101 Facts About Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati You Must Know

101 Facts About Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati: The Architect of Modern India and the Thunder of the Vedas

Introduction: The Roar of the Lion in a Silent Age

The nineteenth century in India is often characterized by historians as a period of profound twilight—a transition between the collapsing vestiges of the Mughal empire and the rising sun of modern nationalism. It was an era where the Indian subcontinent lay prostrate, not merely under the political boot of the British East India Company, but under a heavier, self-imposed burden of social stagnation. The vibrant, intellectual dynamism that had once produced the Upanishads and the mathematical marvels of Aryabhata had ossified into a rigid, ritualistic orthodoxy. The priestly class, acting as the gatekeepers of divinity, had locked the spiritual truths of the Vedas behind the iron bars of Sanskrit exclusivity, leaving the masses to navigate a labyrinth of superstition, caste oppression, and idolatry.

Into this milieu of despair and decay stepped a figure of colossal determination and intellectual ferocity: Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati. He was not merely a reformer who sought to patch the tattered fabric of Hindu society; he was a revolutionary who sought to weave it anew on the ancient loom of the Vedas. Unlike his contemporaries, who often looked to the West for inspiration—borrowing from Utilitarianism, Christianity, or Western Liberalism—Dayanand looked inward and backward, to a time before the Puranas, before the caste system hardened, and before the fragmentation of Indian identity.

His call was simple yet seismic: "Back to the Vedas." But this was no retreat into archaism. For Dayanand, the Vedas were not dead texts of rituals but living repositories of scientific truth, monotheism, and social equality. He argued that the stagnation of India was not due to its ancient religion, but due to the corruption of that religion. He envisioned a society where birth did not dictate worth, where women were scholars and warriors, where the king was answerable to the law, and where God was worshipped not in stone but in spirit and truth.

As the founder of the Arya Samaj in 1875, he unleashed a movement that would become the crucible of Indian nationalism. He was the first to utter the word Swaraj (Self-Rule), defining it as the birthright of Indians to rule themselves—a torch he lit long before the Indian National Congress made it their rallying cry. His intellectual lineage birthed revolutionaries like Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, and Swami Shraddhanand, men who took his gospel of fearlessness from the religious pulpit to the political scaffold.

This comprehensive report delves into the life, philosophy, and enduring legacy of this titan of history. From the rebellious boy in Gujarat who questioned the power of an idol to the sage who debated the erudite scholars of Kashi, and finally to the martyr who forgave his own assassin, we explore the multifaceted life of the man often called the "Grandfather of the Indian Nation".

Key Takeaways: The Essence of the Maharishi

• The First Nationalist: Dayanand was the first to use the term "Swaraj" (Self-Rule) in 1876, asserting "India for Indians" decades before the political independence movement took shape.
• Founder of Arya Samaj: Established in 1875, this organization was not a new sect but a reform movement to purify Vedic Dharma of idolatry, casteism, and superstition.
• Champion of Women’s Rights: He was a pioneer in advocating for female education and widow remarriage, arguing that the Vedas granted women equal status in spiritual and social life.
• The Shivratri Catalyst: A childhood incident where he saw a mouse eating offerings on a Shiva idol shattered his belief in idolatry and set him on a quest for the true, formless God.
• Literary Giant: His magnum opus, Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Truth), remains a cornerstone of Vedic philosophy and comparative religious analysis.
• Educational Visionary: His legacy lives on through the D.A.V. (Dayanand Anglo-Vedic) schools and Gurukul institutions, which blend modern science with Vedic wisdom.
• Martyr for Truth: He died in 1883 after being poisoned, a consequence of his fearless criticism of immorality among the powerful princely states.

Early Life and Renunciation: The Genesis of a Rebel

The making of a Maharishi is rarely a linear journey; it is often a crucible of internal conflict and external rebellion. For Dayanand, born into the heart of orthodoxy, the path to enlightenment began with a refusal to accept the status quo.

Birth and Lineage: The Roots of Authority

Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati was born on February 12, 1824, in the town of Tankara, situated in the princely state of Morvi in the Kathiawar region of present-day Gujarat. He was born into a wealthy, influential, and deeply orthodox Audichya Brahmin family, a lineage known for its strict adherence to religious customs and social hierarchy.

