Swami Dayanand Saraswati was a Hindu reformer born in 1824 in Gujarat, India. He founded the Arya Samaj movement in 1875, which aimed to remove superstitions and idolatry from Hinduism and bring Hindu religious beliefs back in line with the teachings of the Vedas. The Arya Samaj established schools to promote Vedic teachings and English education. Dayanand also advocated for social reforms like abolishing the caste system, promoting widow remarriage and women's education. He faced opposition to his radical ideas and died in 1883 at the age of 59. Dayanand had a significant influence on the Indian independence movement through his teachings and the

1. INDIAN
REFORMER
DAYANANDA
SARASWATI

2. BASIC DETAILS
• Date of Birth: February 12, 1824
• Place of Birth: Tankara, Gujarat
• Parents: Karshanji Lalji Tiwari (Father) and Yashodabai (Mother)
• Education: Self-taught
• Movement: Arya Samaj, Shuddhi Movement, Back to the Vedas
• Religious Views: Hinduism
• Publications: Satyarth Prakash (1875 & 1884); Sanskarvidhi (1877 & 1884); Yajurved
Bhashyam (1878 to 1889)
• Death: October 30, 1883
• Place of death: Ajmer, Rajasthan
Related to birth, place, education……..
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3. Swami Dayanand Saraswati was more than a
religious leader of India who left deep impact on the
Indian society. He founded the Arya Samaj that
brought about changes in the religious perception of
Indians. He voiced his opinions against idolatry and
the pointless emphasis on empty ritualism, and man-
made dictates that women are not allowed to read the
Vedas. His idea of denouncing the caste system
inherited by oneself in lieu of their birth was nothing
short of radical. He brought about a complete overhaul
of the education system by introducing Anglo-Vedic
schools to offer Indian students an updated curriculum
teaching both the knowledge of the Vedas along with
contemporary English education. Although he was
never really involved in politics directly, his political
observations were the source of inspiration for a
number of political leaders during India’s struggle for
independence. He was given the epithet of Maharishi
and is considered as one of the Makers
of Modern India.

4. EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION DAYANAND SARASWATI WAS
BORN ON FEBRUARY 12, 1824 IN TANKARA, GUJARAT AS
MOOL SHANKAR TO KARSHANJI LALJI TIWARI AND
YASHODABAI. HIS AFFLUENT AND INFLUENTIAL BRAHMIN
FAMILY WAS AN ARDENT FOLLOWER OF LORD SHIVA. THE
FAMILY BEING DEEPLY RELIGIOUS, MOOL SHANKAR WAS
TAUGHT RELIGIOUS RITUALS, PIETY AND PURITY,
IMPORTANCE OF FASTING FROM A VERY EARLY AGE. THE
YAJNOPAVITA SANSKARA OR THE INVESTITURE OF THE
"TWICE-BORN" WAS PERFORMED, WHEN HE WAS 8 AND
THAT INITIATED MOOL SHANKAR INTO THE WORLD OF
BRAHMANISM. HE WOULD OBSERVE THESE RITUALS WITH
MUCH HONESTY. ON THE OCCASION OF SHIVARATRI, MOOL
SHANKAR WOULD SIT AWAKE THE WHOLE NIGHT IN
OBEDIENCE TO LORD SHIVA. ON ONE SUCH NIGHT, HE SAW
A MOUSE EATING THE OFFERINGS TO THE GOD AND
RUNNING OVER THE IDOL'S BODY. AFTER SEEING THIS, HE
QUESTIONED HIMSELF, IF THE GOD COULD NOT DEFEND
HIMSELF AGAINST A LITTLE MOUSE THEN HOW COULD HE
BE THE SAVIOUR OF THE MASSIVE WORLD

