In Japan, killing oneself by using a sword to tear one’s own bowel, following which another person chops the head off is glamorised in many samurai TV shows. It is called sepekku and harakiri.

Illustration/Devdutt Pattanaik

Savarkar, thought leader of Hindu nationalism, gave up food and water in the final years of life. He saw this rejection of his mortal body as an offering to the soul (atma-arpan) . This was not suicide (atma-hatya). He had argued earlier that this was the path of many Hindu intellectuals and saints.

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In Japan, killing oneself by using a sword to tear one’s own bowel, following which another person chops the head off is glamorised in many samurai TV shows. It is called sepekku and harakiri.

Warriors plunge themselves into battle and even let the enemy kill them. This was called admired as matyrdom, not suicide. Suicide was sin in many cultures........

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