24 - The Conduct of the Good and Approved usages

The term Sadāchāra is used in the sense of 'customs and usages'. The customs in Brahmăvarta were looked upon with great respect in Smrutis and Puranas. But here the term means 'the conduct of the good'. VP. III.11.3 defines it: 

Sadhavaḥ Kșhina-doshas tu sach-chabdāḥ sadhu-váchakah |

teşhām acharanam yat tu sadāchāras sa uchyate ||

This is attributed to Harita in Parāśharamadhaviya I.i., p.144. 

This topic is treated in many Puranas e.g., VP.III.Chs. 11 & 12, KP.II. chs. 16 and 19, AP.Chs. 155, 165, 253, Bh.P. VII.11, XI.17 & 18 to mention a few. In the NP. it is later described again in ch. I.43; overlapping and repetition of verses is expected in such a work, but a number of verses are common to many of these Puranas and are found in Smrutis as well.

Suta said: 

1.    On hearing what was said by Sanaka regarding the merit accruing from Hari's day (i.e., Ekadashi) which is incomprehensibly meritorious, the best of all Vratas, that subdues host of sins, the delighted son of Brahma spoke again.

Narada said: 

2. O sage, expert in the interpretation of principles, everything concerning the narration of holy Vratas has been mentioned by you. It is highly meritorious and it bestows devotion to Hari. 

3. Osage, now I wish to hear the rules of conduct prescribed for all castes and stages of life as well as the procedure for expiation. 

4. O highly blessed one, adept in the interpretation of all principles, it behoves you please to explain it to me precisely and with great compassion and favour.”

Sanaka replied: 

5. “O prominent sage, listen how the immutable Hari who is affectionate to the devotees, is worshipped by those who are devoted to the conduct of life befitting different castes and stages in life. 

6. I shall relate to you the arrangement of castes and stages of life as explained duly by Manu and others, as you are a devotee of Vishnu. 

7. Those castes are said to be four, viz., the Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. Among these the Brahmana is the foremost. 

8. The Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas — these three are called Dvijas (the twice-born), because at first they are born of their mothers and later on, they are consecrated by means of sacred thread with due repetition of the Mantras (which constitute the second birth). Thus twice-born-ness is attained by these three classes. 

9. All holy rites and duties must be performed by these castes in accordance with the specific duties prescribed for their castes. By failing to perform the holy duties prescribed for one's own caste, one is called a heretic by learned men. 

10. A twice-born, performing the holy rites and duties enjoined by his own Gruhya Sutra becomes blessed and contented. Otherwise, he will be fallen and excluded from all righteous activities. 

11. The Yuga dharma2 (virtuous activities specially pertaining to the particular Yuga) must be pursued by these castes according to propriety and relevancy. The customs and conventions of the different regions and lands must be followed as long as they are not repugnant to the rites and duties enjoined in the Smrutis.3

2. According to Mbh. Shanti 232.28, the principal aspects of religious life were: penance (tapas) in the Kruta age; metaphysical knowledge in the Treta, performance of sacrifices in the Dvapara and Dāna (religious gifts) in the Kali age. 

tapaḥ param Kruta-yuge, Tretāyāṁ jnanam uchyate |

Dvāpare yajñam evåhur, dånam ekam Kalau yuge ||

This verse is repeated in Manu I.86, Parashara I.23 and Va.P. 8.65 substitutes dhyanam 'meditation' for tapas in the Kruta age.

3. This sanction to customs is granted in the Sutra period. For example, the Ashvalayana sutra gives its sanction to different customs belonging to different regions and villages in celebration of marriages:

(Ucchavachă vai janapadadharmà grāmadharmas tän vivähe pratīyat |

Ashv.Gr. S. 

12. One must strive to practise prescribed religious duties physically, mentally and verbally. One shall never do anything repugnant to the public and not securing tire heaven, even if it is of a righteous nature. 

13-16. There are certain activities righteous (in other Yugas) but learned men say that they are to be avoided in the Kaliyuga4 viz. undertaking a sea voyage, carrying a (wooden or earthen) jar of water (by a householder i.e. renunciation of that stage of life), the marriage of the twice-borns with girls not belonging to their caste, begetting of sons through (dead) husband's brother, the slaughtering of animals in Madhuparka (respectful offering to a guest), offering flesh in Shraddhas, the stage of life called Vānaprastha (forest-hermit), remarriage of a married girl when the marriage was not consummated, Naishthika Brahmacharya (life long celibacy), human sacrifice, horse-sacrifice, Mahaprasthānagamana (undertaking a long journey to end in death) Gomedha (cow sacrifice) as well as Makhas (sacrifices). These activities, though righteous in other Yugas, are declared as fit to be avoided in the Kaliyuga.

