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Religious Aspect of Non-Violence
Dr. B.N. Sinha*
Religious aspect of non-violence is of the subject an important dimension because religion and non-violence are related with each other very closely. In the Mahābhārata it has been mentioned that non-violence itself is a complete religion and violence is a non-religion (Adharma); non-violence is the greatest one among all religions because all beings are saved by it.' According to Bhaktaparijñā there is no religion like nonviolence.? In the words of Ācārya Tulasī, non-violence is the substance (Sattva), essence (Sära) and cream (Makkhana) of all religions. But it is necessary, before discussing this aspect, to know religion in itself as well as non-violence in itself. Religion
In Hindi there is a word 'Dharma' which comes for the English term 'Religion'. The English word ‘Religion' has been derived from the Latin word ‘Religio'which means saintliness, holiness, religious faith etc. James Martin has defined it in the following words -
“Whenever we have devoutedness, devotedness, devotion we have the primary features of religion."4
Some thinkers are of the opinion that there is a vast difference between the Indian term 'Dharma' and the Western term 'Religion'. As they have assigned, the word 'Religion' stands for some communal organization while the word 'dharma' connotes some deep secracy, some mysteriousness. It cannot be translated in to other languages. But neither in the Western tradition there is any word except religion for 'Dharma' nor in the Indian tradition there is any term except 'Dharma' for Religion.
The term 'Dharma' is generally used for nature (prakriti), duty (kartavya), kindness or favour (upkāra), virtue (punya) etc. It has
*Former Reader, Deptt. of Philosophy, M.G. Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi-2
