Steya: 11 definitions
Introduction
Steya means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi. 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.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaSteya (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: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexSteya (स्तेय).—Theft; one of the heinous sins;1 story of a thief Vajra of Kāñcī is told.2
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.
Dharmashastra (religious law)
Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-śāstraSteya (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 ManubhāṣyaSteya (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 (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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: archive.org: Vedic index of Names and SubjectsSteya (स्तेय) denotes ‘theft’ in the Atharvaveda and later. Cf. Dharma.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraSteya (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 (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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 7: The Five VowsSteya (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.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarystēya (स्तेय).—n S Thieving, theft, stealing.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishstēya (स्तेय).—n Theft, stealing. stēyī a That steals.
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.
Sanskrit-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionarySteya (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 DictionarySteya (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.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family. 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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Steyasamvasika.
Ends with: Asteya, Autkarshteya, Brahmasteya, Shravasteya, Suvarnasteya, Vasteya.
Full-text (+4): Suvarnasteya, Asteya, Adattadana, Steyin, Corika, Apahartri, Samvasika, Brahmasteya, Mahapataka, Theyya, Apada, Acitta, Sacitta, Ubhaya, Svamyadatta, Tirthankaradatta, Vyavaharapada, Gurvadatta, Jivadatta, Catushpada.
Relevant text
Search found 5 books and stories containing Steya, Stēya; (plurals include: Steyas, Stēyas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Section XLIII - Theft (steya) < [Discourse VIII - Law (Civil and Criminal)]
Section XVIII - Expiation for Theft (steya) < [Discourse XI - Expiation of Sins]
Verse 8.332 < [Section XLIV - Robbery (sāhasa)]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Part 1 - Definition of theft (steya) < [Section I.2 - Abstaining from theft]
Part 2 - Benefits of renouncing theft < [Section I.2 - Abstaining from theft]
Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 4.4.11 < [Part 4 - Compassion (karuṇa-rasa)]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī)
Verse 1.6.45 < [Chapter 6 - Priyatama: The Most Beloved]
Lalitopakhyana (Lalita Mahatmya) (by G.V. Tagare)