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then there is a possibility of an explosion at any moment. It is therefore necessary to understand two things to be free from desire and from violence. Dissolution of desire for violence and also the dissolution of suppressed flow are equally essential. If the desire for violence goes away new forces of violence are not created in future. Mahavira has used a very fine word for catharsis. We call it purgation which is called catharsis by the western psychologists.
Mahavira has called it withering away. It is a wonderful word, means the falling of a thing. It is the scattering of a thing which has been collected. It means to separate a thing by throwing away dust particles collected on it. Many such forces of suppressed desires are lying collected within us. It is only in meditation that catharsis of these forces can be done. There is no other way for the catharsis of man's suppressed forces. How is it done in meditation?
If you perform a small experiment when there is a desire in your mind to box someone, you will be much perplexed. i am not joking about that experiment. A big science laboratory in America is working on this experiment. There is Esalen Institute in California. There is a very great sage-Rishi in America at present. His name is Pearse. He puts bandages on the eyes of those who have a strong desire to commit violence in their minds. Then he keeps pillows in front of them and asks them to go on boxing the pillows as if they are enemies. He says, 'Beat him whom you wish to beat.' At first, the man laughs and says, 'how can I beat a pillow?' But there is no difference in beating another person and a pillow. It makes no difference in the poison produced in the blood while striking any person and striking a pillow. What is more in another person than in a pillow? So Pearse would ask his violent patient to strike the pillow. At first, the patient would laugh but Pearse asks him not to laugh and start striking. The patient would ask him if he (Pearse) was making fun of him. Pearse would say 'There is a little fun in it, but go on beating'. The patient would start beating the pillow and in a short time persons standing there would be surprised
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