Steya: 21 definitions

Introduction:

Steya means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi, Hindi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

Alternative spellings of this word include Stey.

In Hinduism

Dharmashastra (religious law)

Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-śāstra

Steya (स्तेय) refers to “theft”, and is commonly classified as one of the eighteen vyavahārapada, or “law titles” in the ancient Dharmaśāstras. These vyavahārapadas are categories of ‘legal procedures’ and define a major type of crime for which a person may be tried. The term is derived from vyavahāra (“lawsuits” or “case”) which defines the case between the plaintiff and the defendant, which is often related to social and commercial transactions.

Steya is mentioned in the following sources as one of the eighteen vyavahārapadas: the Arthaśāstra (3.16.38) and the Manusmṛti (8.4-7).

Source: Google Books: Manusmṛti with the Manubhāṣya

Steya (स्तेय):—When a thing is taken away secretly, it is steya (‘theft’), as opposed to sāhasa (‘robbery’). (Also see the Manubhāṣya, verse 8.332)

Dharmashastra book cover
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Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.

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Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Steya (स्तेय).—Theft. In the law of chastisement of ancient Bhārata, appropriation of the property of others unjustly, was counted as theft (steya). The punishment awarded for theft in ancient Bhārata, is mentioned in Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 173, as follows. "All thefts are violation of justice. The thief of gold, will have to be beaten to death with a pestle. Then only his sin will be remitted. Or, he must live for twelve years, lying on the earth, wearing matted hair and eating only leaves, roots and fruits, once a day. The thief of pearl, coral, copper, silver, iron, bronze and stone, will have to eat millet rice (Kaṇānna) for twelve days. Those who steal food products, vehicle, bed, chair, flowers, fruits, roots etc. will be made to eat Pañcagavya (Milk, curd, butter, urine and dung of cow). He who steals grass, firewood, tree, dried rice, saccharum, cloth, hide, meat etc. will have to be made to fast for three days.

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Steya (स्तेय) refers to a “thief”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.3 (“The virtues of the three cities—Tripura).—Accordingly, as Śiva said to the Gods: “[...] How can I knowingly commit malicious deeds to my friends though I am hardy and powerful in battles? Even Brahmā has said that there is a great sin attending on even casual malicious actions. There are ways of atonement and amends for a brahmin slayer, a wine addict, a thief (steya) or a person who violates sacred rites. But there is no expiation for ungrateful men. [...]”

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Steya (स्तेय).—Theft; one of the heinous sins;1 story of a thief Vajra of Kāñcī is told.2

  • 1) Vāyu-purāṇa 105. 13.
  • 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 6. 37; 7. 4, 10.
Purana book cover
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The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

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Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Steya (स्तेय) refers to “thieving”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 15) (“On the nakṣatras—‘asterisms’”), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “[...] Those who are born on the lunar day of Mṛgaśirṣa will delight or deal in perfumes, dress, pearls, flowers, fruits, precious stones, wild beasts, birds and deer; will be Somayajis or singers; will be lascivious; will be good writers or painters. Those who are born on the lunar day of Ārdrā will delight in killing, torturing, lying, in adultery, thieving (steya), cheating and tale-bearing; will deal in pod-grains, black magic, sorcery and exorcism. [...]”.

Jyotisha book cover
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Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

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General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: archive.org: Vedic index of Names and Subjects

Steya (स्तेय) denotes ‘theft’ in the Atharvaveda and later. Cf. Dharma.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Steya (स्तेय, “theft”) according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XXII).—“Taking what is not given (adattādāna), knowing that an object belongs to another, forming the intention to steal it, taking the object and leaving the original place, saying: ‘This object belongs to me’: that is theft (steya). Not doing that is abstaining from theft. The rest, viz., stratagems (upāya), plots (nirūpaṇa), up to the fact of laying hands on some land that is not abandoned are auxiliary to theft (steyopakāra)”.

Mahayana book cover
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Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

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In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 7: The Five Vows

Steya (स्तेय, “stealing”) or Corikā.—According to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra 7.1, “desisting from injury (hiṃsā), falsehood (asatya), stealing (steya or corikā), un-chastity (abrahma) and attachment (parigraha) is the (fivefold) vow (vrata)”. What is meant by stealing (steya)? To take things which are not voluntarily given by others is stealing.

General definition book cover
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Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

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Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

stēya (स्तेय).—n S Thieving, theft, stealing.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

stēya (स्तेय).—n Theft, stealing. stēyī a That steals.

context information

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

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Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Steya (स्तेय).—[stenasya bhāvaḥ yat nalopaḥ]

1) Theft, robbery; व्यावृत्तगतिरुद्याने कुसुमस्तेयसाध्वसात् (vyāvṛttagatirudyāne kusumasteyasādhvasāt) Ku 2.35.

2) Anything stolen or liable to be stolen.

3) Anything private or secret.

Derivable forms: steyam (स्तेयम्).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Steya (स्तेय).—n.

(-yaṃ) 1. Theft, robbery. 2. Anything stolen or liable to be stolen. 3. Anything private. E. sten to steal, yat aff.; the final na rejected.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Steya (स्तेय).—perhaps anomal. stena + ya, n. Theft, robbery, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 2, 116; [Vikramorvaśī, (ed. Bollensen.)] [distich] 139.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Steya (स्तेय).—[neuter] theft, robbery.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Steya (स्तेय):—[from stai] n. theft, robbery, larceny, [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc.

2) [v.s. ...] anything stolen or liable to be stolen, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa]

3) [v.s. ...] anything clandestine or private, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Steya (स्तेय):—(yaṃ) 1. n. Theft, robbery.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Steya (स्तेय) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Tea.

[Sanskrit to German]

Steya in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

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Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Steya (स्तेय) [Also spelled stey]:—(nm) theft.

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Stēya (ಸ್ತೇಯ):—

1) [noun] an act of stealing; theft.

2) [noun] that which is stolen or liable to be stolen.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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