“In Hinduism, human conduct is summed up by two salient terms—papa and punya. Papa refers both to unethical action and the demerit earned through wrongdoing. Indian texts provide various lists of wrongful actions.

Among all transgressions, injuring others, himsa, is considered the most serious offence. Conversely, refraining from injuring others, called ahimsa, is the foremost virtue. The Mahabharata extols its supremacy: “Ahimsa is the highest dharma. It is the highest purification. It is also the highest truth from which all dharma proceeds.”  

In ashthanga yoga, the idea of avoiding wrongdoing is called yama or restraint. Sage Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras, lists five famed restrains, of which ahimsa is the first…..”