Maharshi Dayananda Saraswathi

Maharshi Dayananda Saraswathi (1824 - 1883), the founder of the Arya Samaj, was one of the best aryas who ever lived. He was a highly acclaimed social reformer and religious scholar. He also bears the credit of being the first proponent of “Swarajya,” which was adopted and advocated by Lokamanya Tilak. Like a true arya, Maharshi Dayananda Saraswathi denounced idol and ritualistic worship and advocated equal rights for women. He tirelessly strived for the revival of Vedic ideologies, believed in the authority of the Vedas, promoted the doctrine of Karma, encouraged skepticism in dogma, and emphasized the ideals of brahmacharya. S Radhakrishnan, the former president of India, rightly called him one of the “Makers of Modern India.”

Birth, Childhood, and Youth

Dayananda Saraswathi was born on Feb 12, 1824 in Tankara near Morvi in the Kathiawar region of Gujarath. His father, Lal Tiwari, was an affluent brahmin. His mother was Yashodabai. Dayanand was called Dayanand Mulshanker in his childhood. He studied Sanskrit, the Vedas, and other religious books in preparation for the life of a Hindu priest.

However, he began questioning idol worship when he spied a rat nibbling at the offerings placed before an idol of Shiva on Shivarathri. He began pondering over the significance of life when he lost his uncle and his younger sister to cholera. The questions he asked deeply troubled his parents because they had no answers to satisfy him. Finally, he refused to get married and fled from his home in 1846.

The Student

Dayanand wandered around for nearly 2 decades in search of a guru before he found Swami Virajananda in Mathura. His new teacher instructed him to throw away his books and focus on the Vedas. After two and a half years of rigorous study, his teacher asked him to spread the light of the Vedas far and wide as his gurudakshina.

The Social Reformer

Maharshi Dayanand Saraswathi began questioning religious scholars and priests and won all debates with them. He even criticized Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, and idol-worshipping Hindus. His book, Sathyartha Prakasha, gives great insight into the thoughts, ideals, philosophies, and beliefs of this great sage.

Arya Samaj, the organization he founded, condemns idol worship, ancestor worship, animal sacrifice, priest craft, pilgrimages, making offerings in temples, untouchability, caste system, discrimination against women, and child marriages on grounds that the Vedas do not sanction these practices. The Arya Samaj also discourages symbolism and dogma and encourages skepticism in beliefs that do not conform to logic and common sense. The organization also hopes to create a “universal samaj or society” based on Vedic authority.

Death

Maharshi Dayananda Saraswathi was once the guest of the Maharaja of Jodhpur, a womanizer who was fond of a dancing girl. The sage asked the king to give up his mistresses and his unethical lifestyle and to follow the path of dharma. The dancing girl, who overheard this advice, was deeply offended and bribed the cook to poison the sage.

That night, the cook offered him a glass of milk laced with poison, which the sage drank unsuspectingly. Later, he realized that he had been poisoned and tried to purge his body, but to no avail. Dayanand suffered intensely just before he died. The cook was struck with remorse and confessed to him. Dayananda forgave the cook, gave him some money, and asked him to flee the palace. He then breathed his last.