A write-up on Swami Dayanand Saraswati (1824-1883) which was published in the journal "BRAHMARPAN" dated NOVEMBER, 2007 (Vol.1, No.3) and some of the excerpts from that book are being appended below to mark the birthday of the great soul. (And I would like to share with you. Thanks. Kewal Ahluwalia.

Maharishi Swami Dayanand Saraswati
महर्षि स्वमि दयानन्द

(1824.1883)

Swami Dayanand Saraswati was one of the great gifts of to India. He was the greatest reformer of the nineteenth century as well as the savior of the Hindu India. He was born and brought up in Kathiawar, Gujarat. His father was a devout Shaivite and he was eager to groom his son to follow his footsteps and demanded that besides other rituals, he should begin practicing Parthiva Puja, the worship of the clay-linga- representing Shiva. At the age of 14, the child observed fast which resulted in his urge to discover the real Shiva - a turning point in his life.

After the deaths of his sister and uncle, he became curious to find as to how men could avoid death and obtain salvation. So in the year1846 A.D., left his home and wandered from place to place and temple to temple throughout Northern India, studying the Hindu scriptures with a voracious appetite. He devoted 20 years to serious study and meditation and his roaming life brought him in contact with men from all walks of life from priests to princes. He was pained to see the prevailing situation and found Hindu society divided
into numerous castes and fractions. He observed Hindu India with all her pristine glory gone and her religion, arts and science dishonoured.

In1860 he arrived at the door Guru Sw.Virjanand Saraswati in Mathura and he served him for two and a half years as his pupil. While departing from Mathura, the Guru ordered him “Go thou, my child, and spread the message! There is ignorance in the land. The people know not the right from wrong. They quarrel about castes and creeds and know not the Vedas. Go though and give the great message of one God and the Vedic Wisdom.” and sought a pledge from Dayanand to devote his life to disseminating truth, to wage war against the falsehood and to re-establish the ancient glory of Hindu religions.

In the course of next five years, the Northern India was completely changed. He alone argued for hours against three hundred pundits-the whole front line and the reserve of Hindu Orthodoxy. He stood fast on his ground and applied yardstick of Vedas to all the prevailing faiths/beliefs and gave the slogan of Back to Vedas. He was a ruthless critic of all who, according to him, had falsified or profaned the true Vedic religion. A great saint-philosopher Sri Aurobindo Ghosh stated “In the matter of Vedic interpretation I am convinced that whatever lies amidst the chaos and obscurity of old ignorance and age long misunderstanding may be the final complete interpretation, Dayanand will be honoured as the first discoverer of the right clues.”

From 1877 to October, 1883 his time was spent in preaching, teaching and writing books including Ved Bhashya. In his lifetime thousands of Aryasamajs were set up in Bombay, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and other places. He upheld the right of all human beings to learn and study the Vedas He denounced the superstitions, harmful and misleading beliefs, customs and practices of Hindu society e.g. child marriage, denial of education to women, idolatry, untouchability, caste-system etc. He wrote his great book
Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Truth) which was published in 1875. It is a unique book to dispel all doubts and it is in fact the beacon of light leading people from darkness to light, irrationality to rationality, irreligion to religion. It embodies the teachings of Swami Dayanand Saraswati on all matters of religious, social, educational, political and moral, also his beliefs and disbeliefs and the way of life as envisaged by the Vedas and the Vedic culture. In introduction to this book, Swamiji wrote: “The world is fettered by the chain forged by superstition and Ignorance. I have come to snap asunder that chain and to set it at liberty. It is contrary to my mission to have people deprived of their freedom”. He pleaded that Hindi should be link language of the entire country and he was the first crusader to raise his voice against cow-slaughter.

Swami Dayanand breathed his last in Ajmer on Deepawli day, the 30th October, 1883. He was poisoned which proved fatal despite varied efforts. The final moments of his life are worth description when he asked all those present in the Bhinai House to stand behind him. After blessing all present there, he recited the Gayatri Mantra, engaged himself in Samadhic meditation for a few minutes and then lay down. The last words he uttered were: “Almighty God! This is thy will! Let thy will prevail. Wonderful are thy ways.” Saying this, he turned on his side, drew a long breath and threw it out and that was his last breath.”

Very aptly, Sir Jadunath Sarkar described Swamiji as “A true statesman – who could set the forces at work which will go on influencing the lives and thoughts of unborn generations.”

His Legacies.

The movement of Arya Samaj was very strong in North India especially in Punjab and there was social awakening in every sphere and attracted many prominent people. Swami Shraddhanand (1856-1926) founded Gurukul at Kangri, Haridwar in 1902; Mahatma Hansraj (1864-1938) was a pioneer of D.A.V. movement; Shri Gurudutt Vidyarthi (1864-1890), initially an atheist got transformed by mere witnessing the spectacle of Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s death at Ajmer. He contributed his efforts with such intensity that he sacrificed his life by overworking and neglecting his own health. Even many who label themselves as Arya Samajists have not been spared by this negative wave It was on this observation that Pandit Lekhram Ji (1858 – 1897) once said that. “Arya Samaj activities should not only be run in the Arya Samaj buildings or temples, but should as well be run at the homes of Aryas and in the school.” Pt. Lekhram a fearless and undaunted soldier of his master worked for Shudhi movement (re-conversion into Hinduism) and became a martyr at the hands of a fanatic Muslim. It is a matter of pride that 80% of martyrs of Indian freedom movement belonged to Arya Samaj. Lala Lajpat Rai (1865-1928), a staunch Arysamajist played a glorious role against British Empire and sacrificed his life for this cause. Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Madan lal Dhingra, Pt.Ram Prasad Bismal, Bhai Balmukund, Bhai Parmanand (1876-1947), Mahasha Rajpal (1885-1929) etc. were all inspired by Arya Samaj and like these patriots, innumerable people contributed in the struggle for freedom. Arya Samaj will continue to be remembered for its contribution to Indian In the words of Sw.Dayanand Saraswati “self-rule is far better than any sort of foreign rule however well governed it may be.” (Sw.Dayanand Saraswati was the first person to use the word swarajya)

Of late we observe great retardation in Aryasamaj’s march owing to infighting and absence of zeal and spirit but there are always hurdles in the path of success and it is earnestly hoped that with proper introspection and resolve to fulfill the mission of Swami Ji. It is hoped that the young generation who have a rational approach to life will come forward to lead this mission. Our country is still acutely faced with the problems highlighted by Swamiji and to achieve results, committed people are required and leaders of various sects and religions have to discard their rigidity and non-Vedic beliefs and identify the universal interests and draw inspiration from Vedas which preach Universal brotherhood as enunciated in Rig-Veda X.191.2: “May you move together, speak together in one voice; let your minds be of one accord; and like the ancient sages, may you enjoy your assigned share of fortune”.

Kewal Ahluwalia.