharata to teach the lesson of peace to the
enemy, but finally supported Arjun to fight against the wicked enemy. So shanti can exist with the
absence of non-violence too. In fact peace is to be performed on three levels –
mind, speech, and action (manasa,
vaca, karmana). Collective peace or well-being does not refer only
to humanity, because animals and plants also come under its vision. It goes even further and stresses the
well-being of all in the famous Shanti-Mantra of Yajurveda (36.17). Accordingly, shanti is a state of equilibrium which is needed for the proper existence
of all and everyone in this universe.”
---Prof. Shashi Tiwari, General Secretary, WAVES-India
In the famous hymn, called the
Purusha-Sukta, we have this enunciation of cosmic sacrifice as an all-round
duty. Every atom of creation is engaged
in a sacrifice because of the impulse of this supreme Sacrifice that has been
imported to it by the Eternal Being.
From GOD, the All-Reality, proceeds the
Creative Cosmic Person who manifests Himself further as this visible Universe
of Space and Time, of Sun and Moon and Stars, of Ether, Air, Fire, Water and
Earth in their vast comprehensiveness. From this cosmic manifestation arises
all that is of a variety in the mineral kingdom, in the plant, the animal, the
human being or even the angel or the celestial. The Purusha is All-in-All. The
individual creations – celestial, human, animal, plant and mineral-are the
descents of the One Purusha in graded densities of concretization, diversification
and externalization in Space and Time, and these varieties are His own Heads,
Faces, Limbs, Forms, Parts, and He sees through their eyes, hears through their
ears, thinks through their minds, works through their bodies. The gods of the
hymn are the ancient contemplators of this Unity of Existence by an act of
self-sacrifice in communion with it in every level of their being. The Universe
is the Object of Meditation as the Self-alienation of the Absolute. The
individuals, thus, have to lead a cooperative life of mutual sacrifice in the
light of this Great Universality of the Purpose of all life. The social groups
are the principles of coordination for mutual good by way of participation in
the working of the social structure as a whole.
The
earth created by God provides a common floor for all people alike, and His sun
and moon and many stars are a source of radiance and provide many other
benefits to all alike. Likewise, all peoples benefit from the elements created
by Him, such as air, water, fire and earth, and similarly from other products
created by Him like grain, fruit, and healing agents, etc. These attributes of
God teach us the lesson that we, too, should behave magnanimously and kindly
towards our fellow human beings and should not be petty of heart and illiberal.
God is the Lord of all peoples, the Lord of time and space, and He is the
Sovereign of all the countries. He alone is the Fountainhead of all beneficence
and the Source of every physical and spiritual strength. All that exists is sustained
by Him. He is the Support for every creature. It is the universal beneficence
of God which encompasses all peoples, all countries and all ages.
“We, as humans,
tend to believe we are separate from the rest of the world. But there can be no
true separation. We are intimately
connected with the air we breathe, that has circulated the entire-net to enter
your lungs. The water we drink has been clouds, vast oceans, rivers, and in
deep underground wells. The food we eat is made of the sun's light, the soil,
the rain that has fallen, and all beings that have lived before us. We are part of the vast cycle of life, and
intimately connected to All That Is. As we walk upon the Earth, our feet keep
us in constant relationship with her. Honor this connection. We belong here. We
are an equally important part of everything” says Rev. Connie L Habbas, a Western spiritual thinker.
Rishis of Sanatana Dharma were mystics
whose revelation disclosed a cosmos in which all beings exist in interlaced
dependence. The whole was contained in the part, and the part in the whole.
Based on this cognition, they taught a philosophy of non-difference of self and
other, asserting that in the final analysis we are not separate from the world
and its manifest forms nor from the Divine which shines forth in all things and
all peoples. From this understanding of oneness arose the philosophical basis
for the practice of non-injury and ancient commitment to it in Vedic culture.
“May Mankind be in
peace, May the world be blessed, and May the kingdom of God descend on this
Earth for the immortal glory of this whole creation!”--This is the message of
Swami Sivananda and this is the message of peace of mankind. This is God’s
message for the well-being of all in Vedas--May peace be to the whole world! The
world is one whole--and it is beautifully reflected in the Veda Mantra:
Om purnamadah purnamidam purnaat
purnamudachyate, purnasya purnam-aadaaya purnameva avashishyate.
