To be with what is, to be truthful in one's life, to one's heart, one's presence, one's mind, is following satya. Not just with words, but with our intention. Is it truthful? Is your intention straightforward, is your intention clear? Or is there something else behind that? Is there some other catch you have in there? That indicates the truth. Truth is not what we speak, but what we are. Have you experienced this? When you are truthful, how do you feel? Suppose an injustice is done to you, how do you feel? When you know something is correct, then how do you feel? You have no sense of doubt in you. What you feel is very close to the state of truth in such circumstances. Mahatma Gandhi started this thing called "satyagraha". Agraha, means emphasizing anger. Satyagraha means truth with anger. This is what Mahatma Gandhi's whole movement was. Truth with an emphasis on anger, valor. The clarity in your intention, straightforwardness in your approach, is the truth, the second principle, the second niyamā.
The third niyamā is asteya - non-stealing. You look at somebody and say, "Oh! How nice it would be if I had a voice like her!” You have already stolen her voice. You look at someone who is beautiful and say, “Oh! How nice it would be if I were to look like that.” Just sitting and wishing that you had that look, that car, that power, that money, you have already stolen. Do you see what I am saying? This creates jealousy. Why do people steal? Because they want to possess it. Asteya eliminates jealousy, non-stealing. People steal many things. People steal somebody else's smile, toys, somebody else's technique. These things do not work. People who steal remain poor. The effect of not stealing, to stay committed, to be sincere is sarvaratnopalabdihi.
asteyapratiṣṭhāyāṁ sarvaratnopasthānam ॥37॥
अस्तेयप्रतिष्ठायां सर्वरत्नोपस्थानम् ॥३७॥
When non-stealing is established, all the jewels (wealth) approach the person.
- Patañjali Yoga Sutra 2.37
All the wealth comes to you effortlessly. A little intention to steal can keep you poor. Do you see what I am saying? Most of the time poverty is self-made. A person wants to be sneaky and grab and get as much as he can. That is where his luck goes down the drain. Non-stealing brings all the wealth.
True meaning of Brahmacharya>>
(This is part of a series of knowledge sheets based on Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's commentaries on Patanjali Yoga Sutras.)
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