32 Light on Yoga
themselves from danger. But merely because a man is a vegetarian,
it does not necessarily follow that he is non-violent by temperament
or that he is a yogi, though a vegetarian diet is a necessity for the
practice of yoga. Blood-thirsty tyrants may be vegetarians, but violence
is a state of mind, not of diet. It resides in a man's mind and not in the
instrument he holds in his hand. One can use a knife to pare fruit or to
stab an enemy. The fault is not in the instrument, but in the user.
Men ·take to violence to protect their own interests-their own
bodies, their loved ones, their property or dignity. But a man cannot
rely upon himself alone to protect himself or others. The belief that
he can do so is wrong. A man must rely upon God, who is the source
of all strength. Then he will fear no evil.
Violence arises out of fear, weakness, ignorance or restlessness. To
curb it what is most needed is freedom from fear. To gain this
freedom, what is required is a change of outlook on life and reorienta
tion of the mind. Violence is bound to decline when men learn to base
their faith upon reality and investigation rather than upon ignorance and
supposition.
The yogi believes that every creature has as much right to live
as he has. He believes that he is born to help others and he looks upon
creation with eyes of love. He knows that his life is linked inextric
ably with that of others and he rejoices if he can help them to be happy.
He puts the happiness of others before his own and becomes a source
of joy to all who meet him. As parents encourage a baby to walk the
first steps, he encourages those more unfortunate than himself and
makes them fit for survival.
For a wrong done by others, men demand ;ustice; while for that
done by themselves they plead mercy and forgiveness. The yogi on
the other hand, believes that for a wrong done by himself, there should
be justice, while for that done !:>y another there should be forgiveness.
He knows and teaches others how to live. Always striving to perfect
himself, he shows them by his love and compassion how to improve
themselves.
The yogi opposes the evil in the wrong-doer, but not the wrong
doer. He prescribes penance not punishment for a wrong done. Opposi
tion to evil and love for the wrong-doer can live side by side. A
drunkard's wife whilst loving him may still oppose his habit. Opposi
tion without love leads to violence; loving the wrong-doer without
opposing the evil in him is folly and leads to misery. The yogi knows
that to love a person whilst fighting the evil in him is the right course
to follow. The battle is won because he fights it with love. A loving
mother will sometimes beat her child to cure it of a bad habit; in the
same way a true follower of ahimsa loves his opponent.