If you are a perfect follower of non-violence, you give an oath that you would not hurt any creature. However, if you saw one dog killing three cats, what would you do — kill the dog? If you stood aside, you would allow the killing of the three cats. What, Elizabeth, would you do? If you keep silent, you are helping to kill three cats. If you kill the dog, you are violent.
There is a tiger among a herd of cattle and you have a gun in your house that you do not touch, because of your oath of non-violence. You know you can kill the tiger and save the herd. What would you do? Kill the tiger, but [remain] detached — this is what Krishna teaches. Do not follow violence or non-violence, just be detached. You must kill for the good of the herd. In the case of Arjuna, it was for the spiritual good of others, who were like tigers of lust and greed.
Is it right to go to war? Go to war if called and you cannot avoid it, but do not fight for the sake of killing. You just help and kill detached, or be killed without fear and anger toward the killer. Few, very few, can do so.
-www.lordmeher.org, p2017
July, 1939; Meherabad