ARYA SAMAJ

The organisation:

·        Motto: To civilise the world

·        Formed by Swami Dayanand Saraswati (formerly Mulshankar) at Mumbai in  1875 later the headquarters was moved to Lahore.

·        Aim was to bring in spiritual, social and educational reforms.

·        Had strong support in Punjab and North India.

Swami Dayanand Saraswati and his works:

·        He published his famous work Satyartha Prakasha (The True Exposition).

·        Believed in a classless and casteless society with stress on a united India

·        Was inspired by Vedas  and considered it to be the origin of Hinduism

·        Gave a call “Back to the Vedas” to revive Vedic learning.

·        Criticized evil and orthodox practices like idol worship, untouchability, polytheism, black magic, animal sacrifices etc

·        Was a modern man and was patriotic towards national problems

Role of samaj in reformation:

·        Opposed child marriages and fixed marriageable ages for both boys and girls

·        Supported inter caste marriages and widow remarriages

·        Supported gender equality and better status for women

·        Samaj helped people in crisis like floods, famines and earthquakes

·        With emphasis on western education the samaj started DAV (Dayanand Anglo Vedic) schools.

·        Gurukuls were started to impart traditional education

·        Justice to all and fairplay between men and nation.

·        Gave self confidence and self respect to Hindus undermining the myth of white superiority

·        Samaj started the Shuddhi (purification) movement to reconvert to Hinduism the converts of Islam and Christianity. This led to the communalisation of Indian politics.

Principles of Arya Samaj

·        God is primary source of all knowledge

· God is formless, omniscient, just, merciful, unborn, endless, unchangeable, beginning-less, unequaled, the support of all, the master of all, omnipresent, immanent, un-aging, immortal, fearless, eternal and holy, and the maker of all. He alone is worthy of being worshiped.

·        The Vedas are the scriptures of all true knowledge

·        One should always be ready to accept truth and to renounce untruth.

·        Dharma is the guide to deliberating what is right and wrong.

·       The prime object of the Arya Samaj is to do good to the world, that is, to promote physical, spiritual and social good of everyone.

·    Our conduct towards all should be guided by love, righteousness and justice.

·        One’s own progress should depend on the upliftment of others

·    Social well being of mankind is to be placed above an individuals well being

·        Ignorance should be dispelled and knowledge increased.

Prominent Arya samajists:
Lala Lajpat Rai, Pandit Gurudutt, Lala Hansraj, Swami Shradhananda among others.