Positive Non Violence

Author(s): Kanhaiyalal Lodha, Dalpatsingh Baya
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 91

would not have acted to save and protect his life. The very fact that the Lord acted to save Gośālaka underlines the importance of mercy, kindness and compassion.
There is yet another incident connected with Bhagvān Mahāvira that further emphasises the importance that He accorded to mercy, kindness and compassion. Śreņika, the king emperor of the kingdom of Magadha, once doubted the fidelity of his queen consort Celanā and that doubt became so intense and overpowering that he started considering all women as unfaithful and ordered the entire seraglio to be burnt down so that all the queens including Celanā would be burnt alive. When Bhagvān Mahāvīra came to know of this, he enlightened Śreņika about the fact that all the seven daughters of king Cețaka including queen Celanā were absolutely faithful and true. He urged the king to give up his false doubt and to accept the truth. Śreņika's doubt was set at rest by the Lord's intervention and a great sin was prevented from being committed.
What was the necessity of saving the queen Celanā? Why did the Lord not think that in this world infinite numbers of creatures die every moment and Celanā may also die likewise? What was it to Him? However, He thought otherwise and prevented a great calamity from happening. If all the queens were burnt alive there would have ensued great enmities with the kings of the kingdoms they hailed from and great wars would have been fought, killing millions of innocent people, in the aftermath of this calamitous happening just as the killing of an Austrian resulted in the eruption of the Second World War and brought the world the brink of ruin.
Bhagvān Mahāvīra was very sensitive. Therefore, his heart melted at the thought of others' pain and misery and, hence, he acted to alleviate the troubles of anyone who came in contact with Him. In all this, He had no personal or selfish interest. This is, then, the nature of true compassion. The totally detached Lords are extremely compassionate and they always give all that they have for the benefit of the world at large. This is their charity and that is why they are said to be infinitely
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Positive Non-Violence