5. SPIRITUAL INDOCTRINATION MOOL SHANKAR WAS
ATTRACTED TOWARDS THE SPIRITUAL REALM AFTER THE
DEATH OF HIS SISTER WHEN HE WAS 14-YEAR-OLD. HE
BEGAN ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE, DEATH AND THE
AFTERLIFE TO HIS PARENTS TO WHICH THEY HAD NO
ANSWERS. ON BEING ASKED TO GET MARRIED FOLLOWING
SOCIETAL TRADITIONS, MOOL SHANKAR RAN AWAY FROM
HOME. HE WANDERED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FOR THE
NEXT 20 YEARS VISITING TEMPLES, SHRINES AND HOLY
PLACES. HE MET WITH YOGIS LIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS OR
FORESTS, ASKED THEM OF HIS DILEMMAS, BUT NOBODY
COULD PROVIDE HIM WITH THE PERFECT ANSWER. AT LAST
HE ARRIVED
AT MATHURA WHERE HE MET SWAMI VIRAJANANDA. MOOL
SHANKAR BECAME HIS DISCIPLE AND SWAMI VIRAJANANDA
DIRECTED HIM TO LEARN DIRECTLY FROM THE VEDAS. HE
FOUND ALL HIS QUESTIONS REGARDING LIFE, DEATH AND
AFTERLIFE ANSWERED DURING HIS STUDY. SWAMI
VIRAJANANDA ENTRUSTED MOOL SHANKAR WITH THE TASK
OF SPREADING VEDIC KNOWLEDGE THROUGHOUT THE
SOCIETY AND RECHRISTENED HIM AS RISHI DAYANAND.

6. BELIEVER IN HINDUISM JUST AS THE VEDAS HAVE
OUTLINED, DEVOID OF ANY CORRUPTION AND
EMBELLISHMENTS. PRESERVING THE PURITY OF THE FAITH
WAS OF UTMOST IMPORTANT TO HIM. HE STRONGLY
ADVOCATED THE CONCEPTS OF DHARMA WHICH HE
BELIEVED TO BE FREE FROM ANY PARTIALITY AND AS AN
EMBODIMENT OF TRUTHFULNESS. TO HIM ADHARMA WAS
ANYTHING THAT DID NOT HOLD TRUE, WAS NOT JUST OR
FAIR AND WAS OPPOSED TO THE TEACHINGS OF THE
VEDAS. HE BELIEVED IN REVERENCE OF HUMAN LIFE
IRRESPECTIVE OF ANYTHING AND CONDONED THE
PRACTICE OF AHIMSA OR NON-VIOLENCE. HE ADVISED HIS
COUNTRYMEN TO DIRECT THEIR ENERGY TOWARDS
BETTERMENT OF MANKIND AS A WHOLE AND NOT WASTE
AWAY IN UNNECESSARY RITUALS. HE REVOKED THE
PRACTICE OF IDOL WORSHIP AND CONSIDERED THEM A
CONTAMINATION INTRODUCED BY THE PRIESTHOOD FOR
THEIR OWN BENEFIT. HE WAS AGAINST OTHER SOCIAL
EVILS LIKE SUPERSTITIONS AND CASTE SEGREGATION. HE
ADVOCATED THE CONCEPT OF SWARAJYA, MEANING A
COUNTRY FREE OF FOREIGN INFLUENCE, RESPLENDENT IN

7. WAS A HINDU REFORMS MOVEMENT, MEANING "SOCIETY OF THE
NOBLES". THE PURPOSE OF THE SAMAJ WAS TO MOVE THE
HINDU RELIGION AWAY FROM THE FICTITIOUS BELIEFS. 'KRINVAN
TO VISHVAM ARYAM" WAS THE MOTTO OF THE SAMAJ, WHICH
MEANS, "MAKE THIS WORLD NOBLE". THE TEN TENETS OF THE
ARYA SAMAJ ARE AS FOLLOWS:
GOD IS THE EFFICIENT CAUSE OF ALL TRUE KNOWLEDGE AND
ALL THAT IS KNOWN THROUGH KNOWLEDGE.
GOD IS EXISTENT, INTELLIGENT AND BLISSFUL. HE IS FORMLESS,
OMNISCIENT, JUST, MERCIFUL, UNBORN, ENDLESS,
UNCHANGEABLE, BEGINNING-LESS, UNEQUALLED, 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. IT
IS THE PARAMOUNT DUTY OF ALL ARYAS TO READ.
TEACH, AND RECITE THEM AND TO HEAR THEM BEING READ.
ONE SHOULD ALWAYS BE READY TO ACCEPT TRUTH AND TO

