The document discusses rationales for abandoning capital punishment. It argues that: 1) Punishments should aim to promote global benevolence rather than vindictive impulses. 2) Laws should help people blossom and reduce crime, not throttle freedom or promote more crimes. 3) Non-lethal punishments can curb criminal tendencies from the start and prevent worse crimes.

1. CAPITAL
PUNISHMENT
DR
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

2. Disciple: Master! Should capital punishment be abandoned?
Guru: Yes! Certainly!
Disciple: What is the rationale?
Guru: Firstly; in principle; our punishments should be born out of
the vision of global benevolence and not vindictive impulses.
Vindictive impulses and urge of vengeance; appear justifiable; but
this is only because they gratify our basal nature.
Secondly; the laws should be such; that they help us to blossom;
and NOT throttle our freedom, harass us and in fact promote all
varieties of crimes ranging from relatively innocuous mistakes and
misdeeds; to murders and rapes. Further; the laws should be
should be understood by people; and ideally so simple; that
compliance would be much easier “law breaking” would become
rarer. Even the need of lawyers would be reduced.
Thirdly; we can curb the criminal tendencies; right from the
beginning (when they are not as ghastly as they latter become);
and prevent crimes to a large extent
Fourthly; the nature of punishments; in general should be
emphatically corrective and reformative to such an extent; that
„deterrence‟ would ensue through correction and reformation.

3. Fifthly; the capital punishment usually leaves no chance for an
individual; for compensation and/or chastisement; for a particular
crime.
Sixthly; capital punishment (and in general; the idea of deterrence
as such in punishments) seems to further; the chain reaction of
crimes; and multiply the evil; and not eliminate it!
Seventhly; this does not mean that the punishment should be mild.
What it means is; it should be appropriate; to both; chastise and
compensate (to at least some extent)! For example; a person, who
throws litter on road; should be made to clean it free of cost for a
week or two.
Eighthly; we ourselves (the makers of law and those who
implement it) have to rise above our own criminal tendencies; and
also the craving of vengeance. For this; we have to undertake
some activity that can sublimate our “rage about crimes and
injustice”; into “honest concern” for universal welfare!
Such activity; useful; irrespective of race, region, nationality,
occupation, religion and ideology; is NAMASMARAN (JAP,
JAAP, JIKRA, SUMIRAN, SIMARAN i.e. remembering God‟s
name or true self). If we have this pill to cure and prevent a
disease (crimes); then why should we use radical surgery; such as
amputation (capital punishment)?

4. Disciple: But would a society in rage; accept such punishments for
heinous crimes?
Guru: Till we grow beyond our subjectivity, prejudices and notice
the nascent criminal tendencies within us; we may not appreciate
the value of all the foregone discussion. But as we get more and
more civilized, through the practice of NAMASMARAN; even
more creative and constructive suggestions would emerge!