Golden Steps To Salvation

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

Page 74

need not take the trouble of guarding me and giving protection to me.”
The enemy fell at the feet of Gandhi and said, "Listening to the evil advice of other people I came to kill you but I could not lift my hand to attack you. Forgive me.” This is the magic that non-violence performs. In fact truthfulness, discipline, chastity, purity and austerity and all other virtues appear only as various manifestations of ahimsa. सत्यशीलवतादीनामहिंसा जननी माता ।।
-शुभचंद्राचार्य Satyashilavratādināmahimsā janani māta.
-Shubha Chandracharya Ahimsă has been regarded as the mother of truthfulness, purity and austerity.
Ahimsā is the root of all great virtues and austerities—like self-restraint, discipline, austerity, meditation, worship etc., which are described in dharma shāstras.
एक्कंचिय एत्थ वयं निदिह्र जिणवरेहिं सव्वेहि । पाणाइवाय विरमण मवसेसा तस्स सखट्टा ॥
-जैन सिद्धांतबोलसंग्रह Ekkanchiya etta vayam
Niddittham jinavarehim Sarichini Panāyivāya Viraman
Mavasesā tāssa rakklattha
--Faina Siddhantha Bolasangrah All the Jineshwaras have prescribed the austerity called Pranatipāta viramana (ahimsā) vratha and according to them all the other austerities are intended to safeguard and maintain ahimsā.
Every living being desires to be free; desires to be free from all bondage and to attain deliverance. Ahimsä is the most efficacious means to attain this objective. Salvation or moksha is certain for those who are nonviolent.