Five Things to Definitely Avoid

I recently returned from Prayag, the area Allahabad where the second century B.C.E sage Patanjali had his ashram. He was a spiritual genius of the first magnitude whose books on yoga science, medicine, and grammar are Hindu classics. His presence is still strongly felt there and legends about the great master abound.

One of Patanjali's many contributions to Hindu culture was a set of ten commitments. It's a famous list of basic do's and don'ts that define what it means to be an ethical person. It spells out a fundamental commitment to spiritual life. It's the perfect place to begin our consideration of Hindu morality.

Patanjali began by listing five yamas,things that no one should ever do :

1. Ahimsa : Do not harm anyone

2. Satya    : Do not lie

3. Asteya  : Do not steal

4. Bramahacarya : Do not overindulge

5. Aparigaraha     : Don't be greedy.