The social and religious reform activities of Dayananda Saraswati were the main inspiration behind the many reform movements of the 19th and the early 20th century that transformed the Indian society. A man committed to purging Hinduism of the evil practices that had crept into it and thus reforming the Hindu society as a whole. Dayananda (named Moolshanker at birth) was born in 1824 at Tankara (Morvi state, Gujarat) in an extremely religious background.
Inspired by a couple of early experiences in life, he left home in 1846 to become a sanyasi, adopting the name ‘Dayananda’. He received guidance under Swami Virjananda. To deliver and spread his ideas on reform, he wrote a significant number of pamphlets and books including the magnum opus, Satyarth Prakash, Bhratinivarna, Sanskarvidhi, Vedabhasya, Sandhya, Bhagavata-Khandanam, Ratnamala and Vedangaprakash.
Dayananda was keen to rid Hinduism of its belief in idolatry, avataras and animal sacrifices, polytheism and its many rites. He propagated monotheism, and stated that God was omniscient, all-pervasive, infinite, formless, merciful and just. He believed that God could be perceived transcen- dentally and worship of God’s attributes was the way to moral fulfillment. Dayananda’s inspiration was the Vedas. Believing them to be eternal and infallible, he gave the call of ‘Back to the Vedas’. His religious reform works inspired confidence among the Indians regarding their racial and national past and inculcated a sense of national pride and consciousness.
To purge the caste system of its various ills, Dayananda held the character of individuals and the actions performed by them and not birth as the basis for determining the caste. He informed the masses that untouchability was a crime that went against the Vedic principles. Opposing child marriage, he increased the marriageable age of both women and men. He suggested widow remarriage. As education was important for forming individual character, he said that it was the states’ responsibility to provide compulsory education to children.
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Dayananda’s founding of the Arya Samaj at Bombay in 1875 as an organisation embodying his social and religious principles was a noteworthy achievement. Though Dayananda laid down 28 guiding principles for the Samaj, they were made into “Ten Principles of the Arya Samaj” in 1877. The principles include recognition of one God who is omniscient, all – pervading all-truth, all-knowledgeable, immortal, eternal, infinite, just, merciful and the maker of the universe. The Vedas are believed to be the true books. The Samaj would work for the physical and spiritual welfare of men and diffuse knowledge among them. Love, justice, truth and virtue are the moral qualities accorded importance. With the setting up of the Samaj, many gurukuls and Dayananda Anglo-Vedic colleges came to be. The Arya Samajists continue to perform welfare activities to this day.