Vedic wisdom advises us to embrace all human beings
and all living entities of all species (aatmavat
sarva bhooteshu). It sets aside false pride, and the sense of superiority.
This is the Hindu spiritual quality as the outcome of a noble life that knows
no distinction of rich and poor, or the high and low. This is our ideal
culture.
The Vedic philosophy points out that the whole
purpose as a human being is to live harmoniously with nature, with the world,
and all of society to accomplish the true goal of life. It is this human life
on this planet earth that is like a portal through which we can attain many
different realms of existence. After death, our consciousness carries us to the
most appropriate place for us to continue our existence. It only depends on how
we use this life. So the whole purpose of this planet earth and life on it is
to spiritually progress, raise our consciousness turning to our Inner-net or
Self and understand and perceive who we really are as spiritual beings, rising
above this human experience and to attain our real and spiritual identity, and
then to act in that way. But how long that takes is up to us. That is what we
are meant to do, and by clearly understanding and being educated in this Vedic
culture, and following its principles, is the way we can attain that goal.
This is called Sanatana Dharma, the timeless,
universal spiritual truths, which do not conflict with anyone, but are
applicable for everyone, for any time in history, and for any place in the
universe. This is the uplifting nature of Vedic Dharma which mandates krinvanto viswamaaryam--let us ennoble
the entire world.
In this context non-violence should be redefined to include not only killing, but also causing injury physically, mentally or emotionally--even in the most subtle ways. We can injure ourselves, we can injure our environment, we can injure nature's other creatures and thus be a source of pain and sorrow. Or we can live a harmless life and be a source of healing and joy.
No
peace invocation concludes without thrice repeating or invoking Shanti. The
three repetitions are-- it is explained by Aachaaryas like Sankara, Raamaanuja,
Madhwa--addressed to the three kinds of disturbances. They are: Aadhidaivikam
(cosmic disturbances); Aadhi-bhoutikam (environmental disturbances);
Aadhyaatmikam (inner disturbances). The first type of disturbance is from the
phenomenal powers like lightning, thunder, rain, earthquake etc. Hence the
first shanti is chanted loudly. The second type is the environmental
disturbance like noise around, animals prowling, insects crawling etc. The
second chant is softer than the first to indicate that it is directed to the
environmental disturbances. The third type is disturbance springing from one’s
own body like sickness, worry etc. The last chant is therefore in whispers
directed to the inner disturbances. The invocation is thus rounded up with a
thrice repeated ‘call for peace’.
Here, this is a collection of teachings from Vedas on peace. The quotes and thoughts from
Vedas shows that peace is not just for human beings but for all animate and
inanimate in the universe. For that we have to preserve the pristine beauty of
nature as the good Lord gave it us with all round peace and harmony.
The great Vedic Rishis, our illustrious
forefathers, had well understood the need for peace in the world. Therefore, in
the ancient Vedic books one finds a constant reference to peace. It is the most
sublime message of the Vedas – the need for peace; and it is a message that is
more relevant now than ever before. In articulating this philosophy of peace,
the Vedic Rishis took into account all aspects of peace.
The world is, today, far wider than it
appears to the naked eye. This little Earth which enshrines all humanity and
all living beings is one of the members in a larger family in the Solar System.
Any sufficiently educated intellect would be able to appreciate the fact that
the Earth can have no peace if the whole Solar System is not in order.
The
world is one whole; and the peace of the world, which is so much needed at this
moment of human history today, is not a matter that concerns merely this
physical Earth, but it is a grace that has to descend on the Earth from above,
which is the larger family to which the Earth belongs. So, the Yajur Veda boldly declares:
Dyauh saantih antariksha(ga)m saantih
prithivee saantih aapah saantih oeshadhayah saantih | vanaspatayah saantih
viswedevaah saantih brahma saantih sarva(ga)m saantih saantireva saantih saa
maa saantiraedhi ||
Let there be peace in heaven; Let there
be peace in the atmosphere; Let there be Peace on Earth; May the waters and
medical herbs bring peace; May the trees give peace to all beings; May all the
Gods be peaceful; May the Vedas spread peace everywhere; May all other objects
everywhere give us peace; And may that peace come to us and remain with us
forever. (Shukla Yajur Veda, 36/17)
The
Vedic idea of peace, as it is seen, is not restricted to the human realm. It
includes peace in all areas of life—psychological, social, and environmental
and so on.
