(By Srila Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Gosvami Maharaja, Caitanya Vani Vol 1)
Ordinarily, the term jīva-hiṁsā is understood by people to mean ‘a physical or emotional act of violence against living entities, including oneself.’ If a person commits suicide, it is said that person has committed ātma-hatyā (murder of the self). But Śrīla Prabhupāda has explained that this is actually not ātma-hatyā, but rather śarīra-hatyā (murder of the body).
Therefore, physical or emotional violence against the gross and subtle bodies of the jīva is not jīva-hiṁsā, because the jīva is a spiritual soul distinct from these two bodies. While harming the gross and subtle bodies may be called jīva-hiṁsā by people in general, it is in fact not the true meaning of jīva-hiṁsā.
The soul is indestructible and cannot be harmed. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa has mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā (2.23):
nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi
nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ
na cainaṁ kledayanty āpo
na śoṣayati mārutaḥ
acchedyo ’yam adāhyo ’yam
akledyo ’śoṣya eva ca
nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur
acalo ’yaṁ sanātanaḥ
The soul can never be pierced by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water nor dried by the wind. The soul is indivisible, insoluble and cannot be burned or dried. He is eternal, all-pervading, permanent, non-moving and ever-existing.
The question then arises: what is the real meaning of jīva-hiṁsā?
Śrīla Prabhupāda has explained that the jīva possesses the qualification to attain the highest abode, provided he has undergone the required training and has properly understood the nature of that abode. Actual jīva-hiṁsā is of two types: (1) knowingly or unknowingly attempting to divert the jīva from the path leading to the highest abode (the path of pure bhakti) by instructing him to take up another path leading to a temporary destination, such as the paths of karma, jñāna, yoga and so on, and (2) abstaining from helping the jīva progress on the path leading to the highest abode. Therefore, real ahiṁsā (nonviolence) is to preach and follow the path of pure bhakti, and not the paths of karma, jñāna, yoga and so on. Unless a person has understood the true substance of this matter, his avoidance of performing jīva-hiṁsā more or less goes in vain.
Śrīla Prabhupāda has very clearly mentioned in his commentary on Guṇḍicā-mandira-mārjana-līlā-rahasya that jīva-hiṁsā means to have either kuṇṭhā (hesitation) or kṛpaṇatā (miserliness) in one’s preaching of śuddha-bhakti; to give māyāvādīs, karmīs or anyābhilāṣīs an opportunity (praśraya) to speak about their philosophies; or to speak solely for the sake of pleasing one’s listeners.