Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Traverses on less trodden path...
tells us that you are born here as human beings to attain this final goal of undivided Bliss and do not miss this opportunity killing one's own body. Life is not worthless but store-house of abundent energy. It should be utilized in right direction. It should not be wasted by destroying one's own body.
The word suicide is also understood in general senee which is comman to all civilizations of the world. It prevailed in India and other civilized countries since time immemorial. Almost all the ancient civilizations of the world such as Indian, Greek, Latin and others were familiar with this tragic act.? It was also practised in China, Japan, Burma, Russia and other Asiatic countries. 8 Human nature being the same everywhere, the causes of suicide
have been almost identical all over the world. Most of the causes leading to suicide are, disappointment in love affair, jealousy, fear of punishment, shame or wounded pride, anger, extreme poverty, family unhappiness, feeling of inferiority, etc. 9 It is seen that frequent repetitions of situations which bring about feelings of disappointment, depression, mental and emotional conflicts, irresistably drive the victim to the extreme step of suicide. It is normally a mislortune of one's own making. A victim of suicide is either a victim of his own mental weakness or of external circumstances which he is not able to circumvent. 10 Modern social scientists, such as, Henry Morselli, Westermark, Emile Durkheim and others, who have made substantial contribution to the study of suicide, listed various cauees and influences which drive a person to end his precious life, 11a Even causes of suicide mentioned by Kautilya 11b are very much similar to these modern thinkers. This fact reveals that the causes are more or less similar throughout the ages.
The area of this research paper is restricted to the study of place of suicide in Indian culture and religions right from Vedic times down to the present day. Suicide means, destroying one's self by means employed by one's self. The corresponding word in Indian religions is ātmaghata
7. Henry Morselli, Suicide, pp, 2 ff, quoted in History of Suiciae in India by Urendra
Thakur, Pub : Munshi Ram Manoharlal, Delhi, 1962, p. 1, 8. Ibid., pp. 186-193. 9. Westenmark, Origin and Development of Moral Ideas, Vol. II, 1908, pp. 232 ff. 10. T. K. Tukol, Sallekhana is not Suicide, Pub. L. D. Institute of Indology,
Ahmedabad, 1986. p. 71. 11. (a) Suicide : Origin aud Devejopment of Moral Ideas, Vols. I-II, 1906 and 1908.
Emile Durkhem, Suicide : A study in sociology. (b) Kautilya's Artha'sāstra, ed. Shamasastri, Sanskrit Series, IV-7.