What Are the Yamas in Ashtanga Yoga?

Ahimsa means not to cause trouble, hurt or harm to other beings, be it humans, animals, insects, plants or even air, water. Polluting water is himsa. Littering is himsa.

Satyam means telling only what is real. One has to be very careful here. Even if you engage in gossiping, talking about what you are not sure about is asatya. Talk only what you are sure about.

All these politicians are liars – very loosely said – it is asatya. You are repeating what someone else has said. You do not know for sure. There may be some who lie. There are many who do not lie. It is also not that everything that the politicians speak are lies. So what do you actually do when you say ‘all these politicians are liars’? You are yourself becoming a liar. If you want to be a yogi you have to be careful about all these.

Vedas say that one major difference between men and gods is that men lie, gods do not lie. Hence those performing yajnas are told to observe silence during yajna. If they open their mouth they are likely to speak untruth.

What is steyam? Stealing, or taking someone else’s property by force. Taking something that you do not deserve or something that is not rightfully yours. Even taking credit for something that someone else has done is steyam, stealing.

Asteyam means to refrain from all these. Man has a natural tendency to steal. So this is a self-regulation to be observed by the yogi.

स्मरणं कीर्त्तनं केलिः प्रेक्षणं गुह्यभाषणम् ।
सङ्कल्पोऽध्यवसायश्च क्रियानिष्पत्तिरेव च
एतन्मैथुनमष्टाङ्गं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः ।
विपरीतं ब्रह्मचर्य्यमेतदेवाष्टलक्षणम्

The different forms of maithuna or conjugation other than the actual physical act kriya nishpathihi are –
Smaranam – thinking about it, remembering it
Keertanam – describing it
Kelihi – enacting playfully
Prekshanam – watching it
Guhyabhashanam – talking about it secretly, like the secret chats online that have become rampant
Sankalpaha – fantasizing
Adhyavasaya – making an effort, even trying

Not doing any of this is brahmacharya. This is brahmacharya in the ordinary sense.

Brahmacharya is not just celibacy as is popularly believed. Brahmacharya is a way of life or conduct with thoughts fixed on the higher self rather than mundane affairs.

Manu says –
Na mamsabhakshane dosho na madye na cha maithune
Prakritiresha manushyanam nivrithistu maha phalaha

There is no harm in eating meat, drinking alcohol or in physical relation. This is in the nature of man. But if you avoid, the results are great.

Brahmacharya essentially means to stay away from all acts of self-gratification through the senses.

Aparigraha means not to receive, not to expect to get, not to covet. I do not need anything. I have everything I need. To be self-contented is aparigraha.

These are the four yamas, self-regulations to be observed by someone who wants to attain yoga.

• Is non-violence realistic in everyday life? Choose the least harmful option you can, while staying firm. Set boundaries, prevent abuse, and use calm, proportionate action instead of aggression.

• Does self-defense break non-violence? No. Protecting life with the minimum necessary force aligns with non-violence. Intention and proportionality matter.

• Should truth be told even when it hurts? Yes, but pair truth with care. Speak what is accurate, necessary, and beneficial. Choose timing and tone that reduce harm.

• Are white lies acceptable? Prefer silence, redirection, or confidentiality. Use a lie only to protect life or critical safety, not convenience or ego.

• Is repeating rumors a moral issue? Yes. Passing unverified claims is falsehood. Verify, or do not repeat.

• Is taking credit for another’s work a form of theft? Yes. Credit is a moral asset. Stealing it violates fairness and trust.

• Does digital piracy count as stealing? Yes. Unauthorized copying takes value without consent. Pay, cite, or use open resources.

• Is brahmacharya only about celibacy? No. It is disciplined direction of energy. Reduce stimuli that inflame craving and invest attention in higher aims.

• Do private fantasies matter if no act follows? Yes. Repeated imagination strengthens desire pathways and weakens self-mastery.

• How do I practice restraint in the online world? Curate feeds, avoid trigger content, keep private chats clean, set time limits, and switch to enriching activities.

• Does non-possessiveness mean neglecting family needs? No. Meet duties fully without hoarding or clinging. Use things as a steward, not as an owner of identity.

• Can I be ambitious and still practice non-possessiveness? Yes. Pursue excellence, not excess. Seek mastery and service, not status and accumulation.

• How do I know I am progressing? You cause less harm, speak more accurately, respect others’ time and credit, feel fewer compulsive pulls, and live lighter with enough.

• Are these disciplines only prohibitions? They are strengths. Non-violence grows courage, truth builds trust, non-stealing cultivates dignity, restraint frees attention, and non-possessiveness creates clarity.

• What if I slip? Repair fast. Apologise, return what is not yours, reset your inputs, and recommit. Falling is data; correction is growth.

• Do these principles conflict with each other? No. Truth without harm, restraint without repression, and simplicity without neglect all reinforce one another.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi