About Arya Samaj
Arya Samaj was established by Swami Dayanand Saraswati, at a meeting held on April 10,1875 ( Saturday, chaitra Shukla 5,S.1932) in Dr Manik’s Garden near Prathna Samaj hall in Girgaum road, Bombay ( now Mumbai ) Later on, on June 24,1877, ten principles of Arya Samaj were formulated as the guiding force. The primary aim of the Arya Samaj is to eradicate Agyan ( Ignorance), Abhaav ( Scaracity, Poverty, Indigence and Anayay ( Injustice) from this Earth.
Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati
Maharishi Dayanand Sararwati was born in the Kaushia village of the Jamnagar State in samvat 1881 ( 1824 A.D.). He was named Mulshankar who later became a Sannaysi known as Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati. In his early life, two major events turned the tide of his life from the ordinary course. One event happened , at the age of thirteen, on Shivrati Day , when he saw a mouse running over Siva idol eating sweets offered by the devotees. The second event happened at the age of sixteen when he witnessed the death of his sister. These incidents invigorated him to seek the answer about the real God and Death. After wandering for many years, he met a Guru named Swami Virjanand who helped him realize the truth and the answers to his quest. While wandering , Swami Dayanand witnessed the degeneration and degradation of the Hindus. Idol worship, child marriage, the debasing caste system, untouchability, seclusion and humiliation of women etc were prevalent in the society. His heart bled to see the heart rendering poverty,and utter helplessness of the people. The priests and the rich were exploiting the masses foir their personal gains. He, therefore set to work to rid the people of India of those cramping, choking, throttling customs and practices which had their roots in false emasculating religious teachings. To achieve these objectives, he established an organization known as “ Arya Samaj”.
The Ten Principles Of ARYA SAMAJ
1 God is the primary cause of all true knowledge (science) and of all that can be known through it.
2 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, imminent, immortal, fearless, eternal and holy, and the Creator of all. He alone is worthy of being worshiped.
3 The Vedas are scriptures of true knowledge. It is the duty of all Arya to read them, teach them, hear them being read and recite them to others.
4 We should always be ready to accept the truth and give up untruth.
5 All action should be performed in conformity with Dharma, that is, after deliberating what is right and wrong.
6 The prime object of the Arya Samaj is benevolence of the world, that is, to promote physical, spiritual and social good of everyone.
7 Our conduct towards all should be guided by love, righteousness and justice.
8 We should aim at dispelling ignorance and promoting knowledge.
9 One should not only be content with one’s own welfare, but should look for it in the welfare for others also.
10 One should regard oneself under restriction to follow the rules of society calculated to promote the well being of all, while in following the rules of individual welfare all should be free.