What is the meaning of ‘Ahimsa Paramo Dharma’?

Dear Sri.Vidayaji

You know the answer, you just want to test the spiritual knowledge of your contacts and others here.Every one may not be well versed with scriptures like you are.However,i appreciate the meaningful answers given bt some members here.

The phrase "Ahimsa Paramo Dharma" is mentioned several times in the Mahabharata.

In the Anusasana Parva, Yudhisthira is asked by Lord Krishna to ask Bhishma any questions he may have as this will be his last opportunity to do so. Yudhisthira states that Bhishma has told him that 'ahimsa paramo dharma' and is asking about it in the context of conducting sraddha in which meat is offered.

Yudhisthira asks how can killing be avoided if meat is to be offered in offering sraddha in honor of ancestors?

Bhishma answers by stating that absention from eating meat is a great sacrifice and provides many benefits. He goes on to state that

prajānāṃ hitakāmena tv agastyena mahātmanā

āraṇyāḥ sarvadaivatyāḥ prokṣitās tapasā mṛgāḥ

kriyā hy evaṃ na hīyante pitṛdaivatasaṃśritāḥ

prīyante pitaraś caiva nyāyato māṃsatarpitāḥ

(Desirous of benefiting all men, the high-souled Agastya, by the aid of his penances, dedicated, once for all, all wild animals of the deer species to the deities. Hence, there is no longer any necessity of sanctifying those animals for offering them to the deities and the Pitris)

After hearing his answer in full, Yudhisthira repeats his question "...O grandsire, what is flesh, of what substances it is, the merits that attach to abstention from it, and what the demerits are that attach to the eating of flesh."

Bhishma again answers and concludes with "Hence, a person of cleansed soul should be compassionate to all living creatures..."

ahimsā paramo dharmas tathāhimsā paro damah

ahimsā paramam dānam ahimsā paramas tapah

ahimsā paramo yajñas tathāhismā param balam

ahimsā paramam mitram ahimsā paramam sukham

ahimsā paramam satyam ahimsā paramam śrutam

sarvayajñesu vā dānam sarvatīrthesu cāplutam

sarvadānaphalam vāpi naitat tulyam ahimsayā

ahimsrasya tapo 'ksayyam ahimsro yajate sadā

ahimsrah sarvabhūtānām yathā mātā yathā pitā

etat phalam ahimsāyā bhūyaś ca kurupumgava

na hi śakyā gunā vaktum iha varsaśatair api

Abstention from cruelty is the highest Religion.

Abstention from cruelty is the highest self-control.

Abstention from cruelty is the highest gift.

Abstention from cruelty is the highest penance.

Abstention from cruelty is the highest sacrifice.

Abstention from cruelty is the highest puissance.

Abstention from cruelty is the highest friend.

Abstention from cruelty is the highest happiness.

Abstention from cruelty is the highest truth.

Abstention from cruelty is the highest Sruti.

Gifts made in all sacrifices, ablutions performed in all sacred waters, and the merit that one acquires from making all kinds of gifts mentioned in the scriptures,--all these do not come up to abstention from cruelty (in point of the merit that attaches to it).

The penances of a man that abstains from cruelty are inexhaustible. The man that abstains from cruelty is regarded as always performing sacrifices. The man that abstains from cruelty is the father and mother of all creatures. Even these, O chief of Kuru's race, are some of the merits of abstention from cruelty. Altogether, the merits that attach to it are so many that they are incapable of being exhausted even if one were to speak for a hundred years."

Here ahimsa is translated as abstention from cruelty in relation to killing for the sake of eating the flesh of the killed animal for personal pleasure. In essence, Bhishma is stating that it is very beneficial to be vegetarian because thereby there is no cruelty to animals.

The word Ahimsa is mentioned four times in the Gita

The Gita begins with Arjuna telling Krishna that he is despondent and unwilling to fight the war. In this discussion, Lord Krishna repeatedly tells Arjuna to get up and fight. One such statement is:

atha cet tvam imaṃ dhārmyaṃ saṅgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi

tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi

(If, however, you do not fight this religious war, then you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties and thus lose your reputation as a fighter.)

"Ahimsa Paramo Dharma" can only be practiced by Sannyasins who tread the path of Nivritti Marga. It cannot be strictly practiced by householders If someone enters the house and molests a lady, a householder cannot keep quiet.

