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42. Ahimsa : The Ultimate Religion
nce, when he was a young child, Shrimad's heart cried out with compassion while cutting some vegetables. This deep compassion grew stronger with age. When he was in Mumbai, he learnt about the plans in Dharampur to celebrate Dassera with a sacrificial offering of 108 buffaloes.
He became very disturbed and immediately started taking steps to prevent the carnage. How could a follower of Lord Mahavir sit idle at the time of such slaughter? He planned a public meeting in Dharampur to protest such cruelty to mute animals. He asked the scholars in Mumbai to look for references against such cruel practices in Hindu scriptures like the Vedas. He voiced objections against intentional misinterpretations of Vedas to carry out such unholy practices. It did not take long before there was widespread public opposition to the ghastly ritual.
Shrimad had to work tirelessly and for long hard hours to ensure that the protest succeeded. His campaign for non-violence paid dividends and they successfully avoided the mindless slaughter. People had also witnessed a new facet to Shrimad's personality that had not been obvious previously. They had experienced Shrimad's vision of compassion and equal respect for all forms of life.
In Vikram Samvat 1952, Shrimad was staying at 'Raj-Chhaya,' the residence of Chhotalal and Tribhovan Manekchand, in Khambhat. Shrimad would deliver his sermons from a bench on the terrace of the third floor of this 'Raj-Chhaya' building. The whole building would fill up with people, and a large number of people would stand in the street below to listen to him. The mystic quality of his sermons was such that every person in the audience, whether in the building or outside, could clearly hear every word Shrimad uttered. Those who had come with doubts had them cleared and their questions answered.
Once Shrimad was explaining to the audience the significance of the twelve vows. Shri Sobhagbhai and Shri Dungarsibhai were seated on his either side. Shrimad said: "These two noble persons, Sobhagbhai and Dungarshibhai, are like Sudharmaswami and Gautamswami." Only somebody with Lord Mahavir's experience can make such a statement.
