Sadvrutta (सद्वृत्तम्)

Sadvrutta (सद्वृत्तम्)

Sadvrutta is the moral code of conduct expounded by Ayurveda Acharyas for personal as well as social health. This code of conduct is described under the various aspect of preventive medicine and believed that this code of conduct helps to maintain the physical, mental and social aspects of individual's health and well being.

Introduction

This is code of conduct for the keeping good or balanced condition of body & mind. sadvritta not only includes mental faculties, but also rules related with general hygiene, food consumption, sexual intercourse & exercise, following which leads to prevention of psychological, physical & psychosomatic disorders. This also can be called as health promoting conduct. And all over, sadvritta play a vital role in preventing communicable diseases.

Ayurveda has discussed conduct under "Sadvritta" (Code of good conduct). A good personal conduct provides good health and a control over individual senses and desires. Emotional disorders which are caused by Prajnaparada (derangement of intellect, restraint and memory), interrupt the social conduct of a person leading to psychosomatic disease. The wise man should control the impulses of emotions which otherwise causes the mental illness. Psycho Social Behaviour changes as Causative factors and Prodromal symptoms of upcoming diseases. By following proper code of conduct, daily regimen, seasonal regimen, Achara Rasayana (rejuvenating regimens) one can lead a healthy life.

Etymology

Sad means good,moral,ethical

Vrutaa means Behavior or conduct

Sadvruttam

Definition of Sadvrutta by Acharya Vagbhata

References in Ayurveda SAMhita

1. Charaka Sutrasthana 8/19
2. Ashtanga hrudaya sutrasthana 3
3. Ashtanga samgraha Sutrasthana 5

Various components of Sadvrutta

Personal

One's regime of bathing, cleaning of eyes, nose, ears, teeth, oral cavity, nails etc One should not pronounce words in low, high, weak, or deranged voice, without proper accents, neither too fast nor too slow, with excessive impotency and neither with too high nor too low pitch of sound. Psychological

Importance has been given to the company of a person as it affects the way of life of a person. One should not live under continued grief. One should not feel exhilarated in success and depressed in failure. One always keeps his constitution in mind. One should always be confident of the effect of cause and as such should always initiate the cause. One should not assume that now nothing is to be done, one should not give up courage nor should one remember his scandals.

Social

One should speak useful, measured, sweet and meaningful words should avoid places with dirty clothes, bones, thorns, impure articles, hairs, chaff, garbage's, ash, etc. One should behave kith and kin to all living beings, pacify the anger, console the frightened, help the poor, be truthful, peaceful, tolerated of others harsh words, remover of intolerance, One should not laugh loudly, release flatus with sound, set in yawning, sneezing, laughter with uncovered mouth, deform the none, grind the teeth, sound the nails, strike the bones, scrapes the earth, cut the grass, press the earthen lumps, perform any abnormal action in body parts. One should not use unwashed clothes, dirty or uncomfortable clothes, Clothes worn by others, not appropriate to the season, occasion or clothes made from unnatural fibre.

Emotional

One should be self controlled, self virtuous, jealous in cause and not in effect, free from anxiety, fearless, shy, wise, great, courageous, skilful, forbearing, religious, positive, devoted to teachers, accomplished person and who are superiors in modesty, intellect, learning, calm and age.

Religious

One should worship gods, cows, Brahmanas, preceptors, elderly people, accomplished and teachers. One should honour fire, one should put on auspicious herbs, one should have presence of mind even in difficult circumstances, should offer oblation, perform religious sacrifices, donate, pay respect to road crossings, offer Bali (religious offerings), entertaining guests, offers Pinda (rice balls) to forefathers. One should adopt auspicious conduct. One should not go through keeping the respectable and the auspicious on left and others on right side. One should not excrete sputum, faeces and urine in front of wind, fire, water, the moon, the sun, the Brahmanas, and neither preceptors nor one should urinate on road, in crowded places and while taking food.

Occupational conduct

Should always look at the qualities of peaceful life and should alleviate the causes of attachments and aversion. One should not tell a lie nor take others possession nor should desire for other women or other's property, should not be inclined to enmity, should not indulge in sexual acts, should not be vicious to sinners, should not speak out others defects, nor should try to know others secrets. One should not keep company of unvirtuous, hated by kings, lunatics, fallen person, foetus killers, wretched and wicked. The knowledge of authoritative instructions of Apta Purusha (noble person) and its right application are the two factors necessary for the prevention and cure of diseases.

Importance of Sadvrutta

Sadvrittas are regarded as one of the measures to prevent diseases. The role of Sadvritta is more of preventive in nature. It also plays a great stress on personal cleanness of body and mind. It acts as shield and strains of life under which we are constantly put in this world8. The activities as therapies which are adopted during the epidemics which can easily save life of individuals. Air,

Water, Place and Time are the epidemic producing factors being deranged. The persons managed with preventive therapy remain immune against the diseases. Truthfulness, compassion for living beings, charity, sacrifices, prayer to the gods, adoption of preventive measures, tranquillity, protections of the self by mantras etc. Search for the things as they are good for the self, residence in auspicious localities and observance of Brahmacharyas (celibacy). Serving to those observing Brahmacharyas, discussions of religious scriptures, great sages and who have self controlled and constant association with religious, Saattvika (great sages) and learned persons. This is the protection of life for those whose death is not certain during the Epidemics.