Similarly, in a war, a soldier cannot put down his weapons. In either case, practicing ahimsa would be adharma, not dharma. Similarly, a king must protect his subjects even if it requires violence to punish criminals or going to war with neighboring kingdoms if they attack

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāḿ

vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām

dharma-saḿsthāpanārthāya

sambhavāmi yuge yuge

(To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium)

The Lord clearly states that ahimsa, while highly regarded, is not the highest dharma for everyone and certainly not for Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

Swami Chinmayananda on “Ahimsa Paramo Dharmah” —

“Non – Violence is the

greatest Dharma.”

This is the opening line of a stanza, and the very next line reads: Dharma himsaa tathaiva cha.

“So too is all righteous violence.”

To every individual his mother, wife and children are the nearest dependents and to guard their honour and life is the unavoidable first moral duty of each head of the family.

This is my view, to protect the nearest , and there is a duty towards one's country to protect it from outside attack. we may have to forgo this rule.

EDIT:

According to Vedic injunctions there are six kinds of aggressors:

(1) a poison giver,

(2) one who sets fire to the house,

(3) one who attacks with deadly weapons,

(4) one who plunders riches,

(5) one who occupies another’s land, and

(6) one who kidnaps a wife.

Such aggressors are at once to be killed, and no sin is incurred by killing such aggressors. Such killing of aggressors is quite befitting any ordinary man.

Sri Krishna killed his own uncle and his descendants (Yadav race) because they were adharmi.

Killing in self defense, defense of family, village, country is not himsa. Nor is killing in path of duty, like a hangman does

Sri. Krishna's guidance to Arjun to kill his own Grandsire, cousins etc for the sake of dharma. This is what every person following Sanatan Dharma must do

Let us see what Manu says about Killing:

5.37. If he has a strong desire (for meat) he may make an animal of clarified butter or one of flour, (and eat that); but let him never seek to destroy an animal without a (lawful) reason.

5.38. As many hairs as the slain beast has, so often indeed will he who killed it without a (lawful) reason suffer a violent death in future births.

5.51. He who permits (the slaughter of an animal), he who cuts it up, he who kills it, he who buys or sells (meat), he who cooks it, he who serves it up, and he who eats it, (must all be considered as) the slayers (of the animal).

Manu is very clear. Wanton killing of even animals is prohibited.

8.350 One may slay without hesitation an assassin who approaches (with murderous intent), whether (he be one's) teacher, a child or an aged man, or a Brahmana deeply versed in the Vedas.

So Killing of an attacking Cow in self defense is not himsa.

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

What is the meaning of ‘Ahimsa Paramo Dharma’?

An old story with the highest ideal of Hinduism is presented.

A sage, seated beside the Ganges, notices a scorpion that has fallen into the water. He reaches down and rescues it, only to be stung. Some time later he looks down and sees the scorpion thrashing about in the water again. Once more...

Ahimsa Meaning

Define Ahimsa

Excellent Question.

I have not been lucky enough to read the scriptures, which I intend to do as soon as I can.

In a practical every day manner, to me it means that :

1. I should not willingly, 'violate' the natural, positive and that which is necessary to good progressive societal living, peacefully and that such burden lies on me too however small and insignificant my being or my contribution be.

2. This is my first and the most important duty.

3.Even if some one or something does harm 'me', 'my present form' I must be able to 'see' beyond the immediate as a higher evolved 'spirit' and help every living being around me to complete it's cycle of 'life' with all it's karma / dharma.

This will bring in a positivity in me that would give me clarity thought and therefore a more happy and a satisfied living personally [Without being selfish about it either], as well as a person from and in a larger Global / cosmic aware sense if I can raise my self to it.

The question and the story have different context to them however there is a thread joining at the top.

'Ahimsa Paramo Dharma’ - It came from the fact that the same "I' is there in every living being. Basically, I and You are same if the bodies were not there. We or the bigger "I" is seperated by these bodies. Being part of the same "I", we should not harm each other. This is the basis of Ahimsa paramo dharma. This is universal.

Now about the story - As the evolution went on the four major factors i.e. "learn", "sense", "plan" and "react" evolved slowly. Initial stars and planets had "react" factor only. Plants had "sense" and "react". The animals had "learn", "sense", "react" with varying degree of "plan". Human is supposed to have the balance of all the four factors. So it can sense and judge what should be done and then react. The "duties' of the human are defined based on these. That is why human are at the top of the ecological chain till date.

But the scorpion almost does not have the "plan" part. So it "senses" and "reacts". That is what it is supposed to do or programmed to do. This forms the basis of its "duty" or its "dharma".

The ahimsa dharma is a "derived rule" based on the deep analysis of the philosophy of life and the unity in creation, which forms the basis of judgement in the planning phase.

"Sense, "Plan", "Learn" and "React" also form the basis of wisdom and intellect. Depending on the level of existence of the four factors the wisdom varies.

