maryada

Maryada is a term in Sanskrit and many Indian languages that denotes propriety, dignity, honor, virtue, or the proper limits of behavior. The word derives from the Sanskrit maryādā and carries the sense of respecting social norms and personal duties within defined boundaries.

In classical and religious literature, maryada is a central concept tied to dharma, the moral law that governs personal and social conduct. It encompasses both inner discipline and outward conduct. The phrase Maryada Purushottama is used to describe Rama, one of the central figures of the Ramayana, as the ideal person who upholds duty and propriety in the face of hardship.

In contemporary usage, maryada can refer to etiquette or manners in everyday interactions, as well as the broader sense of appropriate conduct within a given social context. The term has been adopted across Indian languages and is used in discussions of social behavior, ethics, and character.

The term also appears in the arts and media, where Maryada has been used as a title or thematic element in films, plays, and literature across regional Indian languages, reflecting the enduring cultural resonance of propriety and moral restraint.