8. DHARMA THAT IS, AFTER 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.
WE SHOULD DISPEL AVIDYA (IGNORANCE) AND PROMOTE
VIDYA (KNOWLEDGE).
NO ONE SHOULD BE CONTENT WITH PROMOTING HIS/HER
GOOD ONLY; ON THE CONTRARY, ONE SHOULD LOOK FOR
HIS/HER GOOD IN PROMOTING THE GOOD OF ALL.
ONE SHOULD REGARD ONESELF UNDER RESTRICTION TO
FOLLOW THE RULES OF SOCIETY CALCULATED TO
PROMOTE THE WELLBEING OF ALL, WHILE IN FOLLOWING
THE RULES OF INDIVIDUAL WELFARE ALL SHOULD BE FREE.

9. THE PILLAR ON WHICH MAHARISHI DAYANAD SOUGHT TO
REFORM INDIA AND ASKED PEOPLE TO GO BACK TO THE
VEDAS AND ITS UNDILUTED SPIRITUAL TEACHING. THE
SAMAJ DIRECTS ITS MEMBERS TO CONDEMN RITUALISTIC
PRACTICES LIKE IDOL WORSHIP, PILGRIMAGE AND BATHING
IN HOLY RIVERS, ANIMAL SACRIFICE, OFFERING IN
TEMPLES, SPONSORING PRIESTHOOD ETC. THE SAMAJ
ALSO ENCOURAGED FOLLOWERS TO QUESTION EXISTING
BELIEFS AND RITUALS INSTEAD OF BLINDLY FOLLOW THEM.
THE ARYA SAMAJ NOT ONLY SOUGHT SPIRITUAL
REORGANISATION OF THE INDIAN PSYCHE, IT ALSO
WORKED TOWARDS ABOLISHING VARIOUS SOCIAL ISSUES.
PRIMARY AMONG THESE WERE WIDOW REMARRIAGE AND
WOMEN EDUCATION. THE SAMAJ LAUNCHED PROGRAMS TO
SUPPORT WIDOW REMARRIAGE IN THE 1880S. MAHARISHI
DAYANAND ALSO UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF
EDUCATING THE GIRL CHILD AND OPPOSED CHILD
MARRIAGE. HE PROCLAIMED THAT AN EDUCATED MAN
NEEDS AND EDUCATED WIFE FOR THE OVERALL

10. SHUDDHI MOVEMENT THE SHUDDHI
MOVEMENT WAS INTRODUCED BY MAHARISHI
DAYANAND TO BRING BACK THE INDIVIDUALS TO
HINDUISM WHO WERE EITHER VOLUNTARILY OR
INVOLUNTARILY CONVERTED TO OTHER RELIGIONS
LIKE ISLAM OR CHRISTIANITY. SHUDDHI OR
PURIFICATION WAS IMPARTED TO THOSE WHO
SOUGHT THEIR WAY BACK TO HINDUISM AND THE
SAMAJ DID AN EXCELLENT WORK IN PENETRATING
THE VARIOUS STRATA OF SOCIETY, TAKING BACK
THE DEPRESSED CLASSES INTO THE
FOLDS OF HINDUISM.

