The Foundation of Practice
Sadācāra (Sanskrit: sat = good/true, ācāra = conduct) encompasses all the practical behaviors that express the Sri Vaishnava identity in daily life:
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Ritual conduct — maintaining the tiruvarādhanam (daily worship), applying the ūrdhvapuṇḍra marks, observing Ekādaśī fasting, and participating in Divya Desam pilgrimage
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Social conduct — treating all devotees (bhāgavatas) with respect regardless of their social station, serving and feeding them, avoiding speech that demeans others
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Dietary conduct — vegetarianism; avoiding food cooked by or touched by the non-initiated (ācantuṭal); observing purity rules in preparation of naivedyam
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Speech conduct — reciting the Divya Prabandham and the divine names; avoiding harsh, vain, or impure speech; speaking of the Lord and his devotees with reverence
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Mental conduct — maintaining the awareness of the Lord's presence (sānniddhya) throughout the day; surrendering each action's fruits to the Lord
Sadācāra and Identity
Sadācāra is not a legalistic burden but an expression of identity: "I behave this way because I am the Lord's śeṣa, and my entire being belongs to him." The great ācāryas taught that sadācāra naturally flows from correct understanding of one's nature (svarūpa-jñāna) — it is not imposed from outside but emerges from within.