Anushashan : Asteya

|| योग: कर्मसु कौशलम् ||

Karyakarta also needs to follow Asteya in one's life. Practicing Asteya is an integral part of the Ideal Social Order. The contentment is the root of Asteya and therefore, Mananeeya Eknathji who envisioned Ideal Social Order must have felt the importance of this aspect in the life of Karyakarta. And therefore through Yoga, the Asteya also is understood. 

Asteya means non-stealing. Many may feel that we follow at least this Yama, as we do not steal. But we have to see the real meaning of Asteya. The Bhagavad Gita (III.12) gives the definition of a thief – one who eats without offering in Yagna. We know in the Dharmachakra,  whatever one gets from Samashti - Society, keeping whatever is needed for oneself, balance should be contributed which is performance of  a  Yagna. This continuous contribution by way of worshipping the deities through Yagna keeps the Dharmachakra ever moving widening and strengthening the society. Thus practice of Asteya means the practice of Pancha Maha Yagna.

The practice of Asteya is to take only that which one earns and to enjoy only that that remains (Yagnashishta III.13) after performing Yagna – that is after offering to the larger collectives- Samashti. When in a society such Yagna goes on, the society is enriched and therefore an individual does not lack anything and stealing does not take place. Foreign historians describe that the houses in India were without locks. It exists in many villages even now. It was possible because each one in society was content as Asteya was practiced.

A person who practices Asteya does not lack in anything and with absolute practice, all wealth is available to him, as the enriched Samashti opens its treasures to him.

The Kendra work gives us a great opportunity to practice Panch Maha Yagnas through our Karyapaddhati and through that the Asteya.