His father, Karshanji Lalji Tiwari, was a man of formidable stature. Holding the hereditary position of a Jamadar (revenue collector/official), Karshanji was wealthy, prosperous, and wielded significant influence in the region. He was a devout Shaivite (worshipper of Lord Shiva) and a man of stern, uncompromising disposition. He believed deeply in the efficacy of rituals, fasting, and idol worship, expecting his son to follow in his footsteps as a pillar of the orthodox community. His mother, Yashodabai, in contrast, was described as the personification of patience, gentleness, and sweetness, providing a nurturing balance to the father's austere discipline.

The Name 'Mool Shankar' and the Burden of Destiny

At birth, the child was named Mool Shankar (or Moolshankar). The name was derived from the astrological fact that he was born during the Mool Nakshatra, a celestial alignment considered auspicious for the child's future power but potentially turbulent for his family, often requiring specific religious pacification rites. In his childhood, he was also affectionately known as Dayaram.

His upbringing was one of privilege but also of rigorous discipline. Karshanji Tiwari was determined to mold his son into a scholar and a devout Brahmin. By the age of five, Mool Shankar began his formal education in Sanskrit grammar and scriptures. By the age of eight, he underwent the Yajnopavita (sacred thread) ceremony, marking his initiation into the religious duties of a Brahmin. His intellect was prodigious; by the age of fourteen, he had memorized the entire Yajur Veda Samhita and significant portions of the other Vedas, a feat that would have taken lesser minds decades to accomplish.

The Shivratri Incident: The Night Faith Collapsed

The pivotal moment that transformed Mool Shankar from a devout Brahmin boy into a skeptic occurred in 1838, when he was fourteen years old. The festival was Shivratri, the Great Night of Shiva, a time of fasting and vigil essential for any Shaivite.

Karshanji insisted that Mool Shankar observe the strict fast and keep a night-long vigil (Jagran) at the Shiva temple outside the village. The father explained that if the boy remained awake all night praying to the idol, the great Lord Shiva would bless him. Mool Shankar, eager to please his father and earn divine merit, agreed.

As the night deepened, the temple priests and other devotees, exhausted by the fast, succumbed to sleep. Mool Shankar, however, battled his own fatigue, splashing water on his eyes to stay awake, determined not to miss the manifestation of the deity. In the dead of night, while the temple was silent, he witnessed a sight that would change the course of Indian history.

A small mouse crept out of a hole in the temple wall. It scurried onto the Shiva Linga—the sacred icon of the deity—and began to nibble at the sweetmeats and offerings placed there by the devotees. The mouse ran over the body of the idol, completely unafraid.

A storm of questions erupted in the young boy's mind. He reasoned with a terrifying logic:

"I have been told that this idol is the Great God Mahadeva, the wielder of the Trident, the Destroyer of the Universe, the One who bestows boons and curses. Yet, this stone image cannot even protect its own offerings from a tiny mouse. It allows a vermin to crawl over its body. How can this helpless stone be the Omnipotent Lord?"

Unable to contain his doubt, he woke his father. "Father," he asked, "is this the real God? The same Shiva who lives on Mount Kailash?" Karshanji, annoyed at being woken, tried to explain that in the Kali Yuga, God does not appear in person, and the idol is a consecrated representation. But the explanation rang hollow to Mool Shankar. The logic of the mouse had dismantled the logic of the idol. He broke his fast, ate the offerings, and returned home, marking the end of his acceptance of idol worship.

The Tragedy of Mortality: The Awakening of Vairagya

If the Shivratri incident destroyed his faith in rituals, two subsequent tragedies destroyed his attachment to worldly life.

When Mool Shankar was sixteen, his beloved younger sister contracted cholera. He watched helplessly as the disease ravaged her body and claimed her life. For a young man who had lived a sheltered life, the raw reality of death was traumatic. He reportedly stood in stunned silence, unable to weep, as the realization of human fragility took root in his soul.

Three years later, tragedy struck again. His uncle, a man of great learning who had been Mool Shankar's intellectual confidant and emotional anchor, also died of cholera. This death shattered him. He wept bitterly, and in his grief, he realized that death was the only certainty of existence. The questions shifted from "Who is God?" to "How can one conquer death?".

