Path of Ahimsa
What life is really all about? The first answer that comes to my mind is happiness - I want to be happy and at peace. I believe many of us feel the same way. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that to achieve true happiness, it is essential to cultivate peace with others, harmony with our environment, and contentment within ourselves. And how do we achieve this sense of fulfillment? It begins with understanding that happiness is not a destination but a journey - woven into the choices we make. It flourishes when we learn to live with positive intentions, when we let go of resentment, when we embrace kindness towards all and follow the path of ahimsa - non-violence, non-hurtfulness towards all beings.
A Vedic verse defines ahimsa as –
“Ahimsa is not causing pain to any living being at any time through the actions of one’s mind, speech or body.”
It is important to note that here non-violence has three aspects—it should not only be reflected in our actions but also in our words and even in our thoughts and intentions.
Showing kindness and compassion towards others brings back the same. On the contrary, harming others not only hurts them but also disrupts our own well-being. The law of karma applies here as well. If we plant goodness that is kind, helpful and acts ethically, then we will attract positive experiences in future. Just imagine if each one of us only spoke that is true, kind, helpful and necessary, and where gossip has no place and retaliation is unheard of – imagine what kind of world would that be?!
Along with the belief in the law of karma, another Hindu philosophical tool that forms the foundation of ahimsa and guides us in practicing it is—seeing divinity in everyone. When we see the divine in others, we naturally do not wish to harm them. This perspective encourages us to treat every living being with love and compassion.
It is important to emphasize that ahimsa extends beyond humans, as it means refraining from causing pain to any ‘living being’. Therefore, we have a duty to be kind to animals as well. A Vedic verse directly conveys this concept –
“You must not use your God-given body for killing God’s creatures, whether they are human, animal or whatever”
We shouldn’t thoughtlessly kill animals or insects, rather, we should try to keep them away using natural means. An exception to this would be if one’s health or safety is at risk, in which case necessary measures may be taken.
I was raised vegetarian, and my Hindu upbringing instilled in me the value of ahimsa. In 2020, during the Covid pandemic, I watched documentaries such as Dominion and Cowspiracy and learned about the overcrowded, unhygienic, and inhumane conditions in which dairy cows are raised on farms. I also watched Milked and Maa ka Doodh, which presented similar data from Australia and India. This realization set me on a journey to explore veganism, striving to align my actions with my Hindu value of ahimsa. In October 2020, I decided to become vegan. Veganism enables us to protect and nurture Mother Nature as well, aligning with the principles of ahimsa. Many environmental problems like global warming, greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, water and air pollution can be solved by major reduction or elimination of meat and dairy industries.
Let’s be kind to Earth, animals, our friends and everyone around us. To lead a truly joyful life, we must strive to live with love, kindness, uphold ethical values, and follow dharma—our righteous duty. Hindu scriptures proclaim that ahimsa is the highest dharma. By embracing compassion and treating all beings with love, we not only align ourselves with ahimsa and dharma, but also create positive karmic consequences that contribute to our personal growth and well-being.
