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Dayananda Saraswati

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Dayananda Saraswati was a major Hindu philosopher and social reformer.

Dayananda Saraswati 1962 stamp of India
Dayananda Saraswati 1962 stamp of India

He founded the Arya Samaj, a movement meant to reform Hindu practice. He is often called one of the "makers of Modern India." This title was given to him by thinkers like Sri Aurobindo and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. His work focused on returning Hindu belief to its original roots. He wanted to clear away what he saw as incorrect traditions. His ideas influenced many leaders who later fought for India's independence.

Born as Mool Shankar Tiwari on February 12, 1824, he grew up in Tankara.

NavlakhaMahal
NavlakhaMahal

His early life was marked by deep questioning. As a child, he observed a mouse running over an idol during a religious fast. This led him to question if a deity could truly protect the world. Later, the deaths of his sister and uncle from cholera caused him to ponder life and death. These events prompted him to leave home in 1846. He spent twenty-five years as a wandering ascetic, or a person living a simple, spiritual life. He traveled through forests and the Himalayan mountains to find truth.

Dayananda eventually became a disciple of the teacher Virajanand Dandeesha. Virajanand believed Hinduism had lost its historical purity. Dayananda promised to restore the rightful place of the Vedas in the faith. He believed the four Vedas—the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda—were the only uncorrupted sources of Dharma. Dharma refers to the righteous laws or duties of human beings. He argued these texts were perfectly preserved through specific Sanskrit chanting techniques. He also accepted the first ten Principal Upanishads as valid spiritual guides.

His religious philosophy centered on the nature of the Supreme Lord, or Paramatma. He taught that the Lord is one, without a second, and is known as Om. This Supreme Being is bodiless and has no physical form. Because the Lord has no form, Dayananda rejected the use of idols for worship. He believed the Lord is characterized by Sat, Chit, and Ananda. These terms mean existence, supreme consciousness, and eternal bliss. He taught that the Lord is the efficient cause of the entire universe. This means the Lord's presence allows the world to function and exist.

Dayananda also explained the relationship between souls and nature. He identified three eternal entities: the Supreme Lord, the souls (Jivatmas), and Nature (Prakriti). Nature is the material cause of creation and has three qualities: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. The Supreme Lord disturbs the equilibrium of Nature to begin a cycle of creation. After a period called the Day of Brahma, the creation dissolves. This is followed by the Night of Brahma, after which the cycle starts again. This cycle of creation and dissolution is eternal.

He taught that souls are eternal and can reach a state of bliss called Moksha. Moksha is the state of liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Souls are not made of natural particles and are beyond physical characteristics like sex. However, they acquire bodies through the principles of Karma. Karma refers to the actions people take that influence their future lives. Based on their past actions, souls can take different forms, including animals. They continue to learn and improve until they achieve realization of the Supreme Lord.

Beyond religion, Dayananda was a powerful social leader. He advocated for the equal rights of women and opposed the practice of untouchability. He believed all human beings were equally capable of achieving great things. In 1876, he gave a famous call for Swaraj, meaning "India for Indians."

O3m AryaSamaj Red
O3m AryaSamaj Red

This idea of self-rule was later used by leaders like Lokmanya Tilak. His influence reached many famous figures, including Vallabhbhai Patel and Bhagat Singh. His life connected ancient Vedic wisdom with the needs of a changing nation.

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File:O3m AryaSamaj Red.svg
O3m AryaSamaj Red.svg
File:NavlakhaMahal.jpg
NavlakhaMahal.jpg
File:Dayananda Saraswati 1962 stamp of India.jpg
Dayananda Saraswati 1962 stamp of India.jpg
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