The phrase "Ahimsa Paramo Dharma" is mentioned several times in the Mahabharata.
अहिंसा परमो धर्मः
धर्म हिंसा तथीव च
Non-violence is the ultimate dharma. So too is violence in service of Dharma.
The following extract is narrated by Sauti Muni talking about Rishi Sahasrapat telling Rishi Ruru about the characteristics of a Brahmana.
Verily the highest virtue of man is sparing the life of others. Therefore a Brahmana should never take the life of any creature.
A Brahmana should be versed in the Vedas and Vedangas, and should inspire all creatures with belief in God.
He should be benevolent to all creatures, truthful, and forgiving, even as it is his paramount duty to retain the Vedas in his memory.
The duties of the Kshatriya are not thine. To be stern, to wield the sceptre and to rule the subjects properly are the duties of the Kshatriya.
In the Anusasana Parva, Yudhisthira is asked by Lord Krishna to ask Bhishma any questions he may have as this will be his last opportunity to do so. Yudhisthira states that Bhishma has told him that 'ahimsa paramo dharma' and is asking about it in the context of conducting Sraddha in which meat is offered.
Yudhisthira asks how can killing be avoided if meat is to be offered in offering sraddha in honor of ancestors?
Bhishma answers by stating that absention from eating meat is a great sacrifice (yagnya) and provides many benefits. He goes on to state that numerous benefits of Ahimsa.
Here ahimsa is translated as abstention from cruelty in relation to killing for the sake of eating the flesh of the killed animal for personal pleasure. In essence, Bhishma is stating that it is very beneficial to be vegetarian because thereby there is no cruelty to animals.
(Edited from an article in Hindupedia .)
In today's world very few will fit in to define strictly as "Brahmana". But any one can follow the path of Ahimsa by abstaining from cruelty of killing an innocent life for the sake of personal pleasure.
Brahmanyan
Bangalore.
