The path chosen by Mahatma Gandhi resonates in our minds

Aeons ago lived an overbearing and hubristic monarch. He scuttled all dissent and those opposed to his modus operandi were either exiled or obliterated. In order to escape his wrath, several of the denizens and vassal states decided to seek refuge in the sublime grace of Sakhya Muni, Lord Buddha. This act of defiance incensed the zealot. In a maximal fit of rage, he marched with his army to wage war against the apostle of peace and non-violence.

The suzerain, in an act, that he clearly intended to intimidate and pique the Buddha, spat at him thrice. The benevolent and solicitous soul smiled and merely remarked, “I do not accept this.”

This deceptively simple remark incensed, indeed rattled the querulous monarch.

In the face of such dignity and equanimity, the monarch was forced to ask where the Buddha found the deep reserves of piety and composure. In reply, Lord Buddha invited him to eschew antipathetic thoughts and join the sangha.

Aggression Vs violence: Pre-eminent psychologists distinguish aggression from violence. They postulate forceful destructive behaviour towards another individual or society as violence. Aggression, on the other hand, is based on the paradigm of an antipathetic intent. Psychologists deploy the word aggression to refer to the behaviour of an individual or a group that is intended to intentionally cause harm to other individuals or groups of persons.

Aggressive behaviour is based on the premise to torment or indulge in the defilement of a person or property. Violence is the perpetration of such an act.

Understanding the cause: The maniacal desire to achieve a certain goal, desire or objective leads to aggressive behaviour and could result in a wanton violent act. Do we recall the famous or rather infamous Bodyline Series (1932-33)?

Douglas Jardine, the English captain deployed his fastest bowlers- Harold Larwood and Bill Voce to intimidate the batting machinery of Don Bradman, Bill Woodfull, Bill Ponsford and Alan Kippax. High-pitched deliveries were bowled on the leg stump incessantly and England won the series 4-1 against Australia.

Hostile aggression: It is interesting to note that hostile aggression and violent acts find root when an individual indulges in criminality in order to be charge sheeted and aspires to ‘glory’ via notoriety. The human mind often operates in repulsive and intriguing ways.

Distinguished psychologists have identified certain underlying reasons for harbouring aggressive feelings and concomitant violence. This could be a certain inborn tendency, essentially in the DNA of the individual or agony and frustration.

Peace and the Art of Living Way: There have been apostles of peace in both the occidental and oriental worlds who have given up their lives to maintain peace and harmony. The path chosen by Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi resonates in our minds.

In recent times, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has transformed the lives of several Maoists, Naxals and extremists, who have eschewed violence, given up arms and joined the mainstream once again. Their minds have been transformed by practising the unique rhythmic breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya.

Simultaneously their energies have been channelised to do sadhana, seva and satsang through the regular practice of yoga, pranayama and meditation. “Non-violence is an active force of the highest order. It is the soul-force or the power of the Godhead within us. Imperfect man cannot grasp the whole of that essence- he would not be able to bear its full blaze, but even an infinitesimal fraction of it, when it becomes active within us, can work wonders,” wrote Gandhiji.

(The writer is an author and a spiritual teacher)