For the Love of All Beings: A Letter of Ahimsa, Justice, and Compassion

The Rigveda speaks to the sanctity of all life, declaring, “May all beings look at me with a friendly eye, and may I do likewise; may all beings look at each other with a friendly eye” (Rigveda 10.191.4). Justice is not limited to human society alone but extends to all beings who share this Earth. When we choose compassion over consumption, we are not only upholding the rights of animals but affirming the justice that should guide all our relationships. Our ethical responsibility includes treating animals with dignity, acknowledging their suffering, and striving for a more just and kind world. Let us not argue about what people did in the past, whether they consumed meat, or dairy or any specific circumstances as examples but let us look at the tremendous evidence of the suffering of animals, violence to our planet and ourselves.  If we apply and engage our ethical or dharmic compass with intelligence we will find that veganism is a very practical and simple solution to heal nature and reduce harm to nature whilst still living well.

Modern science has underscored the urgency of these choices. Research on planetary boundaries, particularly by the Stockholm Resilience Centre, has identified critical thresholds in areas like climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity loss. Animal agriculture, including the dairy industry, is one of the primary drivers pushing us beyond safe boundaries, fuelling deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and the depletion of our planet’s natural resources.  Many will choose to do nothing about it, but the call to ‘Go Dharmic’, is one for us to take responsibility. 

In the Mahabharata, there was a wise merchant Tuladhara who encountered the sage Jajali, who had spent years practising severe austerities, renouncing worldly attachments, and engaging in rigorous sacrifices. Jajali, proud of his accomplishments, believed he had attained the highest form of dharma and purity. Seeking validation, he asked Tuladhara about the merit of his practices. In response, Tuladhara shared a profound lesson on ahimsa and the path of least harm.

Tuladhara says:

“Ahimsa paramo dharmah”

“Non-violence is the highest dharma.”

Tuladhara adds that compassion and empathy are the roots of true spirituality, saying:

“One who truly understands dharma acts with kindness, not out of adherence to rules, but from a heartfelt desire to see all beings at peace. For such a person, all beings are part of their own family.”

He underscores that merely following strict austerities, as Jajali had done, does not embody true dharma. Instead, the essence of dharma lies in recognising the interconnectedness of all life and embodying ahimsa in every thought, word, and action.

This dialogue serves as a powerful reminder to us that the essence of dharma is compassion and non-harm, a teaching that has echoed through the centuries and I believe is one of the core teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. 

Tuladhara taught Jajali that living in harmony with others, showing compassion to all beings—whether human, animal, or nature—is a truer and higher form of dharma than any sacrifice.

Jajali, who was humbled realised that while he had lived with great austerity, he had missed the essence of dharma: living with compassion and walking a path of gentleness, choosing actions that brought peace rather than harm. Through his story, Tuladhara shows us that the greatest spiritual strength lies not in conquering oneself through rigid discipline or rituals, but in nurturing a heart that is gentle, kind, and mindful of the well-being of all creation.He says:

“One should walk the path that causes the least harm to all beings, for in sparing others, one preserves their own purity and the world’s balance.”