This existential angst, known in Indian philosophy as Vairagya (dispassion/detachment), took hold of him. He began to ask the fundamental questions of the Buddha: Why do we suffer? Is there a state beyond death? He realized that the domestic life his father planned for him—wealth, status, family—was merely a waiting room for death. He resolved to seek Mukti (liberation).

The Great Escape (1846)

Sensing his son's growing detachment, Karshanji decided to employ the traditional remedy: marriage. He arranged a wedding for the 21-year-old Mool Shankar, believing that the bonds of a wife and family would tether him to the world.

For Mool Shankar, this was the ultimate trap. In 1846, weeks before the scheduled wedding, he made his decision. Under the cover of darkness, he fled his home in Tankara, leaving behind his inheritance, his family, and his name.

He was initiated into the order of Brahmacharya and named Shuddhachaitanya. However, his escape was not immediately successful. His father, using his influence and soldiers, tracked him down at a fair in Siddhpur. Karshanji was furious. He tore the ochre robes off his son’s body, smashed his begging bowl, and placed him under armed guard, planning to drag him back to Tankara in chains.

But Mool Shankar was not to be contained. In the dead of night, while his guards slept, he escaped a second time. He climbed a tall tree near a temple and hid in its branches for hours while his father's men searched below. Once the coast was clear, he fled again—this time, forever. He would never see his parents or his home again. The boy Mool Shankar died; the seeker was born.

The Wandering Years: The Crucible of the Yogi (1845–1860)

For nearly fifteen years, Mool Shankar, now wandering as a renunciate, traversed the length and breadth of India. This period, known as his Parivrajaka (wandering monk) phase, was characterized by extreme physical hardship, intense study, and a relentless search for a true Guru.

The Search for True Knowledge

He traveled through the freezing heights of the Himalayas, the dense jungles of the Vindhyas, and the spiritual centers along the Ganges. He met hundreds of Sadhus, Yogis, and scholars. He studied Hatha Yoga, learned the intricacies of Vedanta, and debated with sectarians.

However, his journey was largely one of disillusionment. He found that the holy men of India were often as ignorant as the laypeople. Many were addicted to cannabis (ganja), obsessed with petty rituals, or engaged in fraudulent "miracles" to fleece the faithful. He saw the corruption of the monasteries (Mathas) and the exploitation of the poor by the priestly class.

Despite this, he honed his own discipline. He practiced severe austerities, mastering his body and mind. Stories from this period recount his immense physical strength—a result of his strict celibacy (Brahmacharya) and yoga. In one instance, he reportedly stopped a horse carriage with one hand to demonstrate the power of will and physical conditioning. In another, he broke a sword with his bare hands when attacked. But physical strength was not his goal; spiritual truth was.

He was eventually initiated into formal Sannyasa by Swami Purnanand Saraswati on the banks of the Narmada River. It was here that he received the name by which the world would know him: Dayanand Saraswati.

The Blind Sage of Mathura: Swami Virjanand

By 1860, Dayanand had acquired vast knowledge but lacked a cohesive vision. He arrived in Mathura, a city of temples, and knocked on the door of a humble hermitage. Inside lived Swami Virjanand Dandeesha, a blind sage known for his terrible temper and his unparalleled mastery of Sanskrit grammar.

Virjanand was a hard taskmaster. He despised the modern, corrupted Sanskrit used by the Pundits and held that the Arsha (Rishi-authored) texts—specifically the Vedas and the works of Panini and Patanjali—were the only true sources of knowledge. He rejected the Puranas, the epics, and the sectarian scriptures as later fabrications that had polluted the Aryan religion.

Dayanand became his disciple. For two and a half years, he endured Virjanand's harsh discipline. It is said that Virjanand once struck Dayanand, and the bruise remained on his shoulder for life—a mark Dayanand cherished as a badge of his awakening.

