________________
81
Purushartha Siddhyupaya tiger, a scorpion, or a wolf suddenly appears, the first impulse with those who believe in the doctrine of "Killing the injurer before he injures" or with the vast majority of people who are swayed by vague fear, is to kill. Fear stupefies the intellect and drowns all thinking faculty. It is a false idea, a baseless notion, which has, like many others, becoide too common indeed, that such an aniinal or reptile is the enemy of man; and that it is its nature to attack. In truth it never intends harm by nature or instinct. The fang of the serpent, the claws of a tiger, the jaws of a wolf or the sting of a scorpion are its protective weapons, designed for self-protection when attacked. They are undoubtedly carnivorous and kill smaller beings for food. Like man they have not the means of obtaining food without causing injury. This is ieir bad Karma, but it is not irremediable. Man-eating tigers and man-attacking serpents have been mentioned by naturalists and others; but they have acquired these habits as the result of man's aggression against them. They will go their own way and will not harm any person, if such person has no intention of, and takes no step towards, causing them injury. They have been known to pass peacefully by the side or cven over the body of a saint absorbed in concentration. The physical reaction, ordinarily caused by the touch of a serpent, scorpion, mosquito, wasp, or bee makes it apprehend harm to itself and it strikes in self-defence. Such a physical reaction does not happen in the case of a saint.
A snake would not bite even if it crosses a man's body, if man would lie motionless and not convey to the snake an idea that he would cause it harm. And if man has the courage to look on steadily at a snake, it would be speedily hypnotised and would instead of causing harın obey the dictates of man. If man entertains no ill-will towards other beings, none else is likely to cause hiin any larm whatsoever.
Shri Kuladânarda Brahmachâri in the book Sri Sri Sadgurusanga, Part III, pages 125-126 writes as follows:
"Mr. Anderson, a European gentlemen, saw a sage in the forest of Jayadebpur, where he went out for a hunt. The elephant, on which Mr. Anderson was riding, got frightened seeing a tiger and threw him down. Mr. Anderson fired twice or thrice at the tiger, but missed his aim. He then began to run followed by the tiger. He saw a naked sage in a copse and ran to him. The sage asked him to sit and waving his hand forbade the tiger to advance. The tiger sat at a distance, wagged its tail and growled for some time and then went away. Mr. Anderson was astonished to see the wonderful phenomenon and asked the sage how he was able to pacity the tiger, The sage replied : 'One who has no Himsâ, is never injured by tigers or snakes. Because you have a feeling of Himsâ in your mind, you are attacked by wild animals.' Mr. Anderson from that day became a vegetarian and gave up shooting. He was seen by many people in Dacca and Chittagong when this change had come over him."
In the same book, pages 151-152 Brahmachâri Kuladananda writes
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
