The topic for the English Satsang on Sunday, 19th May, 2013 was ‘Asteya.’ (Non-stealing)
Following is the transcript of the speech made by Smt. Hansaji Yogendra on the topic.
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Listen to the Audio:
“In yoga Steya (stealing) is one of our intrinsic natural tendencies, just like Himsa (violence), and lying. If we get something, we take it even if it is not needed. If we find an unclaimed thousand rupee note on the road, we will take it and consider it as a gift from God. This tendency is there even in animals and insects. If an ant is carrying a piece of sugar and we shoo it away, it leaves the sugar and goes away. Another ant will come and take that piece of sugar. However, a human being can at least think and know that he doesn’t need something he has found, that he has enough. This is only possible when the person has some philosophy or understanding. A very wise mind in needed to think this way.
Steya can be in material things. Even at the Institute, sometimes things go missing, eg. shoes. People who come here are educated, who are not needy, and yet things are stolen. This is the tendency and we have to do many things for protecting people’s belongings. The point is that we need to learn that by stealing, we will not get happiness or peace or health. It leads to restlessness, fluctuation of temperament and many more things.
Regarding these tendencies, yoga strictly says, ‘Don’t.’ They will not allow you to go above the animal level. For this, we need understanding and control. An animal tends to be selfish, reactive, etc. but we need to remember that we have to face the consequences of all our actions. Steya can be at another level also – when we are talking loudly, we are stealing someone’s peace. One example shown here today was that a gas cylinder was under someone’s name but another person had guests coming home and needed the cylinder. They bribed to get hold of that cylinder. This way we do things for our own comforts without thinking of others.
There is no contentment. In newspapers you read of cricketers who are so rich and yet they want more money and get into match fixing. It is unnecessary, but there is a tendency. That is why yoga talks of the Niyamas – cleanliness, contentment, etc. We have to try and increase these tendencies.
Educated people steal even ideas. Speeches, articles, thesis, etc. are copied and stolen. So firstly, we should make sure that we do not do these things. Now, in today’s world we will find many people who do it. They want things the easy way. They will bribe to get a position, while a wise, hard working man will not get it. Even in Shastras (scriptures) it is written that you will get peace only from hard earned money. Other kind of money will only give you unhappiness, frustration, disease, etc. We need to understand that we will get what we are destined for and so there is no need to steal.
The lesser things we own, the more peace we will have. On the roads, there are many thieves and snatchers. If you are wearing too much jewellery, you will bring harm to yourself.
There is a true story of two brothers, one of which was coming to the Institute. Their father had a well established business and the elder brother took over when he died. The younger brother was still very young. As he grew older, the business was a large empire and he had all comforts. He got into bad company or smugglers and drug peddlers and spent money to such an extent that he took money from the business and ran away to Dubai but the elder brother got into debt because of him and had to sell his house and even his children’s encyclopaedias for paying back those debts.
The elder brother was a good and mature man. He used to come here because his health went bad because of the trauma he went through. He said that the one good thing that transpired out if all this was that because of this crisis, his family was now unified. His children earlier were a little spoilt but now had become good, hard working people. They worked hard together and got back onto their feet. However, the younger brother, inspite of all the money he has, is suffering from many diseases, his children are spoilt, etc.
This shows us that money does not give us peace. We have a tendency to want easy money and comfort but must try and work hard to earn what we get.”