PM Addressed Event on 200th Birth Anniversary of Dayananda Saraswati
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PM Narendra Modi addressed an event virtually on the 200th birth anniversary celebrations of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, organised at his birthplace of Tankara in Morbi.
About Dayananda Saraswati
Swami Dayanand was born on February 12, 1824, in Tankara, a town located in the western Indian state of Gujarat. Originally named Moola Shankar, he was also known as Dayaram.
- His education started at the age of five, and by the age of eight, he had already mastered the Devanagari script, which was used for Sanskrit.
- He was also given the sacred thread to begin studying the Vedas. At the age of 14, he had already gained knowledge of the Yajurveda and hymns from other Vedas.
- Swami Dayanand completed his Vedic studies under Swami Virjanand in 1864 and then traveled throughout India until 1874 for Vedic propagation and learning. His first major authorship was Panchmahayajya Vidhi in 1874. In 1882, he founded the Paropkarini Sabha in the Indian city of Ajmer to publish and preach his works and Vedic texts.
Philosophy of Vedas
- Maharshi Swami Dayanand's message was to go back to the Vedas. He believed that the Vedas were the bedrock of Hindu culture and were infallible, being inspired by God.
- Dayanand aimed to remove the vices of Hinduism and establish a rational basis for it. He was a true symbol of Hinduism and not influenced by Western culture.
- Dayanand was a social reformer, and his approach was to reform and strengthen the fighting spirit of Hinduism.
- To re-energize Vedic knowledge and reawaken our awareness of the four Vedas - Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and Atharva Veda - is of utmost importance.-
Major Contribution To Society
Arya Samaj:Swami Dayanand founded the Arya Samaj in Mumbai on April 7, 1875. The organization was established as a reform movement within Hinduism.
The 10 principles of the Arya Samaj are distinct from traditional Hinduism, yet they are based on the Vedas.
These principles aim to advance individuals and society through physical, spiritual, and social betterment. Swami Dayanand's goal was not to create a new religion, but to revive the teachings of the ancient Vedas.
Books: Swami Dayanand wrote and published a number of religious books, primary among them being Satyartha Prakash, Veda Bhashya, Rig-Vedaadi, Bhasya-Bhoomika, and Sanskar Vidhi.
As well as the journal "Arya Patrika," which he edited.
Caste system: "He was a staunch opponent of idol worship, caste system, ritualism, fatalism, infanticide, and the sale of grooms. He also advocated for the liberation of women and upliftment of the depressed class.
While upholding the supremacy of Vedas and Hinduism, he opposed Islam and Christianity and promoted the Shuddhi movement to reconvert other sects to the Hindu order.
Swami Dayananda Saraswati firmly believed that the urge for regeneration of Indian society could be fulfilled through the spread of Vedic education."
Education: The most significant contributions of Swami Dayananda were the gurukulas, Girl's Gurukulas, and DAV colleges. His efforts freed people from the clutches of Western education.
Political contribution: Dayananda Saraswati was instrumental in the growth of democracy and national awakening. He was the first man to use the term Swaraj, and political independence was one of his primary objectives.
