Importance of Sadachar / Virtues in Life?
Happiness comes from living a life of virtue. Sadachar rewards us with a life free from worries and stress.
The Indian Vedic system lays a very high premium on sadachar or virtues. We need not make too much efforts in discovering eternal peace and happiness. The Vedas suggest that we can reach this stage just by living with virtues.
Does Sadachar means we have to renounce our material life? 🌷
NO. We don't have to renounce anything. There is a difference between Sadachari and a Sadhu (ascetic). Sadachar is nothing but good conduct, decent behaviour and noble truthful existence. By truthful existence, we mean being true to oneself. We need to accept all positives and negatives within us with courage & grace. In spiritual context, it means living in harmony with the Universe around us.
We need not renounce everything and become a Sadhu to imbibe sadachar. Irrespective of our material situation, we can be sadachari (One who practises Sadachar). Sadachar is a state of mind. It has nothing to do with the material environment that surrounds our body and mind.
How does Sadachar helps us? 🌷
Rit or Sadachar is the very basis of Vedic Culture. Being Sadachari means having a powerful and serene existence. The Vedas gives a lot of emphasis on Sadachar –
स न: पूषाsविना भुवत् (Sa Nah Pooshavina Bhuvata) 1
Sadachar feeds us and it protects us.
गम्भीरे चिद् भवति गाधमस्मै (Gambhire Chid Bhavati Gaadhamasmai.) 2
A Sadachari will always find positivity and hope even in the worst of situations.
ऋतस्य पन्थां न तरन्ति दुष्कृत: - (Ritasya Panthaam Na Taranti DushkritaHa). 3
If you are not sadachari, you will never be able to walk on the path of truth and achieve emancipation.
How do we start on the path to Sadachar? 🌷
To begin with, Sadachar or virtues have to be in the thought. That’s the basic. When our thought becomes Sadachari, everything else will take care of itself. We don’t have to make any changes with our material situation to become a Sadachari. Such things are outside of us. There is no Sadachar if the mind is full of vices. We should try and purify our mind of the shadripus or the six enemies of mind (Arishadvargas). We are aware of Kaama (Excessive Desires), Krodha (Anger) & Lobha (greed). But we also need to focus on Moha (Excessive attachments), Mada (High Ego), and Matsalya (biasness).
Thinking Positive is the first step towards Sadachar 🌷
So, let’s start thinking positive. Let us observe any negative thought about ourself or others that come in the mind. Observation leads to awareness. As soon as we are aware of any negative thought, we should immediately replace it with a positive thought. In the beginning, it might appear difficult. But with practice this will become automatic.
Being Sadachari will gift us a world full of optimism, love and hope. The resultant bliss can’t be explained in words. We only have to experience it. We will be able to handle any suffering that life offers with grace and contentment. Is it not what each one of us wants?
Concept of Sadachar explained in an Astro-Spirituality Seminar 🌷
I had discussed this concept of Sadachar in an Astro-Spirtuality seminar held at Agra (India) on 19th March, 2023. Please have a listen. The relevant part on Sadachar is at 00:38:44 in the video. The language of the video is in Hindi. My sincere apologies to the esteemed non-hindi speaking readers 🙏🏼 They may like to skip the video.
🙏 Om Tat Sat 🙏
Further Reads:
The English Translation of the Hindi Sloka may not be exact.
The Sloka is in Sanskrit. The English Transliteration could be erroneous.
The English Transliteration is approximate and not exact.