None shall commit suicide even at a place of pilgrimage out of superstition or out of anger frustration caused by some unworthy behaviour, or by consuming poison or by strangulation or by drowning.
None shall commit suicide even at a place of pilgrimage out of superstition or out of anger frustration caused by some unworthy behaviour, or by consuming poison or by strangulation or by drowning.
Himsa is of two kinds explains Shatanand: Parahimsa (injury towards others) has already been discussed in its various forms and in this Shloka we look at Swahimsa (injury to oneself.)
Never should we commit the act of suicide as our Smrutis say: Sarvat Evatmanam Gopoyed – ‘Secure thyself’, thus strive to always keep the body and soul intact and never cause either harm.
Human sacrifices are strictly forbidden also. Killing oneself at a place of pilgrimage will never bring salvation as anticipated. God himself has said, ‘Through righteous action, austerities, knowledge, renunciation, Yoga (control of mind), charitable acts and ultimately through Bhakti (devotion), my devotees attain the pleasure of My Dhaam (heaven) and My favour. But never does one attain me through the sacrifice of their bodies.’
We have already quite extensively discussed how sacred the body is considered and for that reason one must never purposely cause injury to oneself or kill oneself.
Mitakshara Smruti adds, ‘One should not purposely kill oneself in order to reach the heavens,’ thus they should wait for nature to take it’s cause.
There are often ridiculous stories, for example it is said that those who kill themselves in Kashi attain Moksha. But if this was so wouldn’t everyone just live a life of self-indulgence and then at the end if ones life go to Kashi and commit suicide? These stories are preposterous and should never be accepted.
It is blatantly written that one will never benefit from suicide. Indeed such a person is considered a great sinner and so should not be contemplated even if you are shamed in society for some act committed by oneself.
It should similarly not be undertaken in times of hardship or depression. One may think that they can’t cope in life and so commit suicide as an ‘easy way out’. However by doing so, you are committing yourself to numerous births and deaths in the animal kingdom, through which you will endure endless pain and distress. Human life is the only means to the heavens. If we waste this life we will have to wait an awful long time before we may again have the chance to secure a place at the Lord’s blessed feet. Therefore we must never waste this precious life that we are given.
Shatanand asks that we do not take the easy way out and that we persist onwards by finding refuge in Bhakti for only it can lead man to a better life. We must all learn to be satisfied with what we are given in this life. It is a lesson in life to be accepting. To neither elate in times of happiness nor lament in times of sadness.
Sukh (happiness, prosperity) and Dukh (poverty, illness) come and go just as night and day. We must never forget God in times of both hardship and prosperity. We must never become attached to happiness and thus lead oneself away from God. Think of pain as a blessing in disguise for it is a time when we draw closer to God. It makes us realise that true wealth lies in the knowledge of God, in the favour of God and thus God alone is the source of all that is desirable in life. Therefore never become obsessed in material happiness. Become impartial and unaffected in favourable times as well as the unfavourable times. Wealth and prosperity often destroy a person if they are not careful. They feel that they have earned such wealth and that they are therefore somehow above others. Such ego leads to all the enemies of man such as desire, anger, selfishness, intoxication and so on. This is extremely detrimental to the human character.
Attachment or obsession to this wealth and prosperity will make it difficult to adapt to times of hardship. As a result they may feel that suicide is their only option. Therefore it is crucial that people are able to stay level-headed through both times so that the thought of suicide is far from their minds. The act of suicide is totally selfish and despicable as often the person committing the act is leaving a wife and children, which are dependent on that person.