If one is socially or by personality weak with regard to another (that is, not yet svamin oneself), one still need not be exploited: “for by dharma even the weak man can hope to prevail against a king” (Brihadaranyaka I.4.14, with Shankara’s comment).[20] This dharma is nothing other than nonviolence; as we have seen, ahimsa paramo dharma, “There is no higher dharma than nonviolence.” It is a fact not to be glossed over that Gandhi, one small man, prevailed against the British Empire in the height of its historic majesty with that secret. Can there be a secret more necessary to learn?
