Gyandhara

Author(s): Gunvant Barvalia
Publisher: Saurashtra Kesari Pranguru Jain Philosophical and Literary Research Centre

Page 331

and through our thoughts. Bhav and Hinsa :
Thoughts and bhav are closest of the soul. So the violence done through thoughts matters the most. We can take two examples, one of Shri Ram and other of Kasai Kaal Shourik. Ravan kidnapped Sita, and it was the moral responsibility of Ram to protect Sita and rescue her from Ravan. On the other hand violence of mass killing had to be performe through war. Ram did not have any interest and pleasure in fighting with Ravan, neighter he had any revengeful tendency nor spite against Ravan Ram lifted his bow for the sake of truth and morality.
On the other hand Kasai Kaal Shourik what hanged upside down in the well be the King Shrenik, so that he cannot kill the cattle. But the created images of the cattle in the water and cut them with his hand. Although he did not kill a single animal, but the result was as bad as if the actual animals were killed. Thus bhav being very close to the soul, has maximum affect on the soul. Thus if situation arises, and we may have to get involved in some kind of paap, we should aways keep our bhav pure. Misconception about non-violence :
There is common notion that non-violence is the weapon of cowards. But, it is only brave who can dare to follow the path of non-violence. This can be very well illustrated by the incident of Dandi march lead by Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji was aware that he will be attacked by the Britishers if he went ahead for the Dandi march to get the salt. But he did not hesitate even once and went ahead with his mission. Because he was the preacher of non-violence a huge mass
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