PHRASES IN THE GITA - 14

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PHRASES IN THE GITA - 14

स्तेन एव सः |  (अध्याय ३ - श्लोक १२)
ஸ்தேன ஏவ ஸ:  (அத்யாயம் 3 - ஸ்லோகம் 12)
Stena Eva Saha (Chapter 3 - Shloka 12)

Meaning :  He is a thief, none but a thief...

He is a thief, none but a thief...  Shri Krishna appears rude at some places in the Gita.  But, He is merely stating a plain fact.  Truth does not necessarily be pleasant to us.  Instead of trying to twist the Truth to suit our convenience, we must realize and tune ourselves to it.

Who is a thief?  One who takes others' money or things is a thief.  A pickpocket, a chain snatcher, a burglar, a robber, a blackmailer, one who steals crop of some one else's fields, the technical hacker who steals money from bank accounts, and the likes are thieves according to us.  The popular definition is also on these lines.  The trader who resorts to adulteration, one who sells duplicates and fakes, one who deceives on measure, one who cheats through fraudulent chit funds, multi-level or chain marketing, lotteries, etc. may also be added to this list of thieves.

The one who encroaches upon Government lands and others' lands, the one who surreptitiously expands boundaries of his lands, one who erects his shop and encroaches upon pavements meant for pedestrians, one who constructs his house using every inch of his own ground, with the steps and sunshades extending into common space and regards himself as smart, one who uses the road and pavement for parking his car, (why! even the one who stretches his legs onto others' seat in a train..) are all thieves, thieves stealing space.

One who steals labour of others is also a thief.  One who exploits others' helplessness to extract more work, one who pays less, one who gets employee's signature for an amount higher than the actual payment and manipulates accounts, one who uses children as labour for low wages only to increase profits, one who uses emotions to extract free labour, etc. are also thieves who steal others' labour.

One who evades taxes, one who manipulates accounts to get Governmental privileges and grants, one who receives, though ineligible, freebies distributed by the Government for poor, one who avails privileges using bribe, one who uses public systems without paying the due charges, the ticket-less traveler, one who enters railway platform without platform ticket, one who travels in sleeper class with a ticket meant for general compartment, one who uses the free electricity provided for agriculture, one who wastes or sells Government subsidies and rations, one who rents out free house provided by Government, one who uses for personal and family works, the vehicle and other assistance provided by the Government for greater efficiency in his Governmental duty, the one who works not for the salary but for the extra bribes, etc. are thieves, stealing from Government coffers.

Our ancestors go a step further and declare that even desiring to take or enjoy others' things is stealing.  None else knows our desire.  The Police can not curb this stealing.  We know our desire and hence are the right Police ourselves to curb this type of stealing.

There are no grades in stealing.  There are no such gradations as petty thief, big thief, etc.  Grading may be possible in the eyes of law, but not in the eyes of Dharma.  For the one who is on Religious fasting, his fast and Religious vow is broken, whether he eats just a fistful of food or a feast.  Similarly, it is nothing but stealing, whether he steals a few pennies or a few million dollars.

Asteyam or non-stealing has been declared as one of the traits of Dharma, by our ancestors.  Patanjali Yoga Sutra declares Asteyam as one of five Yama or the basic values in life.  Our Nation has a reputation of houses without doors, doors without locks, lands without fence, low Police strength and smaller and lesser number of jails.  The one and the only factor responsible for this is Asteya, the value nourished and cherished for generations.  Even today, most of the villagers and the tribals Religiously honour and practice this value.  Most of us, graduated through the English system, offered ourselves small concessions saying, "this is not wrong", "this is a petty offense" etc. and have gradually slipped from the pedestals of Dharma.  Our conviction on Asteya has faded.  (How about our conviction on other values?  I can hear you commenting.  Yes.  I agree.  Those too have faded.)  Communism inspired labour unions have also contributed to the demise of this value.  It is an undeniable Truth that our Religious institutions, temples, preachers etc. have also failed in sustaining this value, through their rigorous Penance.

This phrase has been used by Shri Krishna in an entirely different connotation.  "We have earned our education, wealth, positions, power, house, comforts, etc. with the help of direct and indirect assistance of so many others.  Hence, he who uses these only for self, without sharing, is a thief", says Shri Krishna.  This is a beautiful Shloka in the Gita.  It suggests a great idea.  This shloka has been explained in greater details in "Amrita Kalasham Gita", a commentary on the Gita written by me.