Editing Nonviolence (section)

=====The Epics=====
The ''[[Mahabharata]]'', one of the epics of Hinduism, has multiple mentions of the phrase ''Ahimsa Paramo Dharma'' (अहिंसा परमॊ धर्मः), which literally means: non-violence is the highest moral virtue. For example, [[Mahaprasthanika Parva]] has the verse:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs13117.htm|title=The Mahabharata in Sanskrit: Book 13: Chapter 117|website=www.sacred-texts.com|access-date=2023-05-12|archive-date=2023-04-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406002307/https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs13117.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
<blockquote><poem>
अहिंसा परमो धर्मस् तथाहिंसा परो दमः।
अहिंसा परमं दानम् अहिंसा परमस् तपः।
अहिंसा परमो यज्ञस् तथाहिंसा परं बलम्।
अहिंसा परमं मित्रम् अहिंसा परमं सुखम्।
अहिंसा परमं सत्यम् अहिंसा परमं श्रुतम्॥
</poem></blockquote>
The above passage from ''Mahabharata'' emphasises the cardinal importance of Ahimsa in Hinduism, and literally means: Ahimsa is the highest [[virtue]], Ahimsa is the highest self-control, Ahimsa is the greatest gift, Ahimsa is the best suffering, Ahimsa is the highest sacrifice, Ahimsa is the finest strength, Ahimsa is the greatest friend, Ahimsa is the greatest happiness, Ahimsa is the highest truth, and Ahimsa is the greatest teaching.<ref>Chapple, C. (1990). Ecological Nonviolence and the Hindu Tradition. In ''Perspectives on Nonviolence'' (pp. 168–177). Springer New York.</ref><ref>[http://www.hinduismtoday.com/pdf_downloads/what_is_hinduism/Sec6/WIH_Sec6_Chapter45.pdf Ahimsa: To do no harm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131107092918/http://www.hinduismtoday.com/pdf_downloads/what_is_hinduism/Sec6/WIH_Sec6_Chapter45.pdf |date=2013-11-07 }} Subramuniyaswami, What is Hinduism?, Chapter 45, Pages 359–361</ref> Some other examples where the phrase ''Ahimsa Paramo Dharma'' are discussed include [[Adi Parva]], [[Vana Parva]] and [[Anushasana Parva]]. The [[Bhagavad Gita]], among other things, discusses the doubts and questions about appropriate response when one faces systematic violence or war. These verses develop the concepts of lawful violence in self-defence and the [[Just war theory|theories of just war]]. However, there is no consensus on this interpretation. Gandhi, for example, considers this debate about nonviolence and lawful violence as a mere metaphor for the internal war within each human being, when he or she faces moral questions.<ref name=fischer1954>Fischer, Louis: ''Gandhi: His Life and Message to the World'' Mentor, New York 1954, pp. 15–16</ref>