The Vedic idea of peace is not mere
absence of violence; it is rather presence of something positive.
The
Rig Veda daringly asserts:
Madhuvaataa ritaayatae
madhuksharanti sindhavah | maadhveer-nah santvoeshadheeh || Madhu
naktamutoeshasi madhumat-paarthiva(ga)m rajah | Madhudyaurastu nah pitaa ||
Madhumaaannoe vanaspatir-madhumaa(ga)m
astu sooryah | maadhveergaavoe bhavantu nah || (MNU)
The
winds waft sweets; so may the plants be sweet for us. Sweet be the night and
sweet the dawns; Sweet the terrestrial atmosphere; Sweet be our Father May the tall tree be full of sweets for us;
And full of sweets the Sun; May our
milk-cow be sweet for us (Rigveda, 1-
90, Mantras)
In other words, the Vedic idea of peace
is of something that brings sweetness and joy in every aspect of life. This
includes a healthy environment—trees, jungles, winds and all of Nature. Indeed,
the Vedas urge man to adopt such way of life that is conducive to the
protection of our natural environment and habitat.
Wisdom
of Vedas says "Let us stay united, speak united and act united promoting
peace and harmony. The Vedas teach equality among the people in society. No
one is superior or no one is inferior. We find Samaanatha in
the Vedas:
Te ajyesthaa akanisthaasa udbhido amadhyamaaso
mahasaa vivavridhuh | sujaataaso janushaa prishnimataro divo marya aa no achaa
jigatana || (Rig: 5-59-6)
Among these men there are
no superiors or no inferiors, no middle ones either. They become great from
small beginnings. They make progress in different ways by dint of their merits.
By birth they are all highborn because they are all children of Mother-Earth. O
you men of the Lord Refulgent! Be available to us in a loveable manner or grow
into praise-worthy souls in fair ways.
Ajyesthaaso akanislliaasa ete sam bhraataro
vaavridhuh saubhagaaya|yuva pita swapaa rudra eshaam sudhughaa prishnih sudinaa
marudbhayah || (Rig: 5-60-5)
These men are without superiors and without
inferiors. They are mutually brothers. They march onwards for prosperity. The
eternally youthful, the soul protecting, grief alleviating GOD is their father. The richly feeding
Mother-Earth produces happy days to these mortals.
Sam samidyuvase vrishannagne visvaanyaarya aa |
Ilaspade samidhyase sa no vasoonyaa bhara – Rig veda: 10-191-1
Oh Almighty and Adorable God! In the whole universe
Thou dose the work of harmonizing and uniting, and most fully reveal thyself in
the world. We therefore, beseech Thee to bestow upon us in every way all the
means that will enable us to live in peace and harmony.
The following Atharveda mantras also give a candid
proof about Equality:
Sam shruten gamemahi maa shruten vi
raadhishi-- Atharva Veda 1.1.4
Let us live according to the teachings of
Vedas, never violate and oppose them in our practical life. May God bless all
of us with Peace, Prosperity and
Harmony.
Sahridayam saamanasyam avidvisham krinomi vah | Anyo anyam abhi haryata vatsam jaatamivaaghnyaa || (Atharva: 3-30-1)
Oh Men! I ordain for your concord of heart,
unanimity of mind and freedom from hatred in dealings with each other. Love one another
as the cow loves her new born calf! (Atharva Veda Asserts Unity of heart, and
unity of mind, freedom from hatred.)
Samaanee prapaa sahavoanna bhagaha samaane yoktre
saha vo yunajmi | samyanchognim saparyataaraa naabhimivaabhitah |
(Atharva: 3-30-6)
O you men! May your water reservoirs be common; may
the shares of food be enjoyed jointly.
I unite you all under the yoke of common code of conduct with one another.
Worship the Lord of Luster congregationally, just as the spokes touch the hub
from all sides. (Let what you drink, your
share of food be common together, with one common bond)
Sadhreecheenaanvah
sammanasaskrinomyekasnushteentsamvananena sarvaan | Devaa ivaamritam
rakshamaanaah saayam praatah soumanaso vo astu ||
(Atharva: 3-30-7)
I enjoin on all of you to be mutually helping one
another, to be united in your mind and to have one goal in life. You should,
like the wise of all ages, ever cherish the idea of the liberation of your
souls from the trammels of the world and to this end may peace of mind increase
among you evening and morning.
