knows steaking is illegal but still steals

Then why does He give sanction for our sinful activities? Because we want to do it. Because we want to do it. God does not want that you become implicated in sinful life. Therefore thief, he steals very stealthily. God says from within, "Don't steal. You will be implicated. You will be arrested. You will be punished. Why you are stealing?" But he will do. He will do. That is ajnana. That is ignorance. God is always helping us, but we do not care for God. That is our disease. Therefore we are getting different types of body and suffering. This is the philosophy, real philosophy, that God is there with me in the same bird, in the same... Exactly the same, that the driver is there and the proprietor is there in the same car. The car is a machine; similarly, this body is a machine. It is stated in the Bhagavatam, machine. Yantrarudhani mayaya.    (More...)

Prabhupada: Ah, he knows. Second Canto, Fourth Chapter. So asmin bhave. This is the problem. These rascals, they do not care to understand. They are so absorbed in ignorance. Just like some of the, what is called, smugglers. Smugglers, they go on with their work. They do not know... Some of them know also that "We'll be punished. We'll be arrested." Still, they go on. That is the difficulty. A thief knows that "If I am arrested for these criminal acts, I'll be punished." He knows it. And perhaps he has been punished several times. But still, he commits the same thing. Still, he steals. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30].    (More...)

Prabhupada: No. Chora na sone dharmera kahini. [Bengali proverb] A thief, if you speak to him, "My dear Mr. Thief, it is not very good work. You will be arrested. You will be punished. Why you are taking this risk?" so will he give up stealing? He knows himself, "Yes, I will be arrested and punished, but still I shall do it." This is ignorance.    (More...)