In 1863, Dayanand completed his education. When he approached Virjanand to offer the traditional Dakshina (fee given to a Guru), he had nothing but a handful of cloves (some sources say dried fruits). Virjanand rejected the offering. He demanded a different price:

"I want no wealth. My Dakshina is this: Take a vow before me that you will devote your life to spreading the true knowledge of the Vedas. Go forth and dispel the darkness of ignorance, smash the idols of superstition, and restore the glory of the Aryan faith. Illuminate the world with the light of Truth."

Dayanand bowed, touched his Guru's feet, and said, "Tathastu" (So be it). The wanderer had found his mission.

Founding of Arya Samaj: A Revolution in Organization

After leaving Mathura, Dayanand began a whirlwind tour of India. He did not go to the Himalayas to meditate; he went to the cities to fight. He visited Agra, Haridwar, Kanpur, and Kashi, challenging the orthodox Pundits to debates (Shastrarth).

His message was radical, but he realized that individual preaching was insufficient to counter the organized machinery of British colonialism, Christian missionaries, and Islamic proselytization, as well as the entrenched Hindu orthodoxy. He needed an organization.

The Bombay Foundation (1875)

On April 10, 1875, in the Kakadwadi area of Bombay (Mumbai), Swami Dayanand officially founded the Arya Samaj. The choice of Bombay was strategic; it was a cosmopolitan hub with a rising middle class that was open to reform but wary of the radical Westernization promoted by groups like the Brahmo Samaj.

The Arya Samaj was unique. It was not a new religion or a sect. It was a "Society of Nobles" (Arya meaning noble in Sanskrit). Its motto was Krinvanto Vishvam Aryam—"Make the World Noble." Unlike the Brahmo Samaj, which drew heavily from Christianity and Western philosophy, the Arya Samaj was unapologetically rooted in the Vedas, giving Indians a sense of indigenous pride.

The Lahore Revision (1877)

While Bombay gave the Samaj its birth, the Punjab gave it its lifeblood. In 1877, Dayanand visited Lahore. The reception was overwhelming. The sturdy, martial people of Punjab, who were facing aggressive conversion efforts by missionaries, found Dayanand's muscular, rational Vedic faith appealing.

In Lahore, the constitution of the Arya Samaj was refined and condensed into the 10 Niyams (Principles). These principles remain the doctrinal bedrock of the movement today.

The 10 Principles of Arya Samaj

#	Principle	Explanation
1	Source of Knowledge	God is the efficient cause of all true knowledge and all that is known through knowledge.
2	Nature of God	God is Formless, Almighty, Just, Merciful, Unborn, Infinite, Unchangeable, Beginningless, Incomparable, Support of All, Lord of All, All-pervading, Omniscient, Undecaying, Immortal, Fearless, Eternal, and Holy. He alone is worthy of worship.
3	Authority of Vedas	The Vedas are the scriptures of all true knowledge. It is the paramount duty of all Aryas to read them, teach them, recite them, and hear them being read.
4	Truth	One should always be ready to accept truth and to renounce untruth. (This enshrined rationalism and scientific inquiry).
5	Dharma	All acts should be performed in accordance with Dharma (righteousness), i.e., after deliberating what is right and wrong.
6	Objective	The prime object of the Arya Samaj is to do good to the world, i.e., to promote physical, spiritual, and social good of everyone.
7	Conduct	Our conduct towards all should be guided by love, righteousness, and justice.
8	Education	We should dispel Avidya (ignorance) and promote Vidya (knowledge).
9	Collective Good	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.
10	Law & Liberty	All human beings should be subject to social laws for the well-being of all, while in following the rules of individual welfare, all should be free.

These principles were revolutionary. They mandated education (Principle 8), social service (Principle 6), and democracy (Principle 10). They removed the Brahmin from the equation—any person who followed these rules was an Arya.

Literary Contributions: The Pen as a Sword

Swami Dayanand was not just an orator; he was a prolific writer who understood the power of the printed word. He was the first reformer to write commentaries on the Vedas in Hindi, breaking the Brahminical monopoly on Sanskrit and making the scriptures accessible to the masses.

Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Truth)

Published first in 1875 and revised in 1882, Satyarth Prakash is his magnum opus. It is not merely a religious text; it is a manifesto of rationalism.