Samaano mantrah samithih samaanee samanam vratam sahachitham eshaam|
samaanena vo havishaa juhomi samaanam cheto abhisamvishadhvam || (Atharva: 6-64-2)
samaanena vo havishaa juhomi samaanam cheto abhisamvishadhvam || (Atharva: 6-64-2)
May your thoughts and hymns be common; may your
assembly be common; may your austere vow, spiritual resolve be common; may all
your minds be alike and be united. I provide you with common food, drink
and needs of life. All of you strive for a common objective.
Sam vah prichyantaam tanvah sam manaamsi samuvrataa I
Sam voyam brahmanaspatirbhagah sam vo ajeegamat || (Atharva 6-74-1)
Sam voyam brahmanaspatirbhagah sam vo ajeegamat || (Atharva 6-74-1)
Let your bodies (or learning and other attainments)
and minds work together in harmony for the achievement of the common ideal. It
is for this that the Majestic GOD, the Protector of the universe, has brought
you together in life.
Sam jnapanam vo manasotho samjnapanam hridah |
Atho bhagasya yachchraantam tena samjnpayaami vah ||( Atharva 6-74-2)
Atho bhagasya yachchraantam tena samjnpayaami vah ||( Atharva 6-74-2)
Let your heads (minds) work in calm and precision
and let your hearts join them in contented co-operation. In addition to this
for the trouble you have taken to realize the majesty of GOD, I invigorate you
(that you proceed on and reach your goal.)
The idea is, we should live in harmony
and a spirit of cooperation. Social harmony comes when we discover our
underlying unity. There are various ways to unity but the best is to realize
our divinity which is equally present in everyone. Feeling one with one another
at the level of atman is what provides a solid foundation for lasting sense of
solidarity and the resultant happiness.
These
mantras say that a person not only should take care of himself but also look
after the welfare of the society he lives in].
Sangacchadhvam
sam vadadhvam sam vo manaamsi jaanataam/ devaa bhaagam yathaa purve sanjanaana upaasate //
(X-191-20)
Come
together! Speak together! Let our minds be all of one accord like the divines
that sat together in the past and in harmony to worship.
[All
people should live with one mind without enmity and this can be achieved only
by the divine grace says the mantra]
Samaano
mantra: samiti: samaani samaanam mana: saha chittamesam
samaanam
mantramabhi mantraye va: samaanena vo havisha juhomi (X-191-3)
Let
our speech be one; united be our voices! May our minds be in union with the
thoughts of the wise people! Sharing a common purpose; we worship as one.
[Vedanta
Religion is universal. It did not promote walled religions. Bhagavad Gita
later said these religion need bridges to connect to the Supreme. All rivers
seek refuge in the vast Ocean. All religions seek universal Lord Brahman only
who is ever expanding and indescribable to accommodate all]
Samaani
vaa aakootih samaana hridayaani vah /
Samaanam astu vo mano yathaa vah susahaasati // (X-191-4)
United
be your purpose, harmonious be your feelings, and collected be your mind,
in the same way as all the various aspects of the universe exist in
togetherness, wholeness.
[We should act in a manner with no
ill-will towards others, causing no harm and causing no pain. Let us learn from
the nature as to how to live in peace and exist together min harmony that
pleases the Lord says the mantra]
“Samano mantrah samitih samani,"says the Rig-Veda above.
"Let our deliberations be common, our assembly of a common aim." let
us meet together; come together; work together; sit together; speak together;
converse together; have a common ideology, so that we may have a common working
aim-- a single reality, is the note of the concluding message of the
Rig-Veda--Swami Krishnananda.
