Arya Samaj Mandir

The Arya Samaj was founded in 1875 by Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1824-83). He was a Sanskrit scholar with no English education. He gave the call “Go back to the Vedas”. He had no regard for the Puranas. Swami received education on Vedanta from a blind teacher named Swami Virajananda at Mathura. His views were similar to that of Ram Mohan Roy.nnDisbelief in polytheism and image worship, opposition to caste-based restrictions, child marriage, opposition to the prohibition of sea voyages, and advocating female education and widow remarriage were important programmes common to the followers of Brahmo Samaj and Arya Samaj. Like other reformers of his times, Swami Dayananda Saraswati regarded the Vedas as eternal and infallible. His monumental work – Satyartha Prakash is an interpretation of the Vedas. Swami considered the epics – the Ramayana and the Mahabharata – as literary treasures.nnSwami launched the Shuddhi (purification) movement, conversion of non-Hindus to Hinduism. This was begun to realise the ideal of unifying India notionally, socially, and religiously. Direct contact with the masses swelled the number of his followers in a short time. His teachings had immense impact in the Punjab and the United Provinces.nnADVERTISEMENTS:nnThe Vedas had all the truth. Every modern thing could be found in them. Swami strongly attacked the hereditary basis of the caste system, idolatry and the belief in the superiority of Brahmanas over other caste groups. He rejected untouchability and pleaded that the study of the Vedas be made open to all. The work of the Swami after his death was carried forward by Lala Hansraj, Pandit Guru Dutt, Lala Lajpat Rai and Swami Sraddhananda.