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What are the core ethical principles of Ayyavazhi?

Ayyavazhi places dharmic living at the heart of its ethical vision, understanding Dharma as righteous conduct that upholds truth and justice in every sphere of life. Truthfulness is not merely a social virtue but a spiritual imperative: speech and action are expected to align with what is real and just, avoiding falsehood, deceit, and hypocrisy. This commitment to truth is closely linked with the pursuit of liberation from ignorance, for to live truthfully is to move beyond illusion and align oneself with the divine order. Ethical life thus becomes a conscious participation in a moral cosmos, where inner integrity and outer conduct are inseparable.

Non-violence and compassion form another central strand of Ayyavazhi ethics. Harm is to be avoided in thought, word, and deed, and kindness is extended not only to human beings but also to animals and the natural world. Love and compassion are treated as foundational dispositions, shaping how one responds to suffering, conflict, and difference. Service to others flows naturally from this ethos: feeding the hungry, helping the oppressed, and contributing to the welfare of the community are regarded as concrete expressions of spiritual commitment. Through such selfless service, ethical practice is woven directly into social life.

A striking feature of Ayyavazhi is its strong emphasis on equality and social justice. All human beings are affirmed as possessing equal dignity, and caste discrimination as well as rigid social hierarchies are explicitly rejected. This egalitarian impulse is not merely theoretical; it is envisioned as a reordering of society according to Dharma, where birth and status no longer determine worth. Ethical conduct therefore includes resisting oppression and promoting a just social order in which every person can live with honor. Spirituality and social reform are thus seen as two sides of the same coin.

Devotion and surrender also occupy a central place in the ethical framework. Ayyavazhi teaches complete devotion to the supreme reality—named as Ekam—and to Vaikundar as the divine manifestation, coupled with surrender of ego and personal desire to the divine will. This surrender is not passive resignation but an active reorientation of life, in which moral discipline, purity of heart, and simplicity of living are cultivated as forms of worship. Physical and mental purity, along with freedom from excessive materialism, are encouraged to support this inner transformation. In this way, love, truth, justice, and devotion are gathered into a single path that leads from ethical refinement to spiritual realization.