Be Friendly In your Outlook: we have to be friendly in our outlook towards the whole humanity. Yajurveda chapter 40.6 says:
Yastu sarvaani bhutaani, Atmanyevaanu pashyati\\Sarvabhuteshu cha atmaanam tato nab vichikitsati\--Yajur Veda
40.6
One who sees all creatures as if they were his
own self and sees himself in others, his mind then rests in tranquility with no
suspicion to disturb it and ceases to hate anyone. This sense of separateness
gives rise to many selfish desires and to exploit others. And the 7th verse says:
Yasmin sarvaani bhutaani atmaivaabhut vijaantah|
| Tatra ko
mohah kah shoka ektvam
anupashyatah--Yajur Veda 40.7
There can be no sorrow for the wise man who
realizes the unity of all existence in perceiving all beings as his own
self. This brings the feeling of
universal love and the sense of compassion towards other beings, blessedness
and peace within oneself. In the Gita
chapter 5, verse 18 says: Sages equate a learned and humble brahamana
and animals as these all have a vision of God in them.
“Panditaah samadarshinah”\-
Gita 5.18
Be Considerate and Generous in your Outlooks:
Ayam
nijah proveti ganana laghuchetsam | Udara charitanam tu vasudha eva kutumbakam-
Hitopadesa
Being selfish and narrow minded is the quality
of an egoistic and prejudiced person, but people who are generous and bountiful
for them the whole world is their family.
Ekshyate
yogyuktaatmaa sarvatra samadarshanah\– Gita 6.29
The yogi whose mind is steeped in yoga, looks
at all with equal and friendly eyes, sees his self presence in all beings. This
is the Vedic philosophy to see the same divinity in all. Such vision can only
bring peace and harmony on the Mother Earth.
Ayutoaham
aatma ayutam me chakshu ayutam me shrotram |
Ayuto me
ayutom pranah ayuto vyanah ayuto aham sarvah- Atharva Veda 19.5.1
I am not in one but I am in millions. I have millions of eyes, ears and lives. They are I and I am They. This sense of oneness results in love, peace
and feelings of benevolence.
How
to enjoy the material wealth:
The Vedas exhort us that the whole material
wealth on Earth belongs to all.
Bhujishyam
paatram nihitam guha yadaavibhoge abhvanmatrimadhbhyah\- Ath.V.12.1.60
All edible objects are to be obtained from
Mother Earth, who is the fulfiller of our desires and for the enjoyment of all.
But how to enjoy this wealth which belongs to God, the first verse of Yajurveda
chapter 40 ordains:
Ishaavaasyamidam sarvam yatkinch
jagatyaanjagat | Tena tyaktena bhunjithah, ma gridha-kasya svid dhanam - Yajur Veda 40.1
The verse says whole universe is filled with
the spirit of God. Whatever, there is
changeful in this ephemeral world is enveloped by the supreme Lord. So live with the sense of renunciation. Do not covet the wealth of anyone.
Sahnaavavatu
sahnoubhunaktu, sah viryam karvaavahai | Tejasvinavaadhit mastu maa
vidvishaavahai.- Taitiriya Upnishad 1.1
Let us defend ourselves together, eat and live
together improve our efficiencies and capabilities together. Be educated and
develop our resources together. Let us
not hate anyone and again I quote from Atharvaveda:
Swami Sivananda on Peace
“Peace is not in the heart of the
carnal man. Peace is in the heart of a desire-less man, who has controlled his
senses and the mind. Greed, lust, jealousy, envy, anger, pride and egoism are
the enemies of peace. Slay these enemies by the sword of dispassion,
discrimination, and non-attachment. You will enjoy perpetual peace.
Peace is not in money, estate,
bungalows and possessions. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but within
the soul.
Withdraw yourself from external
objects. Meditate and rest in your soul. You will realize everlasting peace
now.
Nothing can bring you peace, but
yourself. Nothing can bring you peace, but the victory over your lower self,
triumph over your senses and mind, desires and cravings. If you have no peace
within yourself, it is vain to seek it in external objects and outward sources.
A
proper understanding of the essential unity of religions is the most effective
and powerful factor in bringing peace in this world. It will remove all
superficial differences and conflicts which create restlessness, discord and
quarrels. Our mind is your most precious capital.
Realize first your unity with all the
members of your family, then with all the members of your community, then with
all the members of your district, then with all the members of your state, then
with all the members of the whole nation, then with all the people of the whole
world. If you succeed in this attempt, then only can you realize your unity or
oneness with GOD.
