Ahimsa paramo dharmah-source of quote

[Guest guest]

Dear members,

 

I am searching for the source of the popular quote " ahimsa paramo dharmah;

dharma himsa tathaiva cha " but am unable to find the text.

 

Any learned member who knows the source, kindly let me know.

 

thanks in advance.

 

regs,

sriram

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Namaste Shri Sriram,

jai janani!

 

advaitin , venkata sriram <sriram_sapthasathi

wrote:

>

> I am searching for the source of the popular quote " ahimsa paramo dharmah;

> dharma himsa tathaiva cha " but am unable to find the text.

 

The first part of the quote appears in anushaasana-parva in the discourse to

yudhishhThira by bhiishhma. (I am not aware of where the second part of the

quotation comes from.)

 

ahiMsaa paramo dharmas tathaahiMsaa paraM tapaH |

ahiMsaa paramaM satyaM tato dharmaH pravartate |13.116.25|

 

ahiMsaa paramo dharmas tathaahiMsaa paro damaH |

ahiMsaa paramaM daanam ahiMsaa paramaM tapaH |13.117.37|

 

ahiMsaa paramo yaj~nas tathaahiMsaa paraM balaM |

ahiMsaa paramaM mitram ahiMsaa paramaM sukham |

ahiMsaa paramaM satyam ahiMsaa paramaM shrutam |13.117.38|

 

Here is the source.

 

http://www.sub.uni-goettingen.de/ebene_1/fiindolo/gretil/1_sanskr/2_epic/mbh/sas\

/mahabharata.htm

 

From Ganguli's book, here is the translation.

 

Abstention from cruelty is the highest Religion. Abstention from cruelty is

the highest self-control. Abstention from cruelty is the highest gift.

Abstention from cruelty is the highest penance. Abstention from cruelty is

the highest sacrifice. Abstention from cruelty is the highest puissance.

Abstention from cruelty is the highest friend. Abstention from cruelty is

the highest happiness. Abstention from cruelty is the highest truth.

Abstention from cruelty is the highest Sruti. Gifts made in all sacrifices,

ablutions performed in all sacred waters, and the merit that one acquires

from making all kinds of gifts mentioned in the scriptures,--all these do

not come up to abstention from cruelty (in point of the merit that attaches

to it). The penances of a man that abstains from cruelty are inexhaustible.

The man that abstains from cruelty is regarded as always performing

sacrifices. The man that abstains from cruelty is the father and mother of

all creatures. Even these, O chief of Kuru's race, are some of the merits of

abstention from cruelty. Altogether, the merits that attach to it are so

many that they are incapable of being exhausted even if one were to speak

for a hundred years. "

 

More here:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b081.htm

 

sarva-vishvaatmike sarva sarvaatmike

Ramakrishna

[Guest guest]

Dear Ramakrishna,

 

Namaste. Thanks a lot but i was looking for the 2nd part. And as you said the

1st part is from Mahabharata which is the most-often quote from the so-called

secular hindus.

 

regs,

sriram

 

advaitin , " uramakrsna " <uramakrishna wrote:

>

> Namaste Shri Sriram,

> jai janani!

>

> advaitin , venkata sriram <sriram_sapthasathi@>

> wrote:

> >

> > I am searching for the source of the popular quote " ahimsa paramo dharmah;

> > dharma himsa tathaiva cha " but am unable to find the text.

>

> The first part of the quote appears in anushaasana-parva in the discourse to

> yudhishhThira by bhiishhma. (I am not aware of where the second part of the

> quotation comes from.)

>

> ahiMsaa paramo dharmas tathaahiMsaa paraM tapaH |

> ahiMsaa paramaM satyaM tato dharmaH pravartate |13.116.25|

>

> ahiMsaa paramo dharmas tathaahiMsaa paro damaH |

> ahiMsaa paramaM daanam ahiMsaa paramaM tapaH |13.117.37|

>

> ahiMsaa paramo yaj~nas tathaahiMsaa paraM balaM |

> ahiMsaa paramaM mitram ahiMsaa paramaM sukham |

> ahiMsaa paramaM satyam ahiMsaa paramaM shrutam |13.117.38|

>

> Here is the source.

>

>

http://www.sub.uni-goettingen.de/ebene_1/fiindolo/gretil/1_sanskr/2_epic/mbh/sas\

/mahabharata.htm

>

> From Ganguli's book, here is the translation.

>

> Abstention from cruelty is the highest Religion. Abstention from cruelty is

> the highest self-control. Abstention from cruelty is the highest gift.

