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But their greatest contribution is the doctrine of non-violene. With the "counsel and consent "" and "advice and assent" of Hemasuri, Kumarapala proclaimed amāri, This had a salutary effect, People came to believe that not only service of mankind is service of God, but service of all living creatures, great or small, is service of God. Instinct (or impulse, drive propensity, etc.) of self-preservation, say the modern psychologists, is the strongest in all living creatures from amiba to man and Jainism taught people to respect that impulse in all creatures. The effects of the work of Hemachandrasūri and Kumārapāla are clearly seen in Gujarat even to-day. Whereas in some parts of India, even the Brahmins take non-vegetarian diet, in Gujarat, not only the Brahmins, but all the high caste Hindus refrain from making their stomachs the graves of animals. In this century, Mahatma Gandhi applied this doctrine of non-violence to politics and won freedom for India.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat www.umaragyanbhandar.com