Though the human being are at the top of the ecological order, the wisdom and ability to think, judge and plan vary from one to another. Thus the variation in the reactions (both internal and external).

I fully agree with Shivamji & Mukul.

अहिंसा परमो धर्मः

धर्म हिंसा तथीव च

Ahimsa Paramo Dharma

Dharma himsa tathaiva cha

(Non-violence is the ultimate dharma. So too is violence in service of Dharma. )

"Ahimsa paramo dharma" is not mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita as is frequently cited. The word Ahimsa is mentioned four times in the Gita.

The Gita begins with Arjuna telling Krishna that he is despondent and unwilling to fight the war. In this discussion, Lord Krishna repeatedly tells Arjuna to get up and fight. One such statement is:

अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि

ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि

atha cet tvam imaṃ dhārmyaṃ saṅgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi

tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi

If, however, you do not fight this religious war, then you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties and thus lose your reputation as a fighter.

Had the Lord said 'Ahimsa paramo dharma' than the war would have ended before it began because he would have effectively been stating that there is no need to fight because the greater dharma is non-violence.

"Ahimsa Paramo Dharma" can only be practiced by Sannyasins who tread the path of Nivritti Marga. It cannot be strictly practiced by householders. If someone enters the house and molests a lady, a householder cannot keep quiet. Similarly, in a war, a soldier cannot put down his weapons. In either case, practicing ahimsa would be adharma, not dharma. Similarly, a king must protect his subjects even if it requires violence to punish criminals or going to war with neighboring kingdoms if they attack.

Lord Krishna states:

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्

धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāḿ

vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām

dharma-saḿsthāpanārthāya

sambhavāmi yuge yuge

To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium. USE OF THE WORD "VINASH" TO BE NOTED.

The Lord clearly states that ahimsa, while highly regarded, is not the highest dharma for everyone and certainly not for Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

"Ahimsa Paramo Dharma" is a Sanskrit phrase that was popularized by Mahatma Gandhi and is often repeated by many leaders today to demonstrate the universality of Ahimsa.

Loosely translated, Ahimsa means Non-violence, paramo means topmost, ultimate, or supreme, and dharma means duty. Thus, the entire phrase means that non-violence is the topmost duty to the extent that it supersedes all other duties.This universal sense leads to an unconditional and unilateral abandonment of violent resistance, under any and all circumstances (as in the philosophy of Buddhists and Jains).

"Ahimsa paramo dharmaha, Dharma himsa tathaiva cha"

Non-violence is the highest principle, and so is violence in defense of the righteous.

If someone is trying to harm you, its ur right to defend it by any means. After all u are only trying to stop the violence and not creating it.

Hindu dharma teaches that all forms of life are manifestations of the Supreme Self (Brahman). We must not be indifferent to the sufferings of others. One must consider all living beings in the image of one?s own self and thus not commit acts of violence in thought, word or deed against other living creatures.

Anger and hatred cannot coexist with ahimsa. Anger blinds reason and leads one to violence. Greed and possessiveness are two main causes of social injustice and suffering and a practitioner of ahimsa should not hoard wealth beyond needs. Compassion and austerity are essential elements of ahimsa.

i dont support violence…but when we see some fanatic barbarians going around edit........ children and unarmed helpless women…i do feel it is the first and foremost duty of every individual to protect and guard them. It is the dharma of everyone to stand against any violence in self defence.

Take something simpler to understand, for example the declaration of independence of usa, a line says “But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to provide new Guards for their future security”

Nice story and question too.

I here would like to say that, "I agree with Shivamji....101 per cent.", what he said. I would have said the same thing word to word. Any way I also would like to give another story from Vedas describing Ahimsa, the right way.

"Vedic Story of a Snake: Ahimsa

There is a famous and powerful story about Ahimsa told in the Vedas, the vast collection of ancient philosophical teachings from India. The story is about a sadhu, a wandering monk who would make a yearly circuit to a number of villages in order to teach. One day as he entered a village, he saw a large and menacing snake. The snake was terrorizing the villagers and making their life difficult. The sadhu spoke to the snake and taught him about Ahimsa; it was a lesson that the snake heard and took to heart.

The following year when the sadhu made his annual visit to the village, he again saw the snake. How changed he was. Now this once magnificent snake was skinny and bruised. The sadhu asked the snake what had happened to cause such a change in his appearance. The snake replied that he had taken the teaching of ahimsa to heart and had realized the error of his ways.