11. EDUCATIONAL REFORMS MAHARISHI DAYANAND
WAS FULLY CONVINCED THAT THE LACK OF
KNOWLEDGE WAS THE MAIN CULPRIT BEHIND THE
ADULTERATION OF HINDUISM. HE SET UP A NUMBER
OF GURUKULS TO TEACH HIS FOLLOWERS THE
KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS AND FOR THEM TO
SPREAD THE KNOWLEDGE FURTHER. INSPIRED BY
HIS BELIEFS, TEACHINGS AND IDEAS, HIS DISCIPLES
ESTABLISHED THE DAYANAND ANGLO VEDIC
COLLEGE TRUST AND MANAGEMENT SOCIETY,
AFTER HIS DEATH IN 1883. THE FIRST DAV HIGH
SCHOOL WAS ESTABLISHED AT LAHORE ON JUNE 1,
1886 WITH LALA HANS RAJ AS ITS HEADMASTER.

12. DEATH DUE TO HIS RADICAL THINKING AND
APPROACH TO THE SOCIAL ISSUES AND
BELIEFS DAYANAND SARASWATI CREATED
MANY ENEMIES AROUND HIM. IN 1883, ON THE
OCCASION OF DIWALI, THE MAHARAJA OF
JODHPUR, JASWANT SINGH II, HAD INVITED
MAHARISHI DAYANAND TO HIS PALACE AND
SOUGHT THE GURU’S BLESSINGS. DAYANAND
OFFENDED THE COURT DANCER WHEN HE
ADVISED THE KING TO FORSAKE HER AND
PURSUE A LIFE OF DHARMA. SHE CONSPIRED
WITH THE COOK WHO MIXED PIECES OF
GLASS IN THE MAHARISHI’S MILK. THE
MAHARISHI SUFFERED EXCRUCIATING PAIN
BUT FORGAVE THE COOK INVOLVED BEFORE
HE SUCCUMBED TO DEATH ON OCTOBER 30,

13. THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, TRINIDAD, MEXICO, UNITED
KINGDOM, NETHERLANDS, KENYA, TANZANIA, UGANDA,
SOUTH AFRICA, MALAWI, MAURITIUS, PAKISTAN, BURMA,
THAILAND, SINGAPORE, HONG KONG, AND AUSTRALIA ARE
SOME OF THE COUNTRIES WHERE THE SAMAJ HAS ITS
BRANCHES.
ALTHOUGH MAHARISHI DAYANAND AND THE ARYA SAMAJ
WERE NEVER INVOLVED IN THE INDIAN INDEPENDENCE
STRUGGLE DIRECTLY, HIS LIFE AND HIS TEACHINGS HAD
CONSIDERABLE INFLUENCE IN SEVERAL IMPORTANT
PERSONALITIES LIKE LALA LAJPAT RAI, VINAYAK DAMODAR
SAVARKAR, MADAM CAMA, RAM PRASAD BISMIL, MAHADEV
GOVIND RANADE, MADAN LAL DHINGRA AND SUBHASH
CHANDRA BOSE. SHAHEED BHAGAT SINGH WAS EDUCATED
AT THE D.A.V. SCHOOL IN LAHORE. HE WAS A UNIVERSALLY
REVERED FIGURE AND AMERICAN SPIRITUALIST ANDREW
JACKSON DAVIS CALLED MAHARISHI DAYANAND “SON OF
GOD", ADMITTING THAT THE HE HAD EXERTED PROFOUND
EFFECT ON HIS SPIRITUAL BELIEFS AND APPLAUDED HIM
FOR RESTORING THE STATUS OF THE NATION.

14. QUOTE
14
Great Reformer
. Though music transcends
language, culture and time,
and though notes are the
same, Indian music is
unique because it is
evolved, sophisticated and
melodies are defined.
A value is
valuable when
the value of
value is
valuable to ones
elf
The greatest
musical instrument
given to a human
being is the voice.
The tongue should
express what is in
the heart.
The soul is one in its
nature, but its
entities are many.
God is absolutely holy and wise. His nature,
attributes, and power are all holy. He is
omnipresent, incorporeal, unborn, immense,
omniscient, omnipotent, merciful and just. He is the
maker, protector, and destroyer of worlds.
Dayanand Saraswati

15. THANK YOU
NAME: Rajnish Kumar
Enrolment:MGCUBPGCT22001731
COURSE: Master of Social Work