Second situation of disease and surgery: Suppose a man is suffering from some contagious disease, which can only be cured through a surgical operation. Now in order to cure this suffering man, as well as to protect others from catching this infection, a surgeon may have to remove the infected part from his body by the use of his knife. This cutting of the body by a knife is also among the things which cannot be looked upon either as violence or non-violence.
Third situation of facing an aggressive nation: Suppose an aggressive nation invades a weaker nation for selfish purposes and some other nation, which is inspired solely by the noble desire of saving the weak nation, resists this aggressive invasion by armed force. Fighting for such resistance in the defense of the weak nation cannot be looked upon as either violence or non-violence, but can be called "non-violent violence."
Fourth situation of killing a mad-dog: Suppose a mad dog has run amuck and is likely to bite schoolchildren, and the teachers in this school kill the mad dog in order to protect the children. This destruction of the mad dog does imply violence, but there is no hatred in it.
Fifth situation of resisting violence by a strong man: Suppose a physically strong man is insulted and spat upon by an arrogant man who is nevertheless weak, and suppose that the strong man, who has got the power to crush the arrogant man, not only desists from hurting the arrogant man but calmly explains to him the gospel of love. This action implies non-violence, but it is the non-violence of the strong.
Baba continued by commenting on these situations:
The first three situations mentioned clearly bring out that the question whether a situation implies violence or non-violence cannot be decided except by entering into many subtle and delicate considerations: first, with regard to the diverse details pertaining to the situation, and second, with regard to the nature of the motive which prompts action. And the last two situations bring out that even where it is easily possible to say that a particular situation implies violence or non-violence, the violence or non-violence may be characterized by the presence of certain other factors, which substantially give it a meaning which goes beyond the ordinary meaning attached to these words.
A detailed analysis of the case of the hit on the drowning man (situation one) shows that though it involves the use of force without the prior consent of the person on whom it is exerted, the force used is ultimately used with the motive of saving the man's life.