Mahavir Jayanti is a day held in high regard by Jains all around the world. This day marks the birth of a spiritual leader who preached the path of non-violence and compassion towards all living beings.

Jains hold the we can achieve spiritual enlightenment and live in peace and harmony with all living things by practising non-violence and compassion.  Ahimsa playing an important role.

Ahimsa of thought, words and action. As we speak about Ahimsa, it is also one of the main pillars of Hindu Dharma.

Any one practicing Hindu Dharma is supposed to observe Ahimsa of deed/action, words and thought.

Ahimsa of Action refers to non-killing of any living beings, physical cruelty to any living beings, which include whipping an animal or even a lowliest of all creatures. So, any one practices Ahimsa need to abstain from any act which involves physical harming of any other person, any other living creatures. Even hitting your hand with another hand on which a mosquito sits refers to hurting.

Ahimsa of Words refers to abstaining from speaking any harsh words, screaming, engaging in and usage of abusive or inappropriate words on others out of emotion. Most people though they practice Ahimsa of action, forget to practice ahimsa of speech. non violence does not mean that you must avoid hurting others physically but also not hurt others by your words.

Ahimsa of thought refers to not even thinking of hurting others, other living beings. Though some may practice the first two but still think of hurting others. Ahimsa of thought refers to even removing the thought of hurting others, other creatures

Now let us find out what happens if we are able to abstain from Himsa (violence of the first form- i.e. Ahimsa of action- harming others including any living beings. Let us start from our food habits which for some include eating meat.

Religion and Spirituality is a "Farce" without Ahimsa of thought, deed and action (this includes Ahimsa to all living beings).  The best and the highest dharma (religion) consist in complete harmlessness.

One can never obtain meat without causing injury to living beings; Reflecting on how meat is obtained and on how embodied creatures are tied up and killed; s/he could look at meat eating from a different perspective.  The person who authorizes, the person who butchers, the person who slaughters, the person who buys or sells, the person who just trades, the person who cooks, the person who serves, and the person who eats – all these persons are said to be involved in doing Himsa. There is no greater sinner than a person who wants to make his own flesh thrive at the expense of someone else's.  So even to authorise, buy, sell, cook, serve and eat meat entails Himsa (Violence). This takes us to another question

Why is another sect in the world called Hindus?

There are enough ignorant, prejudiced and mischievous interpretations of a Hindu offered by many western savants. The clear definition furnished within the Hindu ancient literature will baffle anyone  Let me reproduce the sloka from Gayatri-Tantram.

(Himsayaam Dhooyathe Yasmaath Hindurithyabhidheeyathe).  S/He who feels aggrieved at the very thought of Himsa is a Hindu. There is no doubt that the practice of Hinduism begins with Ahimsa and could not therefore proceed without it.

So the word Hindu orginated from joining the first two halves of the words Himsaayaam Dhooyathe ( one who abstains from violence) “Him” and “Dhoo”. Hindu.

Why bring in the name of river Indus in this connection?

The barbarous butchering of innocent animals for food is strictly prohibited in Hinduism as the name itself signifies.  Some of the Hindus who by mistake or by choice became a non-vegetarian Hindus also accept this principle and avoid fleshy food on any religious occasions. The false plea that animal food is necessary for human existence has long been blown up as a wicked one both in the East and the West. Killing of living creatures whether human beings or animals is certainly a sinful crime and any talk of religion associated with it is but a camouflage.

“Every performance in the name of religion accompanied by Himsa is declared Adharma.”

Several people for a long time questioned this fundamental principle of Hinduism by various mean methods. The performance of Yegna with animal sacrifice by a few illiterate miscreants has been gloriously pointed out as a proof for the non-existence of Ahimsa in Hinduism. Such criticisms could be easily retorted if only one is similarly inclined without a sense of self-respect.

That the religious Yegnas refer only to the sacrifice of human passions and evil desires is proclaimed in every nook and corner of the ancient scrips and literature. Fortunately no such malicious criticisms could never affect any sensible person practising either Hinduism or Jainism .

What do we find in some of the other religions on this point?

Genesis 1: 29–31 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

This means God has not provided humans with the flesh of animals or creatures and that humans need to live on plant food.

There are two versions of Quran : That animals must be killed and eaten therefore one of the important ordinances of Islam and not of dead animals.

The second version say, Jihad/Qurbani (Killing/Sacrifice) refers to the beastly passion which need to be sacrificed and not the beasts.

The Holy Qur'an strikes at the very root of such wrong concepts of sacrifice and asserts that "it is neither the flesh nor the blood of (animals) that reaches Allah, but it is your piety that reaches Him," for God does not stand in need of food or blood.

Never shall any part of their flesh nor their blood reach Allah. But rather, it is your devotion — inspired by the fear of Allah in you — that reaches Him.

Doesn’t Gita advocate Violence (Killing of the enemies)?

Yes, Gita does advocate killing; Killing of our ‘Kuru’s (lower and material desires) and not any other human being. These enemies can be killed only by Arjuna (Satvik mind) and Bhima (breathing out an exhaling out) under the guidance of Krishna, the Supreme Being within us who drives our Buddhi (Intelligence)

It is however an undeniable fact that without Satwic food, any pious practice of religion (read as Dharma) is both physically and mentally impossible.

In one of my previous articles, I had also written about the impact of livestock farming on environment and how it leads to increase in global warming.

Raising livestock for human consumption generates nearly 15% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, which is greater than all the transportation emissions combined. It also uses nearly 70% of agricultural land, contributing to deforestation, biodiversity loss and water pollution.

High levels of methane can reduce the amount of oxygen breathed from the air. This can result in mood changes, slurred speech, vision problems, memory loss, nausea, vomiting, facial flushing and headache. In severe cases, there may be changes in breathing and heart rate, balance problems, numbness, and unconsciousness.

Methane is the main greenhouse gas produced in grazing systems. Ruminant livestock (cattle, sheep, and goats) have microbes in their rumen called methanogens. These microbes produce methane (from the fermentation of feed) that is then belched out.

Beyond undermining public health as a short-lived climate pollutant, methane (and co-emitted pollutants) impacts health by contributing to ground-level ozone and particulate pollution that causes and exacerbates respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancer and stroke.

Meat consumption is also related to attitudes towards animals. For example, it has been found that the main reason for vegetarian nutrition is animal welfare .

Until the barbarous, cruel and filthy habit of eating the dead bodies of dumb animals by human beings is completely stopped, no nation however advanced in material sciences can even have the privilege of being called a "civilized one".  This applies to all whether a person from India from the Hindu world to the outside world.

So why not give a chance to better health for all living beings including us, animals and all creatures and follow the path of non-violence- Ahimsa which will automatically lead to compassion and kindness towards all creatures. Let us follow Lord Mahaveera.

Wishing you all a very happy Mahaveera Jayanthi.