Non-Violence
43
Dadashri: You cannot see the life-forms but they themselves
make up the physical composition of water. Now tell me how can
people see them when water itself is the body formed of the
aggregate of all these life-forms? Water is the manifest form of
these life-forms. Now tell me how can you deal with something
like this?
A Misconception About Vegetables
Questioner: Why do they tell you not to eat green
vegetables in the rainy season?
Dadashri: People have also misunderstood this. The Lord
tells us not to eat fresh greens, not because it causes violence but
because there are subtle life-forms on the greenery, which enter
the stomach and cause disease affecting the overall health of the
person and thereby preventing him from practicing religion
effectively. When people misinterpret the instructions, it is like
swallowing medicine, which was meant only for external use. How
can the medicine work if it is not taken correctly?
Violence Caused by Antibiotics
Questioner: What about the medications we take to reduce
fever or infections in the body?
Dadashri: You need not worry about the violence to such
life-forms.
Questioner: An infant would surely die if we did not give
him the medicine to kill parasites in his stomach.
Dadashri: You have to treat the child. Give the child
whatever medications he needs to kill all the parasites.
Questioner: I understand that the body must be kept
healthy for the attainment of Self-Realization, but if many life-forms
are destroyed in the process, should we continue to keep it healthy?
Dadashri: If your main goal is the intent of heath then your