[GOD--where
G=Generator; O=Operator; D=Dissolver-One that creates, sustains and dissolves]
dharma iti dharmeṇa
sarvamidaṁ parigṛhītaṁ
dharmānnātiduścaraṁ tasmāddharme ramante-- (MNU)
Scriptural
duty is the means of liberation. By the performance of scriptural duties all
the world is held together in peace and harmony. There is nothing more
difficult to practice than the duties ordained by the scriptures. Therefore
seekers of the highest good find delight in the scriptural duty.
Dharma
is mentioned here as the most excellent means of liberation, leading from
Universal Peace to Eternal Bliss. Religious
righteousness in general is denoted by the word Dharma. Duties
ordained by ancient scriptures, help to eliminate selfish feelings and passions
from the mind of man and confirm him to a life in harmony with his fellow
beings and incline him to discharge his duties towards GOD.
Brihadarnyaka Upanishad says Dharma is
Sathyam and Sathyam is Dhrama.
Vedas say Satyameva jayate.
Truth or Dharma alone succeeds and so it should prevail.
Dharma, although translated often as
“duty”‘ or “religion”, is much more than that—it is that Principle that ‘holds’
us all together—the living and the non-living, men, women, animals, plants,
sun, moons, stars, galaxies, in fact the entire universe of micro- and
macro-worlds. In modern parlance, it could be called the ‘Principle of
Sustainability’. Two kinds of dharma are spoken of as the Vedic Dharma, that
is, delineated in the Vedas, the fundamental scriptures of the Hindu religion:
one, pravritti dharma and two, nivritti dharma, that is, all-round
welfare while living on the earth and emancipation or freedom beyond living.
The first one is again classified into three components: dharma, artha, kama¸ that is, universal goodness, wealth, enjoyment
of desires. The second one is the single thrust of moksha, that is, emancipation or freedom from all bondage, all
limitations, and all forms of ego-centricity.
Dharitih kshama
damo asteyam shaucham indariyanigraha
dhir vidya satyam-akrodho dasakam dharamalaksanam- Manu 6.92
The Ten characteristics of a person who
upholds Dharma are: Patience, Forgiveness, Subjugation of Senses, Maintenance
of Purity, Sensual Discipline, Acquisition of Knowledge and Wisdom, Abstinence
from stealing, truthfulness and emotional and sensual discipline. If all human beings follow these commandments
of Vedic Dharma there will surely be complete peace and harmony in the world. All that sustains the life of all the
creatures on Earth is Dharma. Essence of Dharma is Humanity (Manurbhava –
Rig Veda 10.53.6) and Nobility (Aryatva
– Rig Veda 9.63.5)
The Dharma or law that operates in this
world is love, Universal Binding Force. It is with this urge GOD created the
world. Where love is absent, law is a
carcass. It is a mechanism without vitality in it. Such is the law, the sathya
and the rita which the Vedas, the great scriptures of the country, speak
of--Rita(ga)m Sathyam Parabrahma.
The whole world is operating through every
person. This is a great solacing message indeed. As the whole body is operating
through every limb of the body, the whole creation of God is active in every
cell of every living being and in every atom. This is a great message which
will Keep us
in Peace but not in Pieces for ever and ever.
The
law of life is not contention, not competition, not strife, not battle, not
war, not exploitation, not subjection or putting another thing for the utilization
of one’s own self, but to visualize every person, every living being, every
object, everything everywhere as an end in itself, as we consider every part of
our body as an end in itself and not as a means to somebody else.
Tiruvalluvar
said: "All suffering recoils on the wrongdoer himself. Thus, those desiring
not to suffer refrain from causing others pain" (Tirukural 320).
Jain Acharanga Sutra: "To
do harm to others is to do harm to oneself. You are he whom you intend to kill.
You are he whom you intend to dominate. We corrupt ourselves as soon as we intend
to corrupt others. We kill ourselves as soon as we intend to kill others."
Siva Yogaswami: It is a sin to kill the
tiger in the jungle. But if it comes to the village, it may become our duty!
Bhagavad Gita says: For a Kshatriya or
Soldier war is Dharma. [This divine sanction for violence was granted after
exploring all means to avoid war]
Ahimsa is the highest
dharma. Ahimsa is the best tapas. Ahimsa is the greatest gift. Ahimsa is the
highest self-control. Ahimsa is the highest sacrifice. Ahimsa is the highest
power. Ahimsa is the highest friend. Ahimsa is the highest truth. Ahimsa is the
highest teaching.--Mahabharata XVIII:
116.37 -41
Spiritual
merit and sin are our own making. The killer of other lives is an outcast.
