Good conduct

Capt Purushottam Sharma
Good conduct is the mother of Righteousness. All merits abide where good conduct resides.Good conduct means right or ideal conduct, that is, the conduct universally accepted within the boundaries of ‘sanathana dharma’ (eternal righteousness). Pre-requisites of good conduct are Truth, Love, Non-violence, Continence, Contentment, Forgiveness, Humbleness and Honest Earning.
People of good conduct secure universal welfare and universal fellowship treading the path of righteousness. They are thorough-going who master the facts through their power of discrimination. Such persons do not rebel for personal gains. They always endeavour to be in harmony with fellow beings and resolve differences amicably. They fulfill their obligations towards their Motherland, society, family and lastly themselves. Their every action is based on good conduct and is conducive to the good of others. Persons of good conduct grow beautiful plants of merits in the garden of their heart. By virtue of good conduct, their analytical faculty gets sharpened which helps them to rise from common to outstanding. To them, ‘‘work is worship’’ indeed. They respect law and follow ethics explicitly. They honour all religions and faiths. This feeling is an essential part of good conduct that brings mutual harmony and trust. Spiritual perception grows in persons of good conduct like shadow that follows a moving object. Happiness derived out of good conduct is their very nature. They are never remorse for they have nothing to fear of.
Teachings of Holy scriptures and ways of lives of saints and great men inspire us to take to good conduct. We have treasures of teachings in Holy Vedas, Upnishads, Srimad Bhagwadgeetha, Holy Koran, Holy Bible, Holy Guru Granth Saheb, Dhampada and great men’s ways of lives and their messages for us to equip ourselves with good conduct.
In Lord Rama, we find ideal child, ideal youth, ideal pupil, ideal son, ideal brother, ideal husband, ideal father, ideal master, ideal servant and ideal God to His devotees. Similarly, His consort Sita is an ideal wife, an ideal daughter-in-law, an ideal mother and an ideal Goddess to Her devotees. Their ideal conduct is always there as source of emulation. Each word and action of the Lord is impregnate with instructive thought for acquiring good conduct through self-control, pure conduct and character crystallization. Lord says in Srimad Bhagwat Gita (36/X) “sattyam sattvvatamaham’’ (‘I am the goodness of the good’’).
We realize today that good conduct should be one of the main objects of our education and it had been in the past too to which our scriptures are ample proof. Upanishad says – “matru devo bhav pitri devo bhav acharya devo bhav atithi devo bhav yanyanvadyani karmani taant sevitvyani’’ (‘Treat mother, father, teacher and guest as God and perform good action and deeds only within the boundaries of righteousness’) “paro upkarah punnyaye paapaaye par peedanam’’ (‘Helping others is virtue and harming others is sin’’). “In every woman to see one’s mother and in others’ material possessions see dust’’ is what our scriptures preach to be of good conduct.
To follow the foot-prints of great men who live for the good of the mankind leads to good conduct. It is, however, necessary to examine our every thought and action and improve our conduct out of daily experience. In maintaining the good conduct under all involves constant endeavour and care.
‘Bad company should be certainly given up by all means. It is cause of last, wrath, delusion, loss of memory, loss of intellect and total ruin’ (Narada Bhakti Sootra).
Good conduct of a child depends on the good conduct of its family members in particular and the society in general. Good conduct of a taught depends on the good conduct of his teacher. Good conduct of an employer is bound to affect the conduct of his employees and so on. But it is a fact that there will be rule of good conduct in the society if every one of us faithfully thinks and acts as per the injunctions of the scriptures, that is, as per one’s ‘dharma’ (righteousness). We observe that it is the good conduct at the root of the Sun, the Moon, the Earth, the Air, the Water, the Fire and the Ether performing their duties faithfully assigned to them by the Lord of the Universe. We are punished when we indulge in bad conduct. The fall out of bad conduct results into chaos and disorder causing sufferings to the society.
Lord rules His domain with the instrument of good conduct and loves His people of good conduct very much. People of good conduct help in His command and receive their reward by way of Eternal Bliss and Joys.
In this context, it is worthwhile to mention one of the favourite hymns of Gandhi Ji, which is “Lord , preserve me from looking on things which arouse evil thoughts. It were better for me to be blind.
Lord, preserve me from soiling my lips with impure words. It were better for me to be dumb. Lord, preserve me from hearing any word of slander and insult. It were better for me to be deaf. Lord, preserve me from looking with desire on any of those who should be my sisters. It were better for me to be dead’’.
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’’ is the loud call of ‘dharma’ that demands Good Conduct.

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