Gita Rahasya -Tilak
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CHAPTER II
THE DESIRE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ACTION
(KARMA-JIJNASA) The situation into which Arjuna had found himself was such a situation ; and the Mahabharata contains in several places critical descriptions of similar circumstances having engulfed other illustrious persons besides Arjuna. For instance, let us take the precept of "Harmlessness" (ahimsa) which is one of the five eternal moral principles enjoined by Manu [1] as binding on all the four castes namely, "ahimsa satyam asteyam saucam indriya- nigrahah " i. e., Harmlessness (ahimsa), Truth (satya), Not- stealing (asteya) Purity of the body, the mind, and of speech (sauca) and Control of the organs (indriya-nigraha). "Ahimsa paramo dharmah" i. e., "Harmlessness is the highest religion"' [2], is a principle which has been accepted as pre-eminent not only in our Vedic religion but in all other- religions. The religious commandments given in the Buddhistic. and Christian sacred books have given the first place to the commandment 'Thou shalt not kill' as has been done by Manu. 'Himsa' does not mean only destroying life but also includes, harming the minds or the bodies of others. Therefore, 'ahimsa' means 'not harming in any way any living being'. Patricide, matricide, homicide, etc. are the most terrible forms of himsa and this religion of Harmlessness is looked upon as the highest, religion according to all people in the world. But, assuming for the sake of argument that some villain has come, with a weapon in his hands to kill you, or to commit rape on your wife or daughter, or to set fire to your house, or to steal all your wealth, or to deprive you of your immoveable property ; and, there is nobody there who can protect you ; then should you close your eyes and treat with unconcern such a villain (atataym) saying : " ahimsa paramo dharmah ?" or should you, as much as possible, punish him if he does not listen to reason ? Manu says : — gurum va balavrddhau va brahmanam va bahusrutam 1 atatayinam ayantam hanyad evavicarayan II i.e., " such an atatayin that is, villain, should be killed without the slightest compunction and without considering whether he is a preceptor (guru) or an old man or a child or learned Brahmin ". For the Sastras say : on such an occasion, the killer does not incur the sin of killing, but the villain is killed by his own unrighteousness [3] Not only Manu, but also modern criminal law has accepted the right of self-defence with some limitations.
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