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ignorance goes with self-conceit; conduct of knowledge goes with God. Egoistic conduct is violence; Godly conduct is non-violence.
The feeling of self-conceit drags to violence. That feeling is offensive. All violence turns around that axis. In ignorance, conceit prevails on the self. The soul gets drowned in it. What really does not exist appears to be there. This conceit stands separated and in opposition to the 'Power of the world'. Then it has to engage itself in constant self-defence. Constant extinction surrounds it. A feeling of unsafety keeps him company for twenty-four hours. That is a boat of paper which can drown any moment. It is a house of cards and any stir of the air can shatter it. This fear is the birth of violence. In its original mental form violence is fear itself. This fear can develop from self-defence to offence. In truth, even offence is another form of self-defence. Perhaps, Machiavelli has said: "Offence is the best form of defence". If fear remains confined to self-defence alone then ultimately it leads to cowardice. The same fear looks like bravery when it becomes offensive. But whether it is cowardice or the so-called bravery, fear is present in both; and that is the motive power for both. Those who wield the sword, as also those who keep themselves in hiding, are both moved by fear.
It is necessary to know what fear is, because he who is afraid can never be non-violent; and if a man-in-fear tries to be non-violent, he becomes merely a coward, not non-violent. History and experience offer many and powerful proofs of this. The basis of non-violence is fearlessness. In the absence of fearlessness, non-violence is not possible. Mahavira and Buddha have considered fearlessness as an essential pre-requisite for non-violence.
I find that the entire consciousness of man is surrounded by, and is made of fear. It is always present on some surface of his mind. This fear, whatever be the form of its manifestation, is basically the fear of death. Death surrounds all through life. It is drawing near at all moments. It can come at any moment and from any direction. From this death, which is possible at any time, fear is only natural.
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