#Ahimsa
The word hiṁsā (Sanskrit) means violence, killing, injury, aggression, hostility.
Conversely, the word ahiṁsā (Sanskrit) means the renunciation of violence, killing, injury, aggression, hostility.
The Vedic tradition emphasizes: mā hiṁsyāt sarva bhūtānī - do not harm any living beings. Understand: neither yourself, nor another human, nor any animal.
However, the idea of ahiṁsā does not support the view that evil and violence cannot be responded to with force or the use of coercion. Violence must be stopped by force if other measures do not help. In this world, it is impossible to avoid violence entirely, as we involuntarily kill many beings by breathing, eating, and moving. The spiritual principle is to renounce malevolence and the use of force out of revenge, anger, or hostility, as well as to consciously avoid situations where we can harm other beings.
Mahabhārata, 13.177 states:
ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ tathāhiṁsā paro damaḥ |
ahiṁsā paramam dānam ahiṁsā paramaḥ tapaḥ ||ahiṁsā paramo yajñaḥ tathāhiṁsā paraṁ balam |
ahiṁsā paramam mitram ahiṁsā paramaṁ sukham ||ahiṁsā paramaṁ satyam ahiṁsā paramaṁ śrutam |
sarva yajñesu vā dānam sarva tīrtheṣu cāplutam ||sarva dāna phalamvāpi naitat tulyam ahiṁsayā |
ahiṁsrasya tapo 'kṣayyam ahiṁsro yajate sadā ||ahiṁsraḥ sarva bhūtānām yathā mātā yathā pitā |
etat phalam ahiṁsāyā bhūyaśca kuru-puṅgava |
na hi śakyā guṇā vaktum iha varsa śatairapi ||Ahiṁsa (refraining from violence) is the highest form of religion. Ahiṁsa is the highest self-control. Ahiṁsa is the greatest gift. Ahiṁsa is the strictest austerity.
Ahiṁsa is the highest sacrifice. Ahiṁsa is the highest form of strength. Ahiṁsa is the best friend. Ahiṁsa is the greatest happiness.
Ahiṁsa is the highest truth. Ahiṁsa is the greatest command of the Holy Scripture. Gifts given through all sacrifices, washings in all holy waters, and merits one acquires from all forms of charity mentioned in the Holy Scriptures—all this does not equal Ahiṁsa.
The penance of him who refrains from cruelty is inexhaustible. He who refrains from violence is considered to be always performing sacrifice.
He who refrains from cruelty is the father and mother of all beings.
Even this, O leader of the Kuru dynasty, is only a part of the merits of Ahiṁsa. The merits associated with Ahimsa are so abundant that it is impossible to exhaust them, even if one speaks about it for a hundred years.