The Eight Limbs Of Yoga

Chapter 10 - The Eight Limbs Of Yoga 

Day 77 

Yama is the first limb. What are yamas? Ahimsa satya asteya brahmacharya aparigraha. These are five yamas : 

1. Ahimsa - non violence

2. Satya - truth

3. Asteya - stealing

4. Brahmacharya - moving in Barhman, moving in bigness 

5. Aprigraha - non accumulation

These are the greatest vows because it is applicable at all times, in all places and for all people. There are certain laws which apply just to certain people, or times. An animal is violent for some reason. The wild animals hunt only when they are hungry. They do not hunt just for pleasure but the human beings do. They go hunting for no reason. 

A python eats one rat a month and sleeps for the rest of the month. Just one rat a month is good enough for it though it is scary and dangerous. If it swallows a goat or eats something bigger, it will not harm or kill any animal for several months. But human beings in the name of God, in the name of love, kill each other. 

In this world, mindless violence is prevalent in the name of country, religion, etc. This is total lack of viveka, wisdom. A violent man cannot hear anybody. His ears are sealed. Violence is the result of frustrations. The mind gets frustrated. The frustration builds up. A big question mark may come up and that very question turns into violence and it catches on to the surroundings. 

A crowd may become violent. Individually a person may not be able to do a violent act. However, in a crowd, he will join hands with everybody and be violent. Viveka can dawn when a person takes this vow of non-violence - that he will not kill or take any life on this planet consciously. 

Unconsciously, you may be destroying many creatures like ants. You may be stepping on and killing them consciously. It is happening. But an intention to destroy something or to be violent can cut your own roots. Dropping this intention for violence is ahimsa.

And then satya - to be with what is right now, to be with something that is non changing. To know that something, deep in you, is non changing. Satya does not mean just speaking truth. Satya is total commitment to the truth. It is not just with words. Unfortunately, people mistake satya to mean just speaking the truth.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS