Sri Bharatamata

Ashtottaram 20

 

 

 

20) OṀ SADĀCHĀRA BHŨMYAINAMAH:

    OṀ (AUM) - SA- DAA- CHAA- RA - BHOO- MYAI-

                                                            - NA--MA- HA

 

             (Sadāchāra: means 'good conduct', 'good behavior')

 

 

Sadāchāram means good conduct, behavior and response to the world. Dharma (righteousness) is the principal basis of Hinduism. Its entire value system depends on the former. The four sources of dharma are: Vedas (Śrutis), smritis (secondary scriptures not opposed to the Vedas); sadāchāra (conduct of good people); and ātmanahpriyam (what is sanctioned by one's pure conscience).

 

Sadāchāra is generally defined as the āchāra or conduct of śiṣhtās or satpuruṣhās or good persons. These satpuruṣhās have purified themselves by practicing the virtues ordained in the holy texts and by eschewing the ariṣhad.vargās (the six enemies of human being like lust, anger, greed, delusion, ego, and jealousy). Whenever there is a doubt about one's conduct in a particular situation in life, one should look at the conduct of these satpuruṣhās and follow them (Taittirīya Upanishad). There is 'Manusmriti' as a reference text as an authority on rules of conduct. It engages in the human behavior, conduct, virtues that are not only considered ethical and moral to human race but also for the society at large. It explains the benefits of good conduct and warns the down fall of humanity if those rules are broken.

 

The dharmaśāstrās mainly talk about three: 1) Āchārās (practice of sanctities), 2) Vyavahārah (conduct), and 3) Prāyaśchitta (expiation, a firm resolve). Our ṛishis claim that the dharma has its roots in the āchārās. In Anuśāsanaparvam chapter of the Mahābhārata, it was said that "āchāraprabhavo dharmah" meaning dharma came from āchāra.  Those people who perform the daily rituals like bath, cleanliness, worshipping Sun God at dawn, japa, deity worship, etc on a daily basis without fail no matter of what; whether rain or shine, doing their daily rituals are called 'sadāchāra sampannās'.

 

Our land is the 'sadāchārabhūmi,' where daily rituals are still performed by many Hindus; despite the modernization, the materialism, and westernization which unfortunately have a great influence on the youth.