Shloka : 11

कस्यापि प्राणिनो हिंसा नैव कार्यात्र मामकै: ।

सूक्ष्मयूकामत्कुणादेरपि बुद्धया कदाचन ॥ 11 ॥

હવે તે ર્વત્યાની રીત કહીએ છીએ જે, અમારા જે સત્સંગી તેમણે કોઈ જીવપ્રાણીમાત્રની પણ હિંસા ન કરવી અને જાણીને તો ઝીણા એવાં જૂ, માંકડ, ચાંચડ, આદિક જીવ તેમની પણ હિંસા ક્યારેય ન કરવી. ॥ 11 ॥

Now, I am explaining the code of conduct. My devotees should never kill any living being. And even the smallest living beings like bees and bugs etc. should never be killed knowingly. || 11 ||

Commentary

The devotees of Shriji Maharaj should not commit violence or cruelty through thought, words or deed towards any living being whether be it of Satwa, Rajas or Tamas prakriti. Because non-violence is the supreme doctrine. Also, Shriji Maharaj is Omnipresent and is inherent to all the living beings. Therefore, as a reverence towards Shriji Maharaj any living being should not be harmed even in thoughts.

It is alright to harm someone who has harmed others. It is alright to commit violence towards the sinners like arsonist, administeror of poison, armed attacker, robber, thief and adulterer –such statements, justifying violence, belong to the Economics. Teachings of Religion are far more powerful than the statements of Economics. Therefore, a religious person should not harm or kill any person, animal etc. whether they have harmed or not.

Moreover, it is advisable to tolerate the troubles caused by miscreants and one should never loose temper. Even if one is capable of resisting them, one should tolerate them in all ways. This is non-violence in real sense which helps to progress on the path of salvation. The fire of anger burns all the virtues like worship, charity, devotion, religious observance and practices. Therefore, anger should be conquered. Forgiveness is the main key to conquer the anger. Also strong desires provoke anger which results into violence. Therefore, the subtle law of non-violence can conquer the desires and the anger and it leads towards final liberation.

Even the smallest insects, which have bitten us, should not be killed as violence towards the smallest living beings also leads to the hell called 'Andhkoop'. Therefore, penance is advised for any violence performed knowingly or unknowingly. The penance, if performed with total devotion and awareness, diminishes the sins, whereas the penance performed out of fear can not diminish the sins.

Now, if some miscreant causes pain to the devotees of Lord, then to protect the devotee, the miscreant could be hurt or killed. While doing this, if one dies or is injured by the miscreant, one definitely attains the salvation as all his ill-deeds on the path of salvation are desroyed by his efforts to protect the devotee.