Creation and Criticism

Decades away from practicality, non-violence is an unpolished ornament of idealism. Nobody can raise doubts against the sacred heights of this virtue. It vividly separates a man from the crowd of men who become violent at even a very mild attack on their ego. It appears very ordinary as a word but the substance of this word is larger than the substance of violence.

One becomes capable of adopting the principle of non-violence only after bridling his instincts just as we tame a dog who, if not tamed properly, could become furious and dreadful. A very audacious self-control and a total discipline of the mind go to make a man walk with the stick of non-violence. If a coward talks of non-violence, it is nonsense. The virtue behoves only that man who, if and when required, is capable of becoming a tiger to frighten his enemy just as gallows frighten a convict.

Non-violence can be adopted as a way of life only by an individual because he is free to waste himself as much as he desires. It cannot be prescribed for a society, never for a nation. Mahavir and Buddha embraced non-violence as individuals. There was nothing wrong in their choice but when it percolated onwards, when this non-violence came to be celebrated by the society, it became responsible for making the nation very weak and, at one point of time, utterly incapable to retaliate when the invaders came.

A society, much more a nation, cannot survive without adopting or embracing the gospel of Chankaya. Strength and power are extremely essential for the honourable survival of a nation. See, if you can, there are forces standing at a short distance to snatch your wealth. They have plans to wrench from you all that you possess. Having concluded that you are incapable to retaliate, they can take away your women, kill your children and convert you as their slaves. They will burn your books and make efforts to destroy your religion.

As such, your first duty before anything else is to make yourself as much powerful as you can to defeat the design of your enemy right from your neighbourhood to the most distant places from where dangers might come.

If you are practising non-violence as a matter of policy, if you are practising it because you are incapable of becoming violent, if non-violence is the outcome of your helplessness, you may live your life no doubt but such a life shall not be better than the life of a poor reptile.

About the Author:

R. C. Shukla (b. 1943) retired as H.O.D. English in 2003 from K.G.K. College, Moradabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh. He is the most prolific Indian English poet as is evident from the publication of his poetry collections from 2000 to 2013. His poetry collections include Darkness At Dawn, A Belated Appearance, Depth and Despair, My Poems Laugh, The Parrot Shrieks,The Parrot Shrieks II, The Parrot Shrieks III, Ponderings I, Ponderings II and Ponderings III. He resides at MIG 33, Ramganga Vihar, Phase-2, Moradabad-244001 (UP) India.