> Abstention from cruelty is the highest penance. Abstention from cruelty is

> the highest sacrifice. Abstention from cruelty is the highest puissance.

> Abstention from cruelty is the highest friend. Abstention from cruelty is

> the highest happiness. Abstention from cruelty is the highest truth.

> Abstention from cruelty is the highest Sruti. Gifts made in all sacrifices,

> ablutions performed in all sacred waters, and the merit that one acquires

> from making all kinds of gifts mentioned in the scriptures,--all these do

> not come up to abstention from cruelty (in point of the merit that attaches

> to it). The penances of a man that abstains from cruelty are inexhaustible.

> The man that abstains from cruelty is regarded as always performing

> sacrifices. The man that abstains from cruelty is the father and mother of

> all creatures. Even these, O chief of Kuru's race, are some of the merits of

> abstention from cruelty. Altogether, the merits that attach to it are so

> many that they are incapable of being exhausted even if one were to speak

> for a hundred years. "

>

> More here:

> http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b081.htm

>

> sarva-vishvaatmike sarva sarvaatmike

> Ramakrishna

>

[Guest guest]

advaitin , " uramakrsna " <uramakrishna wrote:

>

>

> advaitin , venkata sriram <sriram_sapthasathi@>

> wrote:

> >

> > I am searching for the source of the popular quote " ahimsa paramo dharmah;

> > dharma himsa tathaiva cha " but am unable to find the text.

>

> The first part of the quote appears in anushaasana-parva in the discourse to

> yudhishhThira by bhiishhma. (I am not aware of where the second part of the

> quotation comes from.)

 

 

Namaste,

 

This verse may be the reference:

 

shantiparva 37:8

 

ya eva dharmaH so.adharmo.adeshe.akAle pratiShThitaH .

AdAnamanR^ita.n hi.nsA dharmo vyAvasthikaH smR^itaH .. 8..\\

 

That again which is virtue may, according to time and place, be sin. Thus

appropriation (of what belongs to others), untruth,and injury and killing, may

under special circumstances, become virtue.

 

[Gita 4:8, '...vinAshAya cha duShkRRitAm...' - would also be a proper

reference.]

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

Ahimsaa paramodharmaha sarvapranabhrutaamvara /

Tasmaat praanabhrutaha sarvaan nahimsyaad brahmanah kvachit //

 

The source of this great quote is Aadiparva of Mahabhaarata. Once king

Janamejaya son of Pareekshit started a Yagnam called Sarpayaaga at

Kurukshetra. Then a sage by name Ruruvu got interest to know the details about

it. On the request of Ruruvu, a brahmin called Sahasrapada explained to Ruruvu

about the importance of Ahimsa or Non-violence in this sloka.

 

 

 

 

________________________________

sunderh <sunderh

advaitin

Tuesday, September 22, 2009 6:16:06 AM

Re: Ahimsa paramo dharmah-source of quote

 

 

advaitin@ s.com, " uramakrsna " <uramakrishna@ ...> wrote:

>

>

> advaitin@ s.com, venkata sriram <sriram_sapthasathi @>

> wrote:

> >

> > I am searching for the source of the popular quote " ahimsa paramo dharmah;

> > dharma himsa tathaiva cha " but am unable to find the text.

>

> The first part of the quote appears in anushaasana- parva in the discourse to

> yudhishhThira by bhiishhma. (I am not aware of where the second part of the

> quotation comes from.)

 

Namaste,

 

This verse may be the reference:

 

shantiparva 37:8

 

ya eva dharmaH so.adharmo.adeshe. akAle pratiShThitaH .

AdAnamanR^ita. n hi.nsA dharmo vyAvasthikaH smR^itaH .. 8..\\

 

That again which is virtue may, according to time and place, be sin. Thus

appropriation (of what belongs to others), untruth,and injury and killing, may

under special circumstances, become virtue.

 

[Gita 4:8, '...vinAshAya cha duShkRRitAm. ..' - would also be a proper

reference.]

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

advaitin , Anjaneyulu Goli <golianjaneyulu wrote:

>

> Ahimsaa paramodharmaha

>

> The source of this great quote is Aadiparva of Mahabhaarata.

>

>

>

> advaitin@ s.com, " uramakrsna " <uramakrishna@ ...> wrote:

> >

> >

> > advaitin@ s.com, venkata sriram <sriram_sapthasathi @>

> > wrote:

> > >

> > > I am searching for the source of the popular quote " ahimsa paramo dharmah;

> > > dharma himsa tathaiva cha " but am unable to find the text.