The book is structured into 14 chapters (Samullas):

• Constructive Philosophy (Chapters 1–10): These chapters outline the Vedic way of life.
  • God: Defines God as "Om" and explains monotheism.
  • Child Rearing: Detailed instructions on education, diet, and discipline.
  • Education: Advocacy for the Gurukul system and strict Brahmacharya.
  • Marriage: Denunciation of child marriage; support for Swayamvar (choice marriage) and widow remarriage.
  • Governance: A blueprint for a righteous King (Raja) who is subject to the rule of law and a council of ministers.
  • Mukti: The concept of liberation, which Dayanand argued was not eternal (the soul returns to the cycle after a long period of bliss), a unique theological stance.
• Critical Analysis (Chapters 11–14): These chapters contain his fierce critiques of other faiths.
  • Chapter 11: Attacks Orthodox Hinduism (Puranics), criticizing idolatry, pilgrimages, river bathing, and the sect of the Vallabhacharyas.
  • Chapter 12: Critiques Charvaka (Materialism), Buddhism, and Jainism (for their atheism).
  • Chapter 13: Critiques Christianity, analyzing the Bible to point out logical inconsistencies and what he saw as moral failings.
  • Chapter 14: Critiques Islam and the Quran, applying the same rigorous logic he applied to the Puranas.

Satyarth Prakash remains one of the most influential—and controversial—books in Indian history. It gave Hindus a sense of intellectual self-confidence, providing them with arguments to counter the missionaries and the orthodox priests.

Other Major Works

• Rigvedadi Bhashya Bhumika: An introduction to his commentary on the Vedas, explaining his methodology of interpretation.
• Sanskar Vidhi: A practical manual detailing the 16 Vedic sacraments (rituals from birth to death), stripping them of superstitious additions.
• Gokarunanidhi (Ocean of Mercy to the Cow): A treatise arguing for cow protection on economic and ethical grounds rather than purely religious ones.
• Veda Bhashyam: His monumental commentary on the Rigveda and Yajurveda. He died before completing it, but it laid the groundwork for future Vedic scholarship.

Social Reforms: Breaking the Chains

Dayanand’s religious reforms were the engine for his social agenda. He argued that social evils were not just bad for society but were Adharma—against the will of God as revealed in the Vedas.

1. The War on Caste: From Jati to Varna

Dayanand struck at the root of Hindu fragmentation: the caste system. He did not reject the concept of Varna (class), but he rejected Jati (caste by birth).

• He argued that the Vedas classify people by Guna (Quality), Karma (Action), and Swabhav (Nature).
• Therefore, a Brahmin’s son who is ignorant is a Shudra, and a Shudra’s son who is learned and virtuous is a Brahmin.
• The Arya Samaj practically implemented this by investing "lower caste" individuals with the Janeu (sacred thread) and teaching them the Gayatri Mantra—acts that were considered blasphemous by the orthodoxy.

2. Women’s Rights: The First Feminist of India?

In a time when women were confined to the Purdah and denied literacy, Dayanand championed their rights with Vedic authority.

• Education: He cited the Vedas to prove that in ancient times, women were scholars (Rishikas). He advocated for equal education for boys and girls. The Arya Samaj established the Kanya Mahavidyalaya in Jalandhar in 1886, one of the first schools exclusively for girls.
• Widow Remarriage: He argued that the prohibition on widow remarriage had no Vedic basis. He supported Niyoga (a temporary union for procreation) and full remarriage for child widows. The Arya Samaj normalized widow remarriage in Punjab and North India.
• Marriage Age: He was a fierce opponent of child marriage. He prescribed the minimum marriageable age as 16 for girls and 25 for boys, arguing that early marriage led to weak offspring and national degeneration.

3. The Shuddhi Movement: Reclaiming the Lost

Perhaps his most politically significant contribution was the Shuddhi (Purification) movement.

• Historically, Hinduism was a non-proselytizing religion. If a Hindu converted to Islam or Christianity, there was no mechanism to bring them back.
• Dayanand introduced Shuddhi as a Vedic rite of purification to allow reconversion to Hinduism.
• This transformed Hinduism from a passive, retreating faith into an active, expanding one. It provided a defense against the mass conversions happening under colonial rule and consolidated the Hindu demographic.

