Importance of good conduct

Virtuous or good conduct is the basis of our life. Good conduct means moral and righteous conduct. The Gods also stay with those who have good conduct, and since the Gods are with them, their life also becomes blissful. From this story we will learn how Lakshmi, charity etc. stay with a virtuous person.

This instance is from the Mahabharata period. There was a king at that time, whose name was Satyadev. The king was very virtuous. One day when he got up early in the morning and came out of his room, he saw a beautiful woman going out of the palace. The king was very surprised and a question arose in the king’s mind as to who this woman is and why she was going out, as he had never seen this woman at the palace. The king followed the woman and stood in front of her with folded hands. The king politely asked the woman, “O’ Devi, who are you, I have never seen you in this palace before”. The woman said, “I am Lakshmi and now I am leaving this palace”. The king was very worried and asked Mother Lakshmi, “why are you leaving this palace?” and earnestly prayed that she should not leave the palace. But Mata Lakshmi did not listen to a single word that the king saod. Then the king did not try to stop Mata Lakshmi and said, ‘As you wish Mother’. Then Mata Lakshmi left the palace and went away.

Soon after Mata Lakshmi’s departure, the king saw that a handsome man was also leaving the palace after Mata Lakshmi. The king was very surprised to see this man and the king fell into thought. Again the question arose in the king’s mind as to who this man was and why he was going out of the palace? The king asked the man, “Oh radiant man, who are you?” He replied, “My name is ‘Daan’ (Charity). Where Mata Lakshmi lives, that’s where I live. You do not have Lakshmi i.e. wealth, so you will not be able to do charity. Therefore, I am also going with Lakshmiji”. The king said to the man, “As you wish, if you also want to leave, you may go”.

Thereafter, ‘Yash’ i.e fame followed ‘daan’. Just as the king had asked questions to the earlier two, the king asked similar questions to ‘Yash’. then Yash also went after Lakshmi. Have you understood that as soon as Lakshmi left, both charity and fame followed Her, leaving the king. After this the fourth man appeared in front of the king and he also started going out. Then the king asked him the same question. with folded hands..

The man said, ‘My name is ‘Sadachar’ i.e. good conduct and I am leaving this Raj Bhavan. On hearing this, the king stood in front of him with folded hands, begged him and said that “I will not let you go, I have never behaved badly with anyone in my whole life, have never thought ill of anyone. I have always treated everyone well. I have always been virtuous. Then why are you leaving me ? I have no greed. That’s why even after seeing Mata Lakshmi leaving today, I did not stop her. For me, virtue is more important than wealth, charity and fame. For you I have sacrificed them. If you also leave me and go away, I will have nothing left !”

Hearing these words of the king, ‘Sadachar’ decided to stay in the palace itself. Seeing ‘Sadachar’ residing in the palace, Mata Lakshmi, daan and yash also returned to the palace.

From this story we learn how important virtue or good conduct is in our life. Those who are virtuous, Lakshmi, daan and yash always remain with them. If you do not practice good conduct in life, then daan (charity), Lakshmi (wealth) etc. are all meaningless ! So from today let us commit to do what God likes and become virtuous.