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that it helps make terrorism stronger by sharpening the perverse intellect of the individual terrorist. We tend to confuse the role of deep-rooted sentiments with that of superficial information. The place to attack violence is Samskaars (ingrained attitudes). What is being taught to the children up to seven years of age is where changes are required.
Ahimsa can be promoted with comparative ease in two categories of people – those who are untouched by violencei.e., simple and innocent—and those who are tired of excessive violence. The methods employed for these two have to be totally different.
In the first category come children and those groups that are still untouched by complexities of life or still devoid of callousness caused by the rampant violence. These people can be taught ahimsa through radical changes in their education system. Even before formal education begins, attitudes conducive to ahimsa will have to be developed. For that, Samskaars of ahimsa will have to be imparted. The first step in this direction is teaching ahimsa to parents.
An expecting mother's attitude during pregnancy should be positive, pleasant, non-aggressive and pious (pious meaning free of aversion, specific and general, or appreciative of virtues and virtuous people). The father should help create such an atmosphere and make necessary adjustments in his demeanour and deportment. After the birth, the child should be provided things and an atmosphere conducive to ahimsa and peace as well as free of complexities and stresses. As the child grows, his curiosity should be aroused and satisfied. He should be subtly steered to do things and acquire habits that are healthy physically and mentally and not confusing or ambiguous. The parents and other members of the
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