The Sanātana Dharma vision of life is not merely a philosophy but a way of harmonising with the living universe. All beings — from the smallest insect to the highest sage — are seen as threads in the vast fabric of Ṛta, the cosmic order. To live in Dharma is to live in such a way that our actions support and sustain this order rather than disrupt it. Two guiding lights illuminate this path: Ahiṃsā — conscious avoidance of violence, and Anukampā — compassion for all life.

• Ahiṃsā implies far more than refraining from killing; it is a mindful state of being where thought, word, and deed are purified of cruelty.
• Anukampā is the ability to be moved by another’s joy or pain — a deep empathy that naturally inspires benevolent action.

While Ahiṃsā is the restraint from causing suffering, Anukampā is the active wish to relieve it. One protects the world from harm, the other embraces the world in care. Together, they form the ethical foundation of the Sanātana Dharma tradition.

Universal Human Values

In the natural world, life depends upon life. Predators kill prey; storms uproot trees; disease afflicts creatures without discrimination. Yet, even these violent processes maintain balance; predators kill only for survival, prey evolve in harmony with their predators, and ecosystems revive and thrive. This is Ṛta, the cosmic order.

From the Vedic standpoint, life’s cycles of birth and death are natural, and even necessary, for the maintenance of Ṛta. A tiger that hunts a deer is fulfilling its Svabhāva (intrinsic characteristics). However, humans are gifted with Buddhi (conscious intelligence). The difference between humans and animals lies in the ability to discern. We are not compelled by hunger alone; we can reflect, plan, and choose. We can minimise harm without endangering our own survival. When humans inflict harm excessively, for greed or amusement, we violate Dharma, the moral aspect of Ṛta.

Moreover, humans are capable of spiritual evolution through cultivating Sattva Guṇa, which represents the virtues of purity, goodness, and harmony. Nonviolence and compassion are considered Sāttvika qualities that uplift the mind and refine the soul.

Hence, human Dharma demands that we rise above instinct when possible, aligning survival with compassion.

Conflict Resolution

The Sanātana Dharma perspective recognises that life inevitably involves conflict. Families quarrel, communities clash, and nations contend for power. Classical Indian ethics — from Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata to Kauṭilya’s Arthaśāstra — prescribe a graduated approach to conflict resolution:

• Firstly, attempt Sāma (conciliation).
• Secondly, offer Dāma (concession/ compensation).
• Thirdly, manoeuvre Bheda (division).
• Lastly, exercise Daṇḍa (force).

Violence is never the first option. Yet when peaceful measures fail, force may become a duty, provided it is employed for the protection of a righteous cause. This core idea forms the basis of Dharma Yuddha (righteous war), to be fought as the last resort.

1. Ahiṃsā And Anukampā In The Bhagavad Gītā

The Bhagavad Gītā, one of the most profound philosophical texts of India, is not merely a scripture of metaphysics but also a guide for righteous living and action. Spoken by Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, the Gītā explores the balance between spiritual ideals such as Ahiṃsā and Anukampā and the practical necessity of Dharma Yuddha. It provides a framework for understanding the duties of a warrior, where compassion and justice co-exist with the firm responsibility of protecting righteousness.

Ahiṃsā: In the Gītā (16.2), ŚrīKṛṣṇa lists Ahiṃsā among the Daivī Sampat (divine virtues). It implies more than the absence of physical harm; it includes refraining from causing emotional, psychological, or social injury to others. Yet, in the Gītā, Ahiṃsā is not interpreted as absolute pacifism. Instead, it is seen as an inner disposition of kindness and harmlessness, to be practiced whenever possible. Violence motivated by greed, anger, or vengeance is condemned, but force used in the protection of Dharma and justice is not considered a violation of Ahiṃsā.

Anukampā: Arjuna’s initial reluctance to fight arises from Anukampā, compassion for his kinsmen, teachers, and friends on both sides of the battlefield. He feels it would be sinful to kill those whom he loves. Śrī Kṛṣṇa acknowledges Arjuna’s compassionate heart, but teaches him that true Anukampā lies in upholding Dharma, even when it requires stern action. Compassion in the Gītā is not weakness; it is guided by wisdom.

Sometimes, protecting the innocent and preventing the spread of Adharma (unrighteousness) requires strong measures. Śrī Kṛṣṇa insists that such action must be free from selfish attachment, rooted instead in justice and responsibility. He declares in the Gītā (4.7–8) that whenever Adharma rises, he incarnates to destroy evil and re-establish Dharma.

2. Dharma Yuddha In Epics And Traditions

The duty of the Kṣatriya (warrior) is to engage in righteous battle when all peaceful means have failed. Refusal to fight, in such a context, is considered a dereliction of duty and a betrayal of justice.

A warrior’s Svadharma (one’s own duty) is to:

• Protect the weak and uphold justice.
• Fight without hatred or personal vengeance.
• Perform action as a duty, without attachment to success or failure.
• See himself as an instrument of the Divine Will.

Thus, the ideal warrior is not one who delights in violence but one who sees fighting as a sacred responsibility in the service of Dharma.

In the epic Mahābhārata, the Kurukṣetra war is described as a Dharma Yuddha, a war fought not for territory or power but for the protection of righteousness. For Arjuna, abandoning the war would mean allowing injustice, oppression, and falsehood to prevail, which itself would be a form of violence against society. In Chapter 2 of the Gītā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa reminds Arjuna that for a warrior, no duty is higher than a righteous battle.

