Dear Ramakrishna,

Namaste. Thanks a lot but i was looking for the 2nd part. And as you said the
1st part is from Mahabharata which is the most-often quote from the so-called
secular hindus.

regs,
sriram

--- In advaitin@yahoogroups.com, "uramakrsna" <uramakrishna@...> wrote:
>
> Namaste Shri Sriram,
> jai janani!
>
> --- In advaitin@yahoogroups.com, venkata sriram <sriram_sapthasathi@>
> wrote:
> >
> > I am searching for the source of the popular quote "ahimsa paramo dharmah;
> > dharma himsa tathaiva cha" but am unable to find the text.
>
> The first part of the quote appears in anushaasana-parva in the discourse to
> yudhishhThira by bhiishhma. (I am not aware of where the second part of the
> quotation comes from.)
>
> ahiMsaa paramo dharmas tathaahiMsaa paraM tapaH |
> ahiMsaa paramaM satyaM tato dharmaH pravartate |13.116.25|
>
> ahiMsaa paramo dharmas tathaahiMsaa paro damaH |
> ahiMsaa paramaM daanam ahiMsaa paramaM tapaH |13.117.37|
>
> ahiMsaa paramo yaj~nas tathaahiMsaa paraM balaM |
> ahiMsaa paramaM mitram ahiMsaa paramaM sukham |
> ahiMsaa paramaM satyam ahiMsaa paramaM shrutam |13.117.38|
>
> Here is the source.
>
>
http://www.sub.uni-goettingen.de/ebene_1/fiindolo/gretil/1_sanskr/2_epic/mbh/sas\
/mahabharata.htm
>
> From Ganguli's book, here is the translation.
>
> Abstention from cruelty is the highest Religion. Abstention from cruelty is
> the highest self-control. Abstention from cruelty is the highest gift.
> Abstention from cruelty is the highest penance. Abstention from cruelty is
> the highest sacrifice. Abstention from cruelty is the highest puissance.
> Abstention from cruelty is the highest friend. Abstention from cruelty is
> the highest happiness. Abstention from cruelty is the highest truth.
> Abstention from cruelty is the highest Sruti. Gifts made in all sacrifices,
> ablutions performed in all sacred waters, and the merit that one acquires
> from making all kinds of gifts mentioned in the scriptures,--all these do
> not come up to abstention from cruelty (in point of the merit that attaches
> to it). The penances of a man that abstains from cruelty are inexhaustible.
> The man that abstains from cruelty is regarded as always performing
> sacrifices. The man that abstains from cruelty is the father and mother of
> all creatures. Even these, O chief of Kuru's race, are some of the merits of
> abstention from cruelty. Altogether, the merits that attach to it are so
> many that they are incapable of being exhausted even if one were to speak
> for a hundred years."
>
> More here:
> http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b081.htm
>
> sarva-vishvaatmike sarva sarvaatmike
> Ramakrishna
>