History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.596

v4.c63.t2.596

It is now necessary to see how Dharmaśāstra works have dealt with the authority and binding force of customs and usages. *Sadācāra* is defined by Hārīta as follows¹⁶⁵⁷:— the word 'sat' means 'good' and the good are those who are free from (moral) taint; the practices of such people are called *sadācāra*. Vide Manu II. 18, which also defines sadācāra. Even the most ancient sūtras testify to the fact that numerous customs and usages had arisen in different countries and villages. The Āśv. gṛ. (I. 7. 1–2) says,¹⁶⁵⁸ 'various indeed are the observances of (different) countries and villages; one should follow those in marriages; what, however, is common (to all or most) shall be declared by us'. The Āp. gṛ. (II. 15) declares, 'people should understand from women what procedure is to be observed (according to custom)' and the Āp. Dh. S. provides (I. 7. 20. 8 = II. 11. 29. 14) that one¹⁶⁵⁹ should regulate one's course of action (in difficult or doubtful matters) according to the conduct which is unanimously approved of in all countries by the Āryas (men of the three higher castes), who have been properly disciplined, who are aged, who have restrained their senses and who are neither covetous nor hypocritical and concludes with the aphorism (II. 11. 29. 15) 'some teachers hold that the rest of the dharmas (not set out in this work) may be understood from women and from men of all castes'. Baud. Dh. S.¹⁶⁶⁰ (I 5. 13) states (on the subject of śrāddha) 'the usages of people should be followed as to other rites to be performed'. Several gṛhyasūtras (like Pāraskara II. 17, Mānava *gṛ*. I. 4. 6) refer to the practices of people that should be followed in such matters as commencing agricultural operations, holidays &c. It is needless to set out these in detail here. Manu¹⁶⁶¹ IV. 178 pronounces the general prescription for all men, 'one should walk in the path of good men which their fathers and grandfathers trod; by so doing one will come to no harm'. For ordinary men this procedure is easy to understand and to follow. This dictum sets a premium on the attitude of no change in any matter for fear that change may lead to some unexpected harm and has been throughout the ages up to the present the motto of most people in India. As ācāra or sadācāra is tangible and requires no effort to decide between conflicting views, we find eulogies of it in the earliest smṛtis and purāṇas. Vide Manu IV. 155-158, Vas. VI. 6-8 (the first and last of which are the same as Manu IV. 157-158), Anuśāsanaparva 104. 6-9, Viṣṇu Dh. S. 71. 90-92 (which are almost the same as Manu IV. 155, 156, 158), Mārkaṇḍeya chap. 34, Brahmapurāṇa 121. 6-9, Viṣṇupurāṇa III. chapters 11-12, Kūrmapurāṇa (uttarārdha, chap. 15).