Golden Steps To Salvation

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

Page 20

These four kinds of adattas (things, not given) are against dharma or righteousness. Hence, they amount to theft. Aryas do not commit theft. Only Anaryas (uncivilised people) commit theft. Stealing brings ignominy. According to the Bhagavad Gitā, "The sorrow caused by ignominy is greater than that caused by death."
सम्भावितस्य चाकीति: मरणादतिरिच्यते Sambhāvitasya Chūkirtirh
maranādatirichyate “For a man with a good name the sorrow caused by ignominy is greater than that of death."
Therefore, all men and women should accept and practise the principle of Achaurya Vrata (the austerity of non-stealing). According to Patanjali's Yoga Darshana
अस्तेयप्रतिष्ठायां सर्वरत्नोपस्थानम् Asteyapratishthāyām Sarvaratnopasthānam "If anyone practises the principle of non-stealing; if anyone accepts the principle of non-stealing in its truest sense, he will acquire such a power of insight that he begins to see the countless precious stones that lie concealed in the earth."
Good people keep away from them the desire to commit a theft, just as they keep off the desire to drink. Because just as the habit of drinking cannot be discarded, the habit of stealing also cannot be discarded easily.
Once there was a woman. She had the habit of stealing, from her childhood. Whatever she could lay hands upon, at any place, at any time, when an opportunity presented itself to her, she stole it and brought it home whether she needed it or not. She had a son. He was very much worried about his mother's habit of stealing, but it was not in his power to reform his mother's habit.
Once, having been invited to a marriage, the son accompanied his mother to his grandfather's house. On the way, he impressed upon his mother the idea that she should safe-guard her self-respect and that she should not