Match your words with your conduct. Steal not, kill not, indulge not in
self-praise, and condemn not others to their face- Basaveswara Vachanas
"Strictly speaking, no activity and
no industry is possible without a certain amount of violence, no matter how
little. Even the very process of living is impossible without a certain amount
of violence. What we have to do is to minimize it to the greatest extent
possible." Ahimsa means nonviolent action which
leads to passive resistance in order to put a point across--Mahatma Gandhi
"The
test of ahimsa is the absence of jealousy. The man whose heart never cherishes
even the thought of injury to anyone, who rejoices at the prosperity of even
his greatest enemy, that man is the Bhakta, he is the yogi, and he is the guru
of all." --Swami Vivekananda
"Someone
who believes in violence and continues causing injury to others can never be
peaceful himself." --Swami
Satchidananda
"To
be free from violence is the duty of every man. No thought of revenge, hatred
or ill will should arise in our minds. Injuring others gives rise to
hatred."--Swami Sivananda
"You
do not like to suffer yourself. How can you inflict suffering on others? Every
killing is a suicide. The eternal, blissful and natural state has been
smothered by this life of ignorance. In this way the present life is due to the
killing of the eternal, pristine Being. Is it not a case of suicide?"--Ramana Maharishi, 1935
"The
Hindu sage who sees the whole of life: If he does not fight, it is not because
he rejects all fighting as futile, but because he has finished his fights. He
has overcome all dissensions between himself and the world and is now at
rest.... We shall have wars and soldiers so long as the brute in us is untamed." -- Dr. S. Radhakrishnan.
"By
ahimsa Patanjali meant the removal of the desire to kill. All forms of life
have an equal right to the air of Maya. The saint who uncovers the secret of
creation will be in harmony with Nature's countless bewildering expressions.
All men may understand this truth by overcoming the passion for
destruction." --Sri Yukteswar to
Paramahansa Yogananda.
Practice
Vegetarianism or Veganism as part of non-violence:
The Yajur Veda dictates: "Do not injure the beings living on the
Earth, in the air and in the water."
Tirukural says: "When a man realizes that meat is the
butchered flesh of another creature, he will abstain from eating it"
(257). The Manu Samhita advises: "Having well considered the origin
of flesh and the cruelty of fettering and slaying corporeal beings, let one entirely
abstain from eating flesh," and "When the diet is pure, the mind and
heart are pure." Tirumantiram states: "The ignoble ones who eat flesh,
death's agents bind them fast and push them quick into the fiery jaws of the
lower worlds" (199). But even in
this process we are involved philosophically in small unavoidable unnoticeable
painless killing. JC Bose says even plants for our food has life! Our Rishis also
depended on them for food and ghee for sacrifice.
“Peace requires us to respond in a way that is higher and
greater than our most basic, animal instinct. It requires deep thought and
planning. It frequently requires us to put the greater needs of the whole over
our own individual desires.
In order to truly work and plan for peace, we have to want it.
This is not as easy or obvious as it may sound. If you ask every single person
in the world today whether he or she wants peace in the world, I believe that
100% of the people polled would say yes. Yet, ironically, our world is being
violently battered. How can we all want peace and yet perpetrate war?
The answer is that we want peace, but only if it comes in the
specific 'peace-package' that we deem appropriate. We do not want peace at
all costs. For example, those fighting over land in various parts of the world
certainly want peace, but they want control over the land more than they want
peace. Hence they are prepared to fight, kill, and die for it.
If
we are going to work to bring peace in the world, whether we are speaking on
the level of countries warring with one another or just the turmoil within our
own communities and homes, we have to be prepared to put peace first and our
desires second. Really wanting peace means that we have to be willing to
sacrifice for the
greater good.”-- H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
[Compiled by N.R. Srinivasan for a discourse from
the speeches and writings of Swamy Krishnananda, Swamy Sivananda, Ben Ki Moon, Shashi Tiwari, Atma-swaroopananda and others
and from:
All that is gratefully acknowledged]
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