Manava Dharma

Author(s): Bhurmal Shastri, Nihalchandra Jain
Publisher: Aacharya Gyansagar Vagartha Vimarsha Kendra

Page 97

MANAV DHARMA / 9 injury to any living being, white on the way, is taken as lawful or good, then the result would be that the whole community of living beings will lose its peace and every one will be in constant danger. Here a question may arise - should we kill the poisonous insects or creatures because they are harmful to human society ? For those who believe on the positive side of this problem, an incident is narrated here:
Once a king set out for a picnic tour in the forest and lost his way. After a long wandering and roaming here and there, he reached his palace at noon, After getting free from daily routine work and bathing etc, he was about to start his meals. When unluckily a monkey came and spoiled the whole food. and the king had to observe fast. (to go without meals) He thought "Why such incidents were happening that day? Whose face had he seen in the early morning ?" After a long thinking he recollected that he had seen the face of a very miser person. That miser was called for and the executioner was ordered to hang that miser. But the miser was a bit cunning fellow, hence he begged pardon of the king with an humble request to let him know what crime was done by him, for which he had been ordered to be hanged. The king replied that he had seen his (miser's) face in the morning resulting there in that he (the king) could not get his meals upto that time. and further the king remarked that if the miser was not punished, he would create such troubles for others also. The miser courageously replied, "Sir, I have also seen your face in the early morning which resulted in the punishment of my hanging" The miser further questioned the king as to what pumishment he would be liable to then. Hearing this argument, the king realised his own mistake and set him (the miser) free from the punishment of hanging.
In the same way. We kill the violent beasts and reptiles, taking them as harmful to us. But can we remain far away from such violent deeds ? On thinking deeply over this problem, we come to understand that our position is the same as of a violent beast. Hence the best thing is that we should always avoid the intentional violence (Haimat FH) - Sankalpi Himsa) which is always improper and undesirable.
Hence it is advisable that we should try not only to kill our beastly instincts but also try to end violent instincts of the animals with our spiritual power; so that their violent instincts may be turned and changed into noble instincts to rule our mind otherwise we would not be called human beings but the uncivilised beasts. If we want to maintain our right of being called a Humane, we should not adopt the intentional violence by mind. speech or body and by our own doings (KRITA) or by inviting others to commit infury (KARITA) or