There were two old friends Bhaskar and
Avinash who were inseparable. Both became professional lawyers. However, as it
so happens in life, Bhaskar, who was not doing so well in his professional
practice, got an opportunity to provide his services to a big client who was
actually Avinash’s client for several years. The client had approached Bhaskar
to turn over his entire business from Avinash to him in the hope of getting
more economical rates from Bhaskar.
Bhaskar was fully aware that it would be a
deceitful and despicable act if he took over this client’s work and he wrestled
with his conscience for over two days to be able to say ‘no’. Eventually, he
lost the battle with his conscience and agreed to take over the brief. He did
this clandestinely so that Avinash would not know that he had done so.
Avinash initially did not realise that it
was Bhaskar who had taken over the client, but truth always surfaces somehow. A
few days later he came to know from one of his friends working with the client
that it was Bhaskar who had betrayed him. His natural reaction was intense
anger and hatred towards Bhaskar, which was understandable. He wanted to retaliate
by having a showdown with Bhaskar and cutting off all ties with him and
exploring ways of seeking revenge by damaging Bhaskar’s relationship with the
client. He was in a position to do that because in the past he had served that
client for many years and therefore he knew a lot of things about the client
which would have been sufficient to compel him to return to him.
The temptation to take these severe
vindictive steps was very strong and it took him a long time to resist it, but
eventually he did. He decided to look at the past lovely relationship with
Bhaskar and the ‘good’ part within him urged him not to destroy that. When his
mind started thinking such positive thoughts, the creativity of his mind also
increased. He had heard a saying in Gujarati (Sachu bal badlo levama nahin,
pan samhena manas ma badlav lavama chhe) meaning that real strength is not
in taking revenge but in bringing about a change in the other person. He
finally came to the conclusion that he would not retaliate but actually convey his
good wishes to both the client and to Bhaskar.
He met them both pleasantly and cheerfully
wished them the best for the future and assured them of his support in case of
any need. He assured the client that going to Bhaskar was like going to
Avinash’s family member and that he held no grudge or spite. To Bhaskar he
offered him access to all the client’s files, papers, documents and other
things lying in his office and assured him of all help in any matter in future.
Both the client and Bhaskar were deeply touched. Bhaskar, being an old friend,
realised his grave error and broke down and profusely apologised for having
taken this step and offered to step out, which Avinash lovingly refused. Their
friendship became thicker and Bhaskar was a wiser person thereafter.
Can this act of Avinash be considered ahimsa?
Most certainly yes.
Ahimsa, as is
commonly understood, means practising non-violence but it is much more than
that. It is not restricted to the physical dimension. Real ahimsa
is practised in thought, word and deed. Restricting and controlling our
physical violent reactions is fine but it is incomplete without verbal
and mental congruence with that control. Thus if Avinash had not had a
showdown, it was good, but the real ahimsa was achieved when he
harboured no ill feelings in his mind and went to make peace. This was not
easy at all. In fact, mental ahimsa is exponentially more difficult than
physical ahimsa. But when practised and implemented, the power that it
can wield is immeasurable and infinite.
The classic example is that of Mahatma
Gandhi himself. His body was lean and frail and perhaps even a little lad could
have easily knocked him down, but the strength which he drew from his ahimsa
was able to move millions of people across India at his call and for any cause
suggested by him. That was because he practised congruence of thought, word and
deed in ahimsa. Ahimsa was strongly advocated by Mahatma Gandhi
during our freedom movement and there is no doubt that perhaps this was the single
strongest weapon which gave us our independence. It is best illustrated by the Dandi
March when hundreds of Indians stoically endured the Britishers’ beatings
without retaliation.
Though the conduct of ahimsa may
externally appear to be a sign of weakness and surrender, actually it is
exactly the opposite. To practice ahimsa one needs superlative strength
and self-control. It is said that real power or strength is not that which one
can exhibit in a wrestling match or a battle of any kind, but it is that which
is needed to curb one’s anger, hatred, emotions and power itself. Ahimsa
is that supreme power which is needed not to control another person, but one’s
own self. The biggest battle in life is the conquest over one’s own self.
Therefore, friends, let’s try to bring peace
in our minds. Our words and deeds will automatically follow suit. Do not be perturbed by insults, taunts, or situations where anger and hatred are
automatic consequences. The only antidote for such negative emotions is love.