In the epic Rāmāyaṇa, the war between Śrī Rāma and Rāvaṇa is a classic example of Dharma Yuddha. Śrī Rāma repeatedly urges Rāvaṇa to return Sītā peacefully in order to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. When Rāvaṇa, in his arrogance, refuses to do so, Śrī Rāma fulfils his warrior-duty by slaying Rāvaṇa, who is the epitome of Adharma. Śrī Rāma does not fight for power or wealth, but to rescue Sītā and restore Dharma. His victory represents the triumph of righteousness through just warfare.

The Sikh tradition mirrors the Bhagavad Gītā’s ideal of fighting without hatred, for the sake of Dharma alone. Guru Gobind Singh declared: “When all peaceful means have failed, it is righteous to draw the sword.” The Khālsā ideal is Sant-Sipāhī (saint-warrior) who embodies Dayā (kindness) in peace and Śaurya (courage) in defence of the innocent.

3. Takeaway For Daily Life

The Gītā’s philosophy extends beyond the battlefield. In daily life, Ahiṃsā should be the guiding principle in relationships, speech, and conduct. However, there are situations where passive nonviolence enables injustice:

• Self-defence: If someone is attacked physically, Ahiṃsā may fail, and self-protection becomes a Dhārmika duty.
• Protection of others: If an innocent person is harmed, failure to act may itself be Adharma.
• Social justice: When injustice or exploitation persists, forceful resistance may be required to uphold Dharma.

Silence in the face of oppression can indirectly support Adharma. In such moments, the Gītā teaches that the use of force, tempered by detachment and guided by righteousness, is justified.

The Ethical Diet

Sanātana Dharma embraces a wide spectrum of practices and philosophies. Among the many debates within its tradition, that on non-vegetarianism is particularly significant.

The Bhagavad Gītā (17.8) describes Sāttvika Āhāra (diet) as that which is fresh, wholesome, and brings clarity of mind. Ideally, such food is obtained without unnecessary harm. This leads many to adopt vegetarianism as an expression of Ahiṃsā.

The Veda and ancient Dharma Śāstra take a nuanced view. Meat-eating is permitted under conditions such as Yajña (ritual sacrifice), Kṣatriya Dharma (the duties of warriors), or survival in harsh environments. The Mahābhārata records sages consuming meat when necessity demanded, while Himalayan ascetics often relied on it due to limited agricultural resources.

As Sanātana Dharma evolved, attitudes toward meat diverged.

• Vaiṣṇava traditions adopted strict vegetarianism, linking purity and devotion to Śrī Viṣṇu/Śrī Kṛṣṇa with abstinence from meat.
• Śākta and Tāntrika traditions, however, maintained ritual meat offerings to deities like Kālī and Bhairava, sometimes as part of the Pañcamakāra rites.
• Śaiva traditions were mixed, with some sects embracing vegetarian asceticism while others permitted ritualised meat offerings.
• Among tribal and regional communities, meat remained central to livelihood and was accepted as a natural Dharma.

Even modern spiritual figures reflected this range. Svāmī Vivekānanda acknowledged vegetarianism as an ideal but defended meat-eating when strength and vitality were needed. What unites these perspectives is not uniformity but intention — food should be consumed with moderation, mindfulness, and minimal harm.

Abstinence is praised for those on advanced spiritual paths; moderation is accepted for householders; necessity is acknowledged for those in challenging environments.

Cultivation Of Discernment

The Sanātana Dharma tradition is pragmatic: one must harmonise Ahiṃsā and Anukampā with Viveka (discriminative wisdom) so that nonviolence is not cowardice and compassion is not sentimental weakness.

Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra place Ahiṃsā as the very first Yama (restraint), implying it is the root from which all other virtues grow. A practitioner is encouraged to:

• Examine the intention behind each action.
• Consider short-term and long-term harm to the object of an action.
• Avoid extremes that harm even oneself, for self-neglect is also a form of Hiṃsā (violence).

Cultivating discernment begins with every choice you make in daily life:

• Speech: Use words to heal, not wound.
• Conflict: Follow the Sāma–Dāma–Bheda–Daṇḍa sequence; use force only when every other path has failed.
• Food: Prefer plant-based and ethically sourced food where possible.
• Service: Engage in Seva (service), helping those in need directly.
• Environment: Minimise ecological harm; live simply to reduce exploitation.
• Inner life: Extend compassion to yourself, avoiding burnout and resentment.

Conclusion

Ahiṃsā and Anukampā are the twin pillars of Sanātana Dharma ethics. One guards against harm, the other fills life with benevolence.

The Bhagavad Gītā’s teaching is clear: Ahiṃsā and Anukampā are noble virtues, but when Adharma threatens to overpower Dharma, a warrior must embrace Dharma Yuddha as a sacred duty. In daily life, this translates into practicing nonviolence as far as possible, but recognising that active resistance is sometimes necessary to protect oneself and others.

All Indian religions in the Dharma tradition acknowledge nonviolence and compassion as the very breath of civilisation. Without nonviolence, society descends into the law of the jungle; without compassion, Dharma becomes dry, mechanical, and without soul.  The Vedic seer, the Jain monk, the Buddhist bodhisattva, and the Sikh saint-soldier — all embody these principles in their own ways, proving that compassion and courage are not opposites but complements.

To live by the ideals of Ahiṃsā and Anukampā is not to renounce strength, but to ennoble it; not to escape life’s challenges, but to face them without hatred. Together, they embody the Sanātana vision of strength tempered by gentleness, and gentleness fortified by strength.

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© Sujata Khanna. All rights reserved.

Sujata Khanna’s book, ‘The Eternal Law’, explores Sanātana Philosophy in its elemental form. Available on Amazon worldwide: India, USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Netherland, Poland, Sweden, Japan

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