Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36
Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy
सदा स्तेयं च रत्नानां स्वर्णस्तेयसमं स्मृतम् । ताम्रायस्त्र्रपुकांस्यानामाज्यस्य मधुनस्तथा ॥ ३६ ॥
sadā steyaṃ ca ratnānāṃ svarṇasteyasamaṃ smṛtam | tāmrāyastrrapukāṃsyānāmājyasya madhunastathā || 36 ||
جواہرات کی چوری ہمیشہ سونے کی چوری کے برابر سمجھی گئی ہے؛ اسی طرح تانبہ، لوہا، ٹین، کانسی، گھی اور شہد کی چوری بھی اسی درجے میں ہے۔
Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada, teaching Dharma classifications)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
It emphasizes that taking others’ essential or highly valued possessions (like gems, gold, and key household resources) is a serious adharma, producing heavy karmic demerit and social harm.
Bhakti is grounded in purity of conduct; refraining from steya (theft) protects sattva and supports sincere worship, since devotion to Vishnu is incompatible with exploitation and dishonesty.
No specific Vedanga is taught directly; the verse functions as Dharma-nirṇaya (ethical determination) in a smriti-like style, useful for applying rules of conduct in daily life and ritual society.