Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 64
राजोवाच । अहिंसा परमो धर्मो अहिंसा च परं तपः । अहिंसा परमं ज्ञानमहिंसा परमं फलम्
rājovāca | ahiṃsā paramo dharmo ahiṃsā ca paraṃ tapaḥ | ahiṃsā paramaṃ jñānamahiṃsā paramaṃ phalam
بادشاہ نے کہا: “اہنسا (عدمِ تشدد) سب سے اعلیٰ دھرم ہے؛ اہنسا ہی سب سے بڑا تپسیا ہے۔ اہنسا سب سے اعلیٰ گیان ہے؛ اہنسا ہی سب سے بڑا پھل ہے۔”
The king (Kumārapāla in context)
Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya
Type: kshetra
Listener: Brāhmaṇas
Scene: The king speaks with composed authority, palm raised in teaching gesture, while brāhmaṇas listen; the forest appears serene, suggesting the quiet power of non-violence as supreme dharma.
FAQs
Ahiṃsā is presented as the summit of dharma, ascetic practice, wisdom, and spiritual attainment.
The teaching is situated in Dharmāraṇya; the ‘greatness’ emphasized is the greatness of ahiṃsā as dharma.
The prescription is ethical and universal: practice ahiṃsā as the foremost religious discipline.