4. The general principle of Sadāchāra is that if a religious practice though sanctioned by Dharma Sastra is found abhorrent to the public taste, it should be avoided. (Verse No.12). Thus, the sea-voyage involved pollution through contact with Mlecchas and hence was forbidden. The moral sense of the public abhorred the idea of niyoga, marrying a girl from a lower class, killing an animal for madhuparka (receiving a guest), offering meat or non-vegetarian diet to Brahmanas at the time of Sraddha, etc. and it came to be prohibited in the Kali Age. These four verses from the NP. (Nos. 13-16) enumerate what acts are to be avoided in the Kali age. Kali-varjya are quoted in the Nirnayasindhu, p. 367, Aparärka, p.15, CC.III.2, p.666, Sc.I.p.12, Parashara Madhaviya I.i p.133. The number of such forbidden acts differ with different texts. P.V. Kane in H.D.III.pp.930-966 enumerates 55 Kali Varjya acts one-fourth of which are against the institution of sacrifice, ten are due to the public insistence on purity of women and two, viz., the prohibition against Vanaprastha and Sannyasa give a blow to the ancient ashrama-dharma. The wording "though righteous in other yugas" (verse 16) is just to show respect to the authorities which prescribed them. Kane's view that 'Kalivarjya lists were put together at the earliest in the 10th and 11th century A.D.' needs modification in view of its occurrence in the NP. --unless we regard these verses as later interpolations.

17. The peculiar conventions of the different lands must be followed by men of respective lands. Otherwise, he (the dissenter) should be known as a fallen man, excluded from all religious activities (or social intercourse). 

18. O excellent Brahmana, I shall mention in general the holy rites of the Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Shudras. Listen to it with attention. 

19. (The duties of a Brahmana are :) He should offer charitable gifts to the Brahmanas; he should worship the gods by means of sacrifices; for the sake of livelihood, he may beg for alms; he should teach others. 

20. He should perform sacrifices on behalf of those who are eligible for the same; he should perpetually offer water libations; he should learn the Vedas and maintain sacrificial fires. 

21. He should have impartial conception of the acceptable wealth and that intended for others and should do what is conducive to the welfare of the world; he should speak softly. 

22. The sexual intercourse of a Brahmana with his wife is commended only on the prescribed nights after the menstruation; he should never utter anything unwholesome and injurious to anyone; he shall be devoted to the worship of Vishnu. 

23. (The duties of a Kshatriya are): 0 excellent Brahmana, a Kshatriya should give charitable gifts to Brahmanas, he should learn the Vedas; he should worship Devas by performance of sacrifices. 

24. He should maintain himself by means of weapons (i.e., military profession); he should rule over the Earth righteously and should chastise and curb the wicked; he should protect the disciplined (the good). 

25. O excellent Brahmana, breeding of cattle, commerce, agriculture and study of the Vedas are glorified as the duties of the Vaishya also. 

26. He should marry duly and practise righteous activities through wealth earned by means of business transactions or industrial activities. 

27. A Shudra also should give charitable gifts, but he should not perform domestic sacrifices involving cooking. He should render service to the Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas. 

28-29. The following duties are common to all castes: everyone should indulge in sexual intercourse with his own wife only on the prescribed nights after the menstruation; sincere desire for the welfare of all worlds, always speaking auspicious and pleasing words, absence of fool-hardiness, joyous temperament, forbearance, absence of over-arrogance, all these have been glorified as attributes common to all castes. 

30. By performing the rites befitting one's own stage of life, everyone attains the status of a sage, O Brahmana. In times of emergency5 a Brahmana may take to the conduct of life of a Kshatriya.

5. Verses 30-33 deal with the Apad-dharma The principle is that in times of emergency one should resort to the means of livelihood prescribed for the caste (Varna) which is immediately below one's own, vide Manu X.81-82. Yajña-valkya III.35, Vishnu Dh.S.54.28, but NP. insists that one should never follow Shūdra's vocation. When the emergency is over, the person following a 'lower' avocation should undergo expiation and follow his profession (Manu XI.193-194, Yajnavalkya III.35).

31. In times of grave emergency, a Kshatriya also may take to the activities of a Vaishya. Even in times of very grave emergency, a twice-born person should not take to the activities of a Shudra. 

32-34a. If a twice-born person in a confused state of mind takes to it, he shall become a Chandāla. O excellent sage, in the case of the three castes, the Brahmanas, the Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas, four Asramas (stages of life) have been mentioned. There is no fifth stage of life. They are: (the stages of) the religious student, the householder, the forest-hermit and the mendicant, O good one. Excellent Dharma is achieved through these four Ashramas. 

34b-35. O leading Brahmana, Vishnu is pleased with a person who is engaged in the path of action, whose mind is quiescent, free from desire, and is absorbed in his own duties. Thereafter, he goes to the greatest abode from which he does not return to this world.