4. Cow Protection (Gaurakshini Sabha)

In 1882, he founded the Gaurakshini Sabha (Cow Protection Society).

• He framed the protection of the cow not just as religious sentiment but as "National Economics."
• He argued that one cow, through its milk and progeny (bulls for ploughing), could feed thousands of people in its lifetime, whereas its meat could feed only eighty people for one meal. Thus, killing a cow was economic suicide for an agricultural nation.

Lesser-Known Facts and The Great Debates

The Kashi Shastrarth (1869)

The most legendary event in his life was the Kashi Shastrarth (The Great Debate at Varanasi) on November 16, 1869.

• Dayanand walked into the lion's den—Kashi, the stronghold of orthodoxy.
• The Maharaja of Kashi presided over the debate. Opposing Dayanand were 27 eminent scholars and 12 expert Pandits. The crowd was estimated at over 50,000.
• The topic: "Do the Vedas sanction idol worship?"
• For hours, Dayanand stood alone, fielding questions from multiple scholars simultaneously. He challenged them to produce a single Vedic verse authorizing the worship of stone images. They could not.
• The debate ended in chaos when the opposition, unable to win logically, resorted to disruption. A Pandit produced a spurious manuscript page and demanded Dayanand read it. As he examined it, the crowd was incited to shout victory for the orthodox side.
• Though declared a "defeat" by the Pandits, it was a moral victory. It exposed the hollowness of the orthodox position and catapulted Dayanand to national fame.

The Theosophical Interlude

• Between 1878 and 1882, the Arya Samaj entered a brief alliance with the Theosophical Society founded by Madame Blavatsky and Col. Olcott.
• The Theosophists, seeking a foothold in India, accepted Dayanand as their spiritual chief.
• However, the alliance fractured. Dayanand discovered that the Theosophists were promoting "occult phenomena" and "miracles" rather than Vedic rationalism. He famously denounced their practices as "humbuggery" in 1882, severing all ties.

Physical Prowess

• Dayanand was a giant of a man with immense physical strength.
• In one anecdote, he stopped a carriage with two horses from moving simply by holding onto the rear wheel with one hand.
• In another, when a man attacked him with a sword, he snatched the sword, broke it in two, and told the attacker to go home.

The Legacy & Death: The Martyrdom

Swami Dayanand’s fearless criticism of the powerful—whether British officials, corrupt priests, or immoral princes—made him many enemies. He survived numerous attempts on his life, including drowning and poisoning, often using his Yogic knowledge to vomit out the poison.

The Jodhpur Incident (1883)

In 1883, the Swami visited the princely state of Jodhpur at the invitation of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II.

Dayanand was dismayed to see the Maharaja, a ruler of men, neglecting his state duties and spending his time under the influence of a courtesan named Nanhi Jan.

One day, finding the Maharaja with the dancer, Dayanand rebuked him sternly:

"O King! A lion should not play with a bitch. It degrades your dignity and destroys the kingdom."

The rebuke stung the Maharaja, but it enraged Nanhi Jan. She conspired with the Maharaja’s cook, Jagannath, to eliminate the Swami.

The Poisoning and Forgiveness

On the night of September 29, 1883, Jagannath mixed powdered glass into the Swami’s milk. Dayanand drank it and immediately realized he had been poisoned. He attempted to purge the poison using Yogic Kriya, but the glass shards had already entered his bloodstream, causing internal hemorrhaging.

When the cook Jagannath saw the Swami’s agony, he broke down and confessed. In a moment that defined his saintliness, Dayanand did not call the guards. Instead, he gave the cook a bag of money and said:

"Run away from here before the Maharaja finds out. He will kill you. I have come to liberate people, not to put them in chains."

The End of an Era

Dayanand suffered excruciating pain for a month. He was moved to Mount Abu and finally to Ajmer. On October 30, 1883, coinciding with the festival of Diwali, the great Rishi called his disciples. He recited the Veda mantras, prayed "Ishwar, Teri ichha purna ho" (O Lord, Thy will be done), and breathed his last.

He was 59 years old.

The Legacy: DAV vs. Gurukul

Dayanand’s death galvanized his followers. To honor his memory, they sought to build institutions that would carry his mission forward. However, a rift emerged in the Arya Samaj in 1893, dividing the movement into two distinct but powerful streams.