Thus, he had stopped terrorizing the village. Because he was no longer menacing, the children now threw rocks at him and taunted him. He could hardly hunt and was afraid of leaving his hiding place. The sadhu shook his head wisely and said that while he had indeed taught the importance and power of practicing Ahimsa, he had never told the snake not to hiss. "

The story is self explainatory. In order to protect your self and a weak against cruel or a demon you must use your power against a wicked.

Though a Cow is sacred, if it is trying to kill you, she is loosing its Dharma. The same questions were dancing in the mind of Arjuna when he saw his own relatives and teachers against him in the Mhabharat war. Shri Krishna gave perfect answer through Bhagwat Gita. We should not be weak to fight against own to protect righteousness and truth. In Maratha History, Prataprao Gujar (Commandar in chief) did the same mistake as Prithwiraj and forgave Bahalol Khan. Shivaji used very harsh words (Sadly, the great warrior felt ashamed of his mistake and gave up his life while fighting against huge army alone with just 7 friends killing many more of Khans warriors) for this. Shivaji Raje was great because he exactly understood the Bhagwat Gita and real meaning of Ahimsa.

Thanks for a Very Good Question.

Jai Shree Ram!!!!!!

Sri.Vidyaji,

It seems that , you are expecting a different answer, hence holding the selection of Best answer.

An attacking Cow or Passive Cow, a cow is A Cow, equal to ones own mother;Gomatha"

The cow is an expression of brotherhood between man and beast, of man's 'identity with all that lives'. The cow is referred to as "Gomatha" and is treated with the same respect as one would treat one's own mother.

Will anyone react and Kill his own mother even if she comes out with an intention to kill?

No, Never, All one will do is to escape from that attack, feel sympathy for his mother; same feeling one must have when facing an attacking cow.

AHIMSA PARAMO DHARMAH

Non Violence Is the Supreme Virtue' Says Hinduism.

Seeing God in every living being, Hinduism inculcates a veneration for every thing - Cows, ants etc. Even rivers are considered to be living beings, hence venerated as also trees as vouched in the Sastras and expounded scientifically by the great Indian Scientist J.C.BOSE. This reverence is expressed in forms of 'Ahimsa' or nonviolence to animals as well as humans and as a result most pious Hindus are vegetarian. The word 'Ahimsa' is derived from the root "Han" to kill. or 'To damage'. By adding the negative prefix it means not to kill.

A doubt can arise whether the principle of 'Ahimsa' so loudly proclaimed is not inconsistent with the sacrifice of goats, horses etc. referred to in the Vedas. No doubt, the Vedas did prescribe some animal sacrifices; it even spoke of 'Purushamedha' a human sacrifice. But, the concept should be viewed in the context in which they were so prescribed.

The Upanishads which came subsequently to analyze and explain the Vedic texts lost no time in clarifying that these sacrifices were more symbolic and allegorical than referring to the actual sacrifice of the animals or human and that the effects of these sacrifices could be secured by substitute materials like Gritha (Ghee), Masha (Black gram) and certain other leafy vegetables.

Even today, it may be observed that in the shradda ceremonies, Ghee, Rice, Black gram and Thila (sesame seeds) are used, may be as substitutes for the sacrifice of living beings. This view has been upheld in subsequent recensions and sacrifice of living beings is prohibited by Dharma as also by law.

A further question can be asked whether vegetarianism is not also "himsa" in the sense that it has been proved that plants have life? It has further been proved that in the case of plants, lifeline runs in the trunks in some cases, roots in others and seeds in others and that is why Sastras have prohibited cutting the plants at their respective lifelines - and this has been confirmed by modern science. Modern Science concurs with Sastras in the view that those parts where the lifelines do not run, no harm is caused when those parts are cut . These parts correspond to say hairs on our head or the nails on our fingers or toes which when cut or clipped do not entail any pain.

The cow is an expression of brotherhood between man and beast, of man's 'identity with all that lives'. The cow is referred to as "Gomatha" and is treated with the same respect as one would treat one's own mother.

Mahabharata states clearly that killing of a cow was the worst of all crimes. "All that kill, eat and permit the killing of cows rot in hell for as many years as there are hairs on the body of the cow so slain"

The 'Panchagavya' or the five products from the cow Viz., milk, curd, ghee, dung and urine are deemed the most sacred amalgam that can purify any defilement.

In fact, 'Ahimsa' is called the first of flowers :'Ahimsa Prathamam Pushpam' - Hinduism holds everything is but a spark of the same divinity and therefore no harm should be done to anything that is living. Lord Krishna declares

"The wise see alike in regard to one well endowed with learning and humility, a Brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog - eater (because they know that though different outwardly in form, they have similar souls"

So Killing of an attacking Cow is equal to killing ones own mother;

Escape from that attack and feel sympathy for the attacking Cow.