Ahimsa Parmo Dharma: Ahimsa means non-violence, Parmo means greatest, and Dharma means duty or religion. Some Indian schools of thought, such as Buddhism, Jainism, and certain sects of Hinduism, teach Ahimsa as Parmo Dharma, meaning the greatest action a person can perform. In modern times, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, extensively popularized this concept of Ahimsa Parmo Dharma. Gandhi was so devoted to this principle that he went as far as calling Siri Guru Gobind Singh Jee “a misguided patriot” because Guru Sahib lifted the sword to stop aggression.

A Gursikh once questioned Gandhi on whether he firmly believed in the concept of Ahimsa Parmo Dharma and if he also believed in Siri Krishna at the same time. When Gandhi replied in the affirmative, the Gursikh asked how he could believe in Siri Krishna, who participated in the bloodiest battle of the Mahabharata and encouraged Arjuna to fight. Arjuna did not want to fight his cousins over the kingdom and had even dropped his Gandeev, his special bow, but Siri Krishna convinced him to fight. Their dialogue at that time is preserved as the Gita. Moreover, Krishna fought numerous battles throughout his life. Similarly, Rama and Lakshmana hardly led non-violent lives. The same applies to other Hindu Avatars. Gandhi had no reply to this question and even claimed that the Mahabharata represented an internal evil war. If that were the case, someone should have asked him whether the Gita, which he revered so much, was also merely the imagination of Rishi Beas.

Gurmat does promote Ahimsa, but it does not advocate blind adherence to non-violence in every situation. To follow Ahimsa blindly, without considering self-respect or the safety of the common people, is pure impotence, a principle our Guru Sahib did not support.

How does Gurmat promote Ahimsa?

What causes Himsa (violence)?
Himsa arises when the Jeev, the creature, comes under the influence of one of the five vices: Kaam (lust), Krodh (anger), Lobh (greed), Moh (worldly attachment), and Ahankaar (pride). Failure in Kaam may lead one to anger and violence, such as sexual assault, to satisfy desires. Hurt to one’s pride can provoke anger, leading to violent actions against the person who caused the offense. Greed for wealth can drive one to use violence to attain it. Attachment, or Moh, may lead to violence for the sake of false relationships. Essentially, these five vices are the root causes of Himsa, and Gurmat strictly forbids such violence in the name of Jee-Daya, compassion for living beings.

Gurmat teaches us to remain free from the five vices and avoid falling under their influence. A Gursikh who chants the Gurmat Naam and follows the teachings of Guru Sahib is protected from these vices and naturally remains non-violent. Gurmat emphasizes that one should not fight or resort to violence to satisfy selfish desires.

How does Gurmat not promote Ahimsa?

Gurmat does not endorse an Ahimsa that:

• Makes one impotent and unable to resist or fight aggression.

• Leads to desecration of religious places or atrocities against innocent men, women, and children.

• Turns one into a slave of the aggressor.

• Empowers the aggressor to commit atrocities on innocent people.

Siri Guru Gobind Singh Jee, in his famous Farsi shayer, summarized Gurmat’s stance on Ahimsa:

Chun kar az hameh heel-te dar guzasht.
Halal ast burdan b-shamsheer dast.

When all means fail to restore peace, it is justified to take the Shamsheer, the sword, in hand.

A Gursikh cannot remain inactive if his or his Dharma’s honor is threatened. Sometimes, the sword must be taken to restore peace. In such cases, according to Gurmat, this is true Ahimsa.

Another important distinction is that when a Gursikh fights on the battlefield, it is never under the influence of Krodh, anger, or Ahankaar, pride. A Gursikh lifts the sword with Naam on his lips and in his heart. If a Gursikh fighting his holy war feels even an iota of anger or other vices, the battle ceases to be a Dharam Yudh, holy war, and becomes sinful Himsa, violence.

A Gursikh embodies such compassion and non-violence that he cannot even pluck a flower without reason, let alone harm other Jeevs. Yet, when fighting an aggressor for the sake of Dharma, in extreme cases, a Gursikh becomes an embodiment of violence, as seen in Baba Banda Singh Bahadur in the battles of Sadhora, Samana, and Sirhind, and Akali Phoola Singh in the battle of Nashaura.