1. The College Party (D.A.V. Movement)

• Leaders: Lala Hansraj and Lala Lajpat Rai.
• Philosophy: They believed that to survive in the modern world, Indians needed English education and science, supplemented by Vedic values. They advocated for a modern curriculum and were less strict about vegetarianism.
• Institution: They founded the Dayanand Anglo-Vedic (DAV) School in Lahore on June 1, 1886. Mahatma Hansraj served as the honorary Headmaster for 25 years without taking a salary.
• Impact Today: The DAV College Managing Committee (DAVCMC) is the largest non-governmental educational organization in India, running over 900 schools and 75 colleges.

2. The Mahatma Party (Gurukul Movement)

• Leader: Swami Shraddhanand (Munshi Ram) and Pandit Lekhram.
• Philosophy: They believed that English education would dilute Indian culture. They advocated for the traditional Gurukul system, emphasizing Sanskrit, Vedic philosophy, and strict Brahmacharya. They were strict vegetarians.
• Institution: They established the Gurukul Kangri near Haridwar in 1902.
• Impact: This wing preserved the deep study of the Vedas and produced Sanskrit scholars.

Both wings contributed immensely to the freedom struggle. The DAV schools became nurseries for nationalists (Bhagat Singh was a DAV student), while the Gurukuls preserved the soul of Indian culture.

Conclusion: The Grandfather of the Nation

Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati was more than a religious reformer; he was the first architect of modern India. Decades before Gandhi and Tilak, he preached Swaraj, Swadeshi (use of domestic goods), and Rashtrabhasha (national language - Hindi).

He took a society that was fractured by caste, cowed by colonialism, and blinded by superstition, and he gave it a spine of steel. He taught Indians that their ancestors were not savages but scientists and sages. He taught the untouchable that he was an Arya. He taught the woman that she was a scholar.

As Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel famously said:

"The foundation of India's freedom was laid by Swami Dayanand Saraswati."

Today, as India stands as a global power, the roar of the lion of Gujarat still echoes in its schools, its constitution, and its spirit of resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Who founded the Arya Samaj and when?

Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj on April 10, 1875, in Bombay (Mumbai). The principles were later revised and finalized in Lahore in 1877.

2. What was the childhood name of Dayanand Saraswati?

His childhood name was Mool Shankar (also known as Moolshankar Tiwari). He was given the name Dayanand Saraswati upon his initiation into Sannyasa by Swami Purnanand.

3. What is the significance of the "Shivratri Incident"?

The Shivratri incident refers to the moment when a 14-year-old Dayanand saw a mouse eating offerings on a Shiva idol. This event shattered his belief in idol worship, leading him to realize that the idol was powerless and could not be the Omnipotent God.

4. Did Swami Dayanand support widow remarriage?

Yes. He was a staunch advocate for the remarriage of widows, especially child widows. He argued that the Vedas did not prohibit remarriage and that the ban was a later societal corruption. The Arya Samaj played a key role in promoting this reform.

5. Who poisoned Swami Dayanand Saraswati?

He was poisoned by a cook named Jagannath in the princely state of Jodhpur in 1883. The cook was bribed by a courtesan named Nanhi Jan, who was angered by the Swami's criticism of her relationship with the Maharaja.

6. What books did Dayanand Saraswati write?

His most famous book is Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Truth). Other major works include Rigvedadi Bhashya Bhumika (Introduction to Vedic Commentary), Sanskar Vidhi (Book of Rituals), and commentaries on the Rigveda and Yajurveda.

7. What does "Swaraj" mean in Dayanand's context?

Dayanand was the first Indian leader to use the term Swaraj in 1876. He defined it as "India for Indians," asserting that self-rule (even if imperfect) is always superior to foreign rule (even if benevolent).

8. What is the difference between DAV and Gurukul?

The DAV (Dayanand Anglo-Vedic) movement, led by Lala Hansraj, favored a blend of English/Western education and Vedic values. The Gurukul movement, led by Swami Shraddhanand, favored a traditional education system focused on Sanskrit and Vedic studies in a residential environment.