> >

>

> shantiparva 37:8

>

> ya eva dharmaH so.adharmo.adeshe. akAle pratiShThitaH .

> AdAnamanR^ita. n hi.nsA dharmo vyAvasthikaH smR^itaH .. 8..\\

>

> That again which is virtue may, according to time and place, be sin. Thus

appropriation (of what belongs to others), untruth,and injury and killing, may

under special circumstances, become virtue.

>

> [Gita 4:8, '...vinAshAya cha duShkRRitAm. ..' - would also be a proper

reference.]

>

 

 

Namaste,

 

Sw. Chinmayananda-ji had this to say about the quotation (its source is

not given in the article):

 

http://www.chinmayauk.org/Articles/Articles%20By%20Mission%20Teachers/Swami%20C/\

6.htm

 

DHARMA HIMSA TATHAIVA CHA

 

Swami Chinmayananda

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

advaitin , " sunderh " <sunderh wrote:

 

advaitin , Anjaneyulu Goli <golianjaneyulu@> wrote:

>

> Ahimsaa paramodharmaha

>

> The source of this great quote is Aadiparva of Mahabhaarata.

>

>

>

> advaitin@ s.com, " uramakrsna " <uramakrishna@ ...> wrote:

> >

> >

> > advaitin@ s.com, venkata sriram <sriram_sapthasathi @>

> > wrote:

> > >

> > > I am searching for the source of the popular quote " ahimsa paramo dharmah;

> > > dharma himsa tathaiva cha " but am unable to find the text.

> >

>

> shantiparva 37:8

>

> ya eva dharmaH so.adharmo.adeshe. akAle pratiShThitaH .

> AdAnamanR^ita. n hi.nsA dharmo vyAvasthikaH smR^itaH .. 8..\\

>

> That again which is virtue may, according to time and place, be sin. Thus

appropriation (of what belongs to others), untruth,and injury and killing, may

under special circumstances, become virtue.

>

> [Gita 4:8, '...vinAshAya cha duShkRRitAm. ..' - would also be a proper

reference.]

>

 

 

Namaste,

 

Sw. Chinmayananda-ji had this to say about the quotation (its source is

not given in the article):

 

http://www.chinmayauk.org/Articles/Articles%20By%20Mission%20Teachers/Swami%20C/\

6.htm

 

DHARMA HIMSA TATHAIVA CHA

 

Swami Chinmayananda

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

 

--- End forwarded message ---

[Guest guest]

advaitin , " sunderh " <sunderh wrote:

>

 

> > ya eva dharmaH so.adharmo.adeshe. akAle pratiShThitaH .

> > AdAnamanR^ita. n hi.nsA dharmo vyAvasthikaH smR^itaH .. 8..\\

> >

> > That again which is virtue may, according to time and place, be sin. Thus

appropriation (of what belongs to others), untruth,and injury and killing, may

under special circumstances, become virtue.

> >

> > [Gita 4:8, '...vinAshAya cha duShkRRitAm. ..' - would also be a proper

reference.]

> >

>

>

> Namaste,

>

> Sw. Chinmayananda-ji had this to say about the quotation (its source is

not given in the article):

>

>

http://www.chinmayauk.org/Articles/Articles%20By%20Mission%20Teachers/Swami%20C/\

6.htm

>

> DHARMA HIMSA TATHAIVA CHA

>

> Swami Chinmayananda

>

>

> Regards,

>

> Sunder

>

Namaste,Sunderji,

 

Is it not that A Himsa means non harm not 'non violence'...a often misunderstood

meaning.....for one has to defend others....in harm;s way etc....Cheers Tony.

[Guest guest]

advaitin , " aoclery " <aoclery wrote:

>

>

> Is it not that A Himsa means non harm not 'non violence'...a often

misunderstood meaning.....for one has to defend others....in harm;s way

etc....Cheers Tony.

>

 

Namaste,

 

The distinction is indeed subtle. Shankara gives the synonym 'apIDanam'

(non-injury - in thought, word and deed).

 

One could say violence is 'rAjasika' ('rAkShasI') or 'tAmasika' ('AsurI'),

and not aimed at the protection of the victims.

 

There is a saying: 'paropakAra puNyAya, pApAya parapIDanam'[serving others

is meritorious, hurting others is wicked.] is the hallmark of 'dharma'

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder