View source for Dayananda Saraswati

{{short description|Indian philosopher and socio-religious reformer (1824–1883)}}
{{About|founder of the [[Arya Samaj]]|founder of [[Arsha Vidya Gurukulam]]|Dayananda Saraswati (Arsha Vidya)}}
{{Disputed|date=March 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox Hindu leader
| honorific-prefix   = ''[[Maharshi]]''
| name               = Dayananda Saraswati
| image              = Dayananda Saraswati.jpg
| alt                = Swami Dayananda Saraswati
| religion           = [[Hinduism]]
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1824|02|12|df=yes}}
| birth_place        = [[Tankara]], [[Morvi State]], [[Company rule in India|Company Raj]] (present-day [[Gujarat]], [[India]])
| birth_name         = Mool Shankar Tiwari<ref>{{cite book|title=Religions and Communities of India|author=Prem Nath Chopra|page=27}}</ref>
| death_date         = {{death date and age|1883|10|30|1824|02|12|df=yes}}<ref name="autogenerated1"/>
| death_place        = [[Ajmer]], [[Ajmer-Merwara]], [[British Raj|British India]] (present-day [[Rajasthan]], [[India]])
| nationality        = Indian
| founder            = [[Arya Samaj]]
| guru               = [[Virajanand Dandeesha]]
| philosophy         = [[Vedic]]
| literary_works     = ''[[Satyarth Prakash]]'' (1875)
| influences         = [[Kanada (philosopher)|Kanada]], [[Yāska]], [[Kashyapa]], [[Patanjali]], [[Pāṇini]], [[Kapila]], [[Badarayana]]
| influenced         = [[Madam Cama]], [[Pandit Lekh Ram]], [[Swami Shraddhanand]], [[Shyamji Krishna Varma]], [[Vinayak Damodar Savarkar]], [[Lala Hardayal]], [[Madan Lal Dhingra]], [[Ram Prasad Bismil]], [[Mahadev Govind Ranade]], [[Mahatma Hansraj]], [[Lala Lajpat Rai]] and others
}}
{{quote box
| width = 32em
| title = Quotation
| quote = There are undoubtedly many learned men among the followers of every religion. They should free themselves from prejudice, accept the universal truths – that is those truths that are to be found alike in all religions and are of universal application, reject all things in which the various religions differ and treat each other lovingly, it will be greatly to the advantage of the world.
}}
{{Hindu philosophy}}
'''Dayanand Saraswati'''<ref name=":0" /> ({{audio|Dayananda Saraswati.ogg|pronunciation}}) born '''Mool Shankar Tiwari''' (12 February 1824 – 30 October 1883), was a [[Hindu philosophy|Hindu philosopher]], social leader and founder of the [[Arya Samaj]], a [[Hindu reform movements|reform movement]] of [[Hinduism]]. His book ''[[Satyarth Prakash]]'' has remained one of the influential texts on the philosophy of the Vedas and clarifications of various ideas and duties of human beings. He was the first to give the call for ''[[Swaraj]]'' as "India for Indians" in 1876, a call later taken up by [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak|Lokmanya Tilak]].<ref name=":0">Aurobindo Ghosh, ''Bankim Tilak Dayanand'' (Calcutta 1947, p. 1.) "Lokmanya Tilak also said that Swami Dayanand was the first who proclaimed Swaraj for Bharatpita i.e. India."</ref><ref>Dayanand Saraswati ''Commentary on Yajurved'' (Lazarus Press Banaras 1876).</ref> Denouncing the [[idolatry]] and ritualistic worship, he worked towards reviving [[Vedas|Vedic]] religion. Subsequently, the [[Philosophy|philosopher]] and [[President of India]], [[Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan]], called him one of the "makers of Modern India", as did [[Sri Aurobindo]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Living with a Purpose|year=2005 |first= S. |last = Radhakrishnan|publisher=Orient Paperbacks|isbn=978-81-222-0031-7 |page=  34|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8_DrAZbdlTAC&pg=PA34 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Kumar |first=Raj |title=Essays on Modern Indian Abuse |publisher=Discovery Publishing House |year=2003 |isbn=978-81-7141-690-5 |page=62 |chapter=5. Swami Dayananda Saraswati: Life and Works |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5L_2-w13fMMC&pg=PA62}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Salmond |first=Noel Anthony |title=Hindu Iconoclasts: Rammohun Roy, Dayananda Sarasvati and Nineteenth Century Polemics Against Idolatry |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-88920-419-5 |page=65 |chapter=3. Dayananda Saraswati |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wxjArixq5hcC}}</ref>

Those who were influenced by and followed Dayananda included [[Charan Singh|Chaudhary Charan Singh]],<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kumar |first=Satendra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZHmHEAAAQBAJ |title=Popular Democracy and the Politics of Caste: Rise of the Other Backward Classes in India |date=2022-09-21 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-000-68431-5 |language=en}}</ref> [[Bhikaiji Cama|Madam Cama]], [[Pandit Lekh Ram]], [[Swami Shraddhanand]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aryasamaj.org/newsite/node/538 |title=Gurudatta Vidyarthi |publisher=Aryasamaj |access-date=19 December 2012 |archive-date=6 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106045415/http://www.aryasamaj.org/newsite/node/538%20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Shyamji Krishna Varma]], [[Kishan Singh Gargaj|Kishan Singh]], [[Bhagat Singh]], [[Vinayak Damodar Savarkar]], [[Bhai Parmanand]], [[Har Dayal|Lala Hardayal]], [[Madan Lal Dhingra]], [[Ram Prasad Bismil]], [[Mahadev Govind Ranade]], [[Ashfaqulla Khan|Ashfaqullah Khan]],<ref name="Isrj.net"/> [[Mahatma Hansraj]], [[Lala Lajpat Rai]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.culturalindia.net/leaders/lala-lajpat-rai.html|title=Lala Lajpat Rai|work=culturalindia.net|access-date=14 January 2016|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225122334/https://www.culturalindia.net/leaders/lala-lajpat-rai.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=17 November 2023 |title=Lala Lajpat Rai {{!}} Biography & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lala-Lajpat-Rai |access-date=18 December 2023 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> [[Yogmaya Neupane]], [[Vallabhbhai Patel]] and others.<ref>{{Cite book|title=बहुमुखी व्यक्तित्वकी धनी योगमाया by Pawan Alok|last=Neupane|first=Dr. Kedar|publisher=Nepal Shrastha Samaj|year=2014|isbn=978-9937-2-6977-3|location=Kathmandu|pages=15–21}}</ref>

He was a [[Sannyasa|sannyasi]] (ascetic) from boyhood and a scholar. He believed in the [[Infallibility|infallible]] [[Moral absolutism|authority]] of the Vedas. Dayananda advocated the doctrines of [[karma]] and [[reincarnation]]. He emphasised the Vedic ideals of [[brahmacharya]], including [[celibacy]] and [[Bhakti|devotion to God]].

Among Dayananda's contributions were his opposition to [[untouchability]], promotion of the [[equal rights for women]] and his commentary on the [[Vedas]] from [[Vedic Sanskrit]] in [[Sanskrit]] as well as in [[Hindi]].

== Early life ==

Dayananda Saraswati was born on the 10th day of waning moon in the month of Purnimanta Phalguna (12 February 1824) on the [[tithi]] to an Indian [[Hinduism|Hindu]] [[Brahmin]] family<ref>{{cite book|author=Robin Rinehart|title=Contemporary Hinduism: Ritual, Culture, and Practice|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hMPYnfS_R90C&pg=PA58|year=2004|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-57607-905-8|pages=58–}}</ref> in [[Tankara]], [[Kathiawar]] region (now [[Morbi district]] of [[Gujarat]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mid-day.com/articles/devdutt-pattanaik-dayanand--vivekanand/17911158|title=Devdutt Pattanaik: Dayanand & Vivekanand|date=15 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://gu.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%AA%AA%E0%AB%83%E0%AA%B7%E0%AB%8D%E0%AA%A0:Jhanda_Dhari_Maharshi_Dayanand.pdf/%E0%AB%A7%E0%AB%AC| title = ઝંડાધારી – મહર્ષિ દયાનંદ – Gujarati Wikisource}}</ref> He belonged to the [[Audichya Brahmin]] sub-division.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sharma |first=Vishun Lal |url=http://archive.org/details/handbookoftheary00sharuoft |title=Hand-book of the Arya Samaj |date=1912 |publisher=Tract Department of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, United Provinces |others=Robarts – University of Toronto |location=Allahabad}}</ref> His original name was Mool Shankar Tiwari, because he was born in [[Hindu astrology#Elements|Dhanu Rashi]] and [[Mula (nakshatra)|Mul Nakshatra]]. His father was Karshanji Lalji Tiwari,<ref>{{cite web|last=Krishnan|first=Aishwarya|title=Swami Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti: 7 Things to know about the righteous Hindu religious scholar {{!}} India.com|url=https://www.india.com/viral/swami-dayanand-saraswati-jayanti-7-things-to-know-about-the-righteous-hindu-religious-scholar-1857610/|access-date=12 November 2021|website=www.india.com|language=en}}</ref> and his mother was Yashodabai.

When he was eight years old, his [[Upanayana|Yajnopavita Sanskara]] ceremony was performed, marking his entry into formal education. His father was a follower of [[Shiva]] and taught him the ways to worship Shiva. He was also taught the importance of keeping fasts. On the occasion of [[Maha Shivaratri|Shivratri]], Dayananda sat awake the whole night in obedience to Shiva. During one of these fasts, he saw a mouse eating the offerings and running over the idol's body. After seeing this, he questioned that if Shiva could not defend himself against a mouse, then how could he be the saviour of the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiansaga.com/history/congress_arya.html|title=History of India|website=indiansaga.com|access-date=5 October 2018}}</ref>

The deaths of his younger sister and his uncle from [[cholera]] led Dayananda to ponder the meaning of life and death. He began asking questions which worried his parents. He was engaged in his early teens, but he decided marriage was not for him and ran away from home in 1846.<ref name="iloveindia">{{cite web|url=http://www.iloveindia.com/spirituality/gurus/dayanand-saraswati.html|title=Dayanand Saraswati|work=iloveindia.com|access-date=14 January 2016|archive-date=13 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113082150/http://www.iloveindia.com/spirituality/gurus/dayanand-saraswati.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="culturalindia">{{cite web|url=http://www.culturalindia.net/reformers/swami-dayanand-saraswati.html|title=Swami Dayanand Saraswati|work=culturalindia.net|access-date=14 January 2016|archive-date=22 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422210213/http://www.culturalindia.net/reformers/swami-dayanand-saraswati.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Dayanand Saraswati spent nearly twenty-five years, from 1845 to 1869, as a wandering ascetic, searching for religious truth. He found out that the joy from material goods was not enough, therefore he decided to devote himself to spiritual pursuits in forests, retreats in the [[Himalayas|Himalayans]], and pilgrimage sites in North India. During these years he practised various forms of [[yoga]] and became a disciple of a teacher named [[Virajanand Dandeesha]]. Virajanand believed that [[Hinduism]] had strayed from its historical roots and that many of its practices had become impure. Dayananda Sarasvati promised Virajanand that he would devote his life to restoring the rightful place of the [[Vedas]] in the Hindu faith.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sarasvati, Dayananda – World Religions Reference Library|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-3448400050.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610083329/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-3448400050.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 June 2014|publisher= World Religions Reference Library |access-date=5 September 2012|date=1 January 2007}}</ref>

== Teachings of Dayananda ==
Maharshi Dayanand advocated that all human beings are equally capable of achieving anything. He said all the creatures are the eternal Praja or citizens of the Supreme Lord. He said the four Vedas which are [[Rigveda]], [[Yajurveda]], [[Samaveda]], and [[Atharvaveda]] are the only true uncorrupted sources of Dharma, revealed by the Supreme Lord, at the beginning of every creation, also because they are the only perfectly preserved knowledge without alterations using [[Sanskrit prosody|Sanskrit prosody or Chandas]] and different techniques of counting the number of verses with different [[Vedic chant]]ing techniques. He says, that confusion regarding the Vedas arose due to the misinterpretations of the Vedas, and Vedas promote science and ask humans to discover the Ultimate Truth, which he has emphasised throughout his Commentary on the Vedas.

He accepted the teachings of the first ten [[Principal Upanishads]] also with [[Shvetashvatara Upanishad]], which explains the Adhyatma part of the Vedas. He further said, that any source, including [[Upanishads]], should be considered and accepted to only that extent as they are in conformity with the teachings of the Vedas.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Swami Dayanand Saraswati |title=Satyarth Prakash, English Translation |publisher=Virjanand Press |year=1908 |edition=2nd}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Swami Dayanand Saraswati |year=1908 |title=Satyarth Prakash English Translation |url=https://archive.org/details/satyarthprakashl00dayauoft/page/n5/mode/2up |website=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Swami Dayanand Saraswati |title=Satyarth Prakash, Hindi |url=https://archive.org/details/SatyarthPrakash_201803/mode/2up |website=Internet Archive}}</ref>

He accepted the six [[Vedanga]] texts which include grammar and the like required for the correct interpretation of the Vedas. Among Sanskrit grammatical texts, he says, [[Pāṇini]]'s [[Aṣṭādhyāyī]] and its commentary, [[Mahabhashya]] by Maharshi [[Patanjali]] are the current surviving valid texts and all other surviving modern-grammatical texts should not be accepted as they are confusing, dishonest and will not help people in learning the Vedas.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

He accepted the six Darshana Shastras which includes [[Samkhya]], [[Vaisheshika]], [[Nyaya]], [[Yoga Sutras of Patanjali]], [[Purva Mimamsa Sutras]], [[Brahma Sutras|Vedanta Sutras]]. Unlike medieval Sanskrit scholars, Dayanand said all the six Darshanas are not opponents but each throws light on different aspects required by the creation. Hence they are all independent in their own right and all of them conform with the teachings of the Vedas. He says Acharya [[Kapila]] of Sankhya Darshan was not an atheist but it is the scholars who misinterpreted his sutras.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

He said the books called [[Brahmana|Brahamanas]] such as [[Aitareya Brahmana]], [[Shatapatha Brahmana]], Sāma Brahamana, [[Gopatha Brahmana]], etc. which are authored by the seers to explain the meaning of the Vedas are also valid but again only to that extent as they agree with four Vedas because these texts are prone to interpolations by others. He said it is these books which are called by the names "Itihasa, Purana, Narashamsa, Kalpa, Gatha" since they contain information about the life of seers and incidents, they inform about the creation of the World, etc...<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

He stated that the eighteen [[Puranas]] and the eighteen [[Upapurana]]s, are not the authentic Puranas and these are not authored by sage [[Vyasa]], and they violate the teachings of the Vedas and therefore should not be accepted. The eighteen Puranas and Upapuranas are filled with contradictions, idol worship, incarnations and personification of God, temples, rituals, and practices that are against the Vedas. In his book ''Satyarth Prakash'', he says whatever 'good' is present in these eighteen Puranas and Upapuranas, are already present in the Vedas and since they contain too many false pieces of information that can mislead people, they should be rejected.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

He points that the sage Vyasa was called so not because he divided the Vedas but the name indicates the "diameter or breadth" which means sage Vyasa had studied the Vedas in great depth.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

He lists out various texts that should not be treated as honest texts to develop one's understanding of the World and the Lord. He rejected all of the Tantric texts including [[Pancharatra]]. He said that these texts are not valid as they teach different customs, rituals, and practices which are against the Vedas.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

Dayanand based his teachings on the Vedas which can be summarised as follows:<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />
# There are three entities that are eternal: 1. The Supreme Lord or Paramatma, 2. The Souls or Jivatmas, which are vast in number but not infinite, 3. Prakriti or Nature.
# [[Prakriti]] or Nature, which is the material cause of the creation, is eternal and is characterised by [[Sattva]], [[Rajas]], and [[Tamas (philosophy)|Tamas]], which tend to be in equilibrium. In every cycle of creation, the conscious Supreme Lord will disturb its equilibrium and make it useful for the creation of the World and its forces and to manufacture the bodies required by the Souls. After a specific time called the Day of the Brahma (Brahma means great, lengthy, etc.), the creation would be dissolved and nature would be restored to its equilibrium. After a period called the Night of Brahma, which is equal to the length of the Day of the Brahma, the creation would set forth again. This cycle of creation and dissolution is eternal.
# [[Jiva]] or Jivatma or Soul or Self, are many who are different from one another yet have similar characteristics and can reach the 'same level' of bliss in the state of Moksha or Liberation. They are not made out of natural particles and are bodiless, beyond all sexs and all other characteristics as seen in the World, but they acquire a body made out of Nature and it is known as taking birth. These souls are subtler than Nature itself but take birth through the body as per the creative principles set by the Supreme Lord based on their past Karma, and they put effort into improving themselves. By realising oneself, Nature, and the Supreme Lord, Souls are Liberated. But this realisation depends on their efforts and knowledge. They keep coming to the World, use Nature, obtain the fruits of their actions, and appear taking myriads of lives of different animals (Those who have attained higher bodies can also go back to lower forms based on their actions or Karma), they redo their actions, and are free to choose their actions, learn and relearn, attain Liberation. After the long duration of Moksha or Liberation, would come back again into the World. Since this period of Moksha or Liberation is long, it appears as though they never return or they never take birth again, by the other beings who are still in the World. Since they are eternal and capable of working, these characteristics cannot be destroyed. They are timeless, eternal but are not omniscients and hence cannot be the pervaders of entire Space.
# The Supreme Lord who is one without second like him, whose name is [[Om]], is the efficient cause of the Universe. Lord's Chief characteristics are – Sat, Chit, and Ananda i.e., "Exists", has "Supreme Consciousness" and is "Eternally Blissful". The Lord and his characteristics are the same. The Supreme Lord is ever present everywhere, whose characteristics are beyond Nature or Prakriti, and pervades all the Souls and the Nature. It is not characteristic of the Supreme Lord to take birth or incarnate. He is ever pure i.e., unmixed by the characteristics of Nature and the Souls. The Supreme Lord is bodiless, infinite, hence has no form and hence cannot be worshipped through idols but can only be reached by any being through Yogic [[Samadhi]] as advocated in the Vedas which is summarised in the [[Yoga Sutras of Patanjali]]. Since the Lord is bodiless and hence beyond all sexs, the Vedas address him as Father, Mother, Friend, Cause of the Worlds, Maker, etc... He is the subtlest entity which is subtler than Nature, pervading and filling the entire existence and Space. It is due to his subtlety that he could take hold of Nature to create the Worlds and he proposes no difficulty for the motion of the Worlds in Space. Hence he is called [[Paramatman]], which means 'Ultimate Pervader". There exists neither who is equal to him nor completely opposed to him. The ideas of Satans, Ghosts, etc. are foreign to the Vedas.
# He said the names Agni, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Prajapati, Paramatma, Vishva, Vayu, etc. are the different characteristics of the Supreme Lord, and the meaning of each of the names should be obtained by [[Dhatupatha]] or [[Root (linguistics)|Root]]. And these names do not refer to any Puranic Deities. Also, certain names may also refer to the worldly elements which should be distinguished from their contexts.
# Regarding the notion of Saguna and Nirguna in explaining the nature of the Lord. Saguna, he says, refers to characteristics of the Lord such as Pervasiveness, Omnipotency, Bliss, Ultimate Consciousness, etc. and, Nirguna, he says, refers to those characteristics which do not characterise the Lord, for example: Nature and the Souls such as different states of existence, taking birth, etc.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />
# [[Moksha]] or Liberation does not refer to any characteristic place but it is the state of Souls who have achieved Liberation. The Jivas or Souls are characterised by four different states of existence which are: 1. Jagrat (Wakefulness), 2. Swapna (Dreaming), 3. Sushupti (Deep Sleep) and 4. [[Turiya]]. It is in the fourth Turiya state, that the Souls exist without contact with Nature but are conscious of their own selves, other Souls, and the Supreme Lord (or Eternal Truth). This state of Moksha or Turiya is not seen in the World hence incomparable but can only be realised. In this state they are free of every tinge of Nature and possess their own minds and experience bliss, the pleasure of their freedom, and the like, which are incomparable with any form of pleasure in the World. They are bodiless in that state and can attain any form of pleasure by their own will without requiring any external agent such as, for example, they can perform the function of ears on their own without requiring material ears, etc. In that state they are capable fulfilling of all their wishes, can go anywhere they want right then and there, witness the creation, maintenance, and dissolution of the Worlds, they also come in contact with other individuals who are Liberated. But in that state, the creative powers remain with the Supreme Lord because the powers of the Lord and the Lord himself are not different things. In Moksha, the Souls remain distinct from one another and from the Supreme Lord. And, by means of their own capability and with the Supreme Lord as their means, they enjoy the bliss. After the period of Moksha, they pass on to this World again, in support of which, he quotes Vedic Mantras and [[Mundaka Upanishad]], in his book [[Satyarth Prakash|''Satyarth Prakash'']] and [[Rigvedadi Bhashya Bhumika|''Rigvedadi Bhashya Bhumika'']].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />
# Again, it is the mark of Maharshi Dayanand's wit that he reconciles the notion of unending or eternal Moksha. He says, "the 'Eternal Moksha' or 'Ananta Moksha', refers to the 'permanency of pleasures of Moksha' unlike the momentary pleasures of the World, and does not necessarily mean the Souls will remain in Moksha permanently." He clarifies it by saying that the Souls are permanent and hence their characteristics also, and it is 'illogical' to consider that an Soul would get trapped in one of the moments of the beginningless time, and escape the World for eternity by using the finite time period of his lives in different creature forms. Even if the illogical is accepted then also it means that even before he got trapped in creation, he was in Moksha, and hence his Moksha period may fail at times is the conclusion that is contradictory to the assumption that Moksha is an infinite period of time. Hence, the Vedic teaching that the Souls should come back after Liberation should be considered valid. In a different point of view, he clarifies the same idea by saying that all actions whatever, are done for a finite time period cannot yield infinite results or fruits of actions, and after the period of Moksha, the Jivas should not have the capability to enjoy the bliss of Moksha further.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" />

He opposed [[Caste system in India|caste system]],{{cn|date=September 2025}} [[Sati (practice)|Sati practice]], [[Murti|Murti worship]], [[Child marriage in India|child marriage]], etc. which are against the spirit of the Vedas and advocated that all evils of society should be thoroughly investigated and should be removed. The [[Varna (Hinduism)|Varna]] should be based on education and profession and in his book ''Satyarth Prakash'', he quotes passages from [[Manusmriti]], [[Grihya Sutras]], and [[Vedas]] which support his claims. He advocated the notion of ''Chakradhipatya'' (One Government Throughout the World).<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

== Dayanand's mission ==

[[File:O3m AryaSamaj Red.svg|right|thumb|[[Om|Aum]] or Om is considered by the [[Arya Samaj]] to be the highest and most proper name of God.]] He believed that Hinduism had been corrupted by divergence from the founding principles of the Vedas and that Hindus had been misled by the priesthood for the priests' self-aggrandisement. For this mission, he founded the [[Arya Samaj]], enunciating the [[Arya Samaj#Core beliefs|Ten Universal Principles]] called ''Krinvanto Vishwaryam''. With these principles, he intended the whole world to be an abode for Aryas (Nobles).

His next step was to reform Hinduism with a new dedication to God. He travelled the country challenging religious scholars and priests to discussions, winning repeatedly through the strength of his arguments and knowledge of Sanskrit and Vedas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boloji.com/people/04018.htm|title=Swami Dayananda Sarasvati by V. Sundaram|work=Boloji|access-date=14 January 2016|archive-date=13 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213120012/http://boloji.com/people/04018.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hindu [[priest]]s discouraged the [[laity]] from reading [[Vedas|Vedic]] scriptures, and encouraged rituals, such as bathing in the [[Ganges]] and feeding of priests on anniversaries, which Dayananda pronounced as [[superstition]]s or self-serving practices. By exhorting the nation to reject such superstitious notions, his aim was to educate the nation to return to the teachings of the Vedas, and to follow the Vedic way of life. He also exhorted Hindus to accept social reforms, including the importance of cows for national prosperity as well as the adoption of [[Hindi]] as the national language for national integration. Through his daily life and practice of yoga and asanas, teachings, preaching, sermons and writings, he inspired Hindus to aspire for ''Swarajya'' (self-governance), nationalism, and spiritualism. He advocated the equal rights and respects to women and advocated for the education of all children, regardless of sex.

Dayanand also made critical analyses of faiths including [[Christianity]] and [[Islam]], as well as of other Indian faiths like [[Jainism]], [[Buddhism]] and [[Sikhism]]. In addition to discouraging [[idolatry]] in Hinduism,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://geocities.com/Athens/Ithaca/3440/books.html |title=Light of Truth |access-date=9 October 2010 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028134700/http://geocities.com/Athens/Ithaca/3440/books.html |archive-date=28 October 2009 }}</ref> he was also against what he considered to be the corruption of the true and pure faith in his own country. Unlike many other reform movements of his times within Hinduism, the Arya Samaj's appeal was addressed not only to the educated few in India, but to the world as a whole as evidenced in the sixth principle of the Arya Samaj. As a result, his teachings professed universalism for all the living beings and not for any particular sect, faith, community or nation.

Arya Samaj allows and encourages converts to Hinduism. Dayananda's concept of [[Dharma]] is stated in the "Beliefs and Disbeliefs" section of ''Satyartha Prakash,'' he says:{{Blockquote|"I accept as Dharma whatever is in full conformity with impartial justice, truthfulness and the like; that which is not opposed to the teachings of God as embodied in the [[Vedas]]. Whatever is not free from partiality and is unjust, partaking of untruth and the like, and opposed to the teachings of God as embodied in the Vedas—that I hold as [[Adharma]]."<br>
"He, who after careful thinking, is ever ready to accept truth and reject falsehood; who counts the happiness of others as he does that of his own self, him I call just."|''Satyarth Prakash''}}Dayananda's Vedic message emphasised respect and reverence for other human beings, supported by the Vedic notion of the divine nature of the individual. In the Ten Universal Principles of the Arya Samaj, he enshrined the idea that "All actions should be performed with the prime objective of benefiting mankind", as opposed to following dogmatic rituals or revering idols and symbols. The first five principles speak of Truth, while the last five speak of a society with nobility, civics, co-living, and disciplined life. In his own life, he interpreted [[Moksha]] to be a lower calling, as it argued for benefits to the individual, rather than calling to emancipate others.

Dayananda's "Back to the Vedas" message influenced many thinkers and philosophers the world over.<ref name="Panicker">{{cite book |author=Panicker |first=P. L. John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4s2kBMLeXoEC |title=Gandhi on Pluralism and Communalism |publisher=ISPCK |year=2006 |isbn=978-81-7214-905-5 |pages=30–40}}</ref>

===Activities===

Dayanand Saraswati is recorded to have been active since he was 14, which time he was able to recite religious verses and teach about them. He was respected at the time for taking part in religious debates. His debates were attended by large crowds.

On 22 October 1869 in [[Varanasi]] he debated against 27 scholars and 12 expert [[Pandit|pandits]]. The debate was said to have been attended by over 50,000 people. The main topic was "Do the Vedas uphold deity worship?"<ref name="The World p. 123">{{cite book|author=Clifford Sawhney|title=The World's Greatest Seers and Philosophers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YUvLhVrizAoC|date= 2003|publisher=Pustak Mahal|isbn=978-81-223-0824-2|page=123}}</ref><ref>[[Dayananda Saraswati#Sinhal|Sinhal]], p. 17.</ref>

== Creation of Arya Samaj ==
{{Main|Arya Samaj}}

Dayananda Saraswati's creation, the [[Arya Samaj]], condemned practices of several different religions and communities, including such practices as [[Idolatry|idol worship]], [[animal sacrifice]], [[pilgrimage]]s, priest craft, offerings made in temples, [[Caste system in India|the castes]], [[Child marriage in India|child marriage]], [[Meat|meat eating]] and discrimination against women. He argued that all of these practices ran contrary to good sense and the wisdom of the [[Vedas]].

== Views on superstitions ==

He severely criticised practices which he considered to be superstitions, including sorcery, and astrology, which were prevalent in India at the time. Below are several quotes from his book, ''Satyarth Prakash'':{{Blockquote|"All alchemists, magicians, sorcerers, wizards, spiritists, etc. are cheats and all their practices should be looked upon as nothing but downright fraud. Young people should be well counseled against all these frauds, in their very childhood, so that they may not suffer through being duped by any unprincipled person."|''[[Satyarth Prakash]]''
}}

On [[astrology]], he wrote:

{{Blockquote|When these ignorant people go to an astrologer and say "O Sir! What is wrong with this person?" He replies "The sun and other stars are maleficent to him. If you were to perform a propitiatory ceremony or have magic formulas chanted, or prayers said, or specific acts of charity done, he will recover. Otherwise, I should not be surprised, even if he were to lose his life after a long period of suffering."

Inquirer – Well, Mr. Astrologer, you know, the sun and other stars are but inanimate things like this earth of ours. They can do nothing but give light, heat, etc. Do you take them for conscious being possessed of human passions, of pleasure and anger, that when offended, bring on pain and misery, and when propitiated, bestow happiness on human beings?

Astrologer – Is it not through the influence of stars, then, that some people are rich and others poor, some are rulers, whilst others are their subjects?

Inq. – No, it is all the result of their deeds ... good or bad.

Ast. – Is the science of stars untrue then?

Inq. – No, that part of it which comprises Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, etc., and which goes by the name of Astronomy is true; but the other part that treats of the influence of stars on human beings and their actions and goes by the name of Astrology is all false.|Chapter 2.2 ''[[Satyarth Prakash]]'' }}

He makes a clear distinction between [[Jyotiḥśāstra]] and astrology, calling astrology a fraud.

{{Blockquote|"Thereafter, they should thoroughly study the Jyotiḥśāstra – which includes Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Geography, Geology, and Astronomy – in two years. They should also have practical training in these Sciences, learn the proper handling of instruments, master their mechanism, and know how to use them. But they should regard Astrology – which treats of the influence of stars and constellation on the destinies of man, of auspiciousness and inauspiciousness of time, of horoscopes, etc. – as a fraud, and never learn or teach any books on this subject. |"The Scheme of Studies" p. 73 of the English Version of ''[[Satyarth Prakash]]''.}}

== Views on other religions ==

He considered the prevalent religions to have either immoral stories, or badly practised, or some of them have sufficiently moved away from the Vedas.<ref>{{Cite book |author=Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati |title=Satyarth Prakash |publisher=Arsha Sahitya Prachara Trust |year=1875 |location=Delhi, India |language=Hindi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Satyarth Prakash |url=https://www.aryasamajjamnagar.org/satyarth_prakash_eng.htm |website=Arya Samaj Jamnagar}}</ref> In his book ''Satyarth Prakash'', Maharshi Dayanand has analysed critically current form of [[Hinduism]], [[Jainism]], [[Buddhism]], [[Christianity]] and [[Islam]].

===Islam===
{{see also|Criticism of Islam}}

He viewed Islam to be waging wars and immorality. He doubted that Islam had anything to do with the God, and questioned why a God would hate every non-believer, allowing the slaughter of animals, and command [[Muhammad]] to slaughter innocent people.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research|volume=1|issue=1|publisher=ICPR|year=2002|page=73|title=Rationalization of the Life-World}}</ref>

He further described Muhammad as "imposter", and one who held out "a bait to men and women, in the name of God, to compass his own selfish needs." He regarded [[Quran|Qur'an]] as "Not the Word of God. It is a human work. Hence it cannot be believed in."<ref>{{cite book |last=Saraswati |first=Dayanand |title=Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Truth) |publisher=Star Press |year=1875 |location=Varanasi, India |pages=672–683 |chapter=An Examination of the Doctrine of Islam |access-date=2 April 2012 |chapter-url=http://www.aryasamajjamnagar.org/chapterfourteen.htm}}</ref>

===Christianity===
{{see also|Criticism of Christianity|Criticism of Jesus#Dayanand Saraswati}}

His analysis of the [[Bible]] was based on an attempt to compare it with scientific evidence, morality, and other properties. His analysis claimed that the Bible contains many stories and precepts that are immoral, praising cruelty, deceit and that encourage sin.<ref>{{cite book |author=J. T. F. Jordens |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3ysKAQAAMAAJ |title=Dayānanda Sarasvatī, His Life and Ideas |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1978 |isbn=9780195609950 |page=267}}</ref> One commentary notes many alleged discrepancies and fallacies of logic in the Bible e.g. that God fearing Adam eating the fruit of life and becoming his equal displays jealousy. His critique attempts to show logical fallacies in the Bible, and throughout he asserts that the events depicted in the Bible portray God as a man rather than an omniscient, omnipotent or complete being.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

He opposed the [[perpetual virginity of Mary]], adding that such doctrines are simply against the law of nature, and that God would never break his own law because God is omniscient and infallible.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

===Sikhism===
{{see also|Criticism of Sikhism}}

He regarded [[Guru Nanak]] as "rogue", who was quite ignorant about Vedas and Sanskrit otherwise Nanak wouldn't be mistaken with words.<ref>{{cite book|doi=10.4135/9788132108412.n19|title=Reduced to Ashes |title-link=Reduced to Ashes (book)|volume=1|page= 15|isbn= 978-99933-53-57-7|chapter=Reduced to Ashes: The Insurgency and Human Rights in Punjab |year=2009 |last1=Kumar |first1=Ram Narayan }}</ref> He further said that followers of Sikhism are to be blamed for making up stories that Nanak possessed miraculous powers and met God. He criticised [[Guru Gobind Singh]] and other Sikh Gurus, saying they "invented fictitious stories", although he also recognised Gobind Singh to be "indeed a very brave man."<ref>{{cite book|author=V. S. Godbole|title=God Save India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m9UtAAAAMAAJ|year=1987|publisher=Swatantraveer Savarkar Sahitya Abhyas Mandal|page=9}}</ref>

===Jainism===
{{see also|Criticism of Jainism}}

He regarded Jainism as "a most dreadful religion", writing that Jains were intolerant and hostile towards the non-Jains.<ref name=Panicker/>

===Buddhism===
{{Main|Criticism of Buddhism}}

Dayanand described Buddhism as "anti-Vedic" and "atheistic." He noted that the type of "salvation" Buddhism prescribes, is attainable even to dogs and donkeys. He further criticised the [[Buddhist cosmology]] which says that Earth was not created.<ref>{{cite book|title=Hindu Nationalists of Modern India: A Critical Study of the Intellectual Genealogy of Hindutva|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O2XXAAAAMAAJ&q=Hindu+Nationalists+of+Modern+India|page=14|author=Jose Kuruvachira|year=2006| publisher=Rawat Publications |isbn = 9788170339953}}</ref>

==Assassination attempts==

Dayananda was subjected to many unsuccessful assassination attempts on his life.<ref name="The World p. 123"/>

According to his supporters, he was poisoned on a few occasions, but due to his regular practice of [[Hatha yoga|Hatha Yoga]] he survived all such attempts. One story tells that attackers once attempted to drown him in a river, but Dayananda dragged the assailants into the river instead, though he released them before they drowned.<ref>{{cite book|author=Bhavana Nair|title=Our Leaders|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b2uBqRoRyqQC|year=1989|publisher=Children's Book Trust|isbn=978-81-7011-678-3|volume=4|page=60}}</ref>

Another account claims that he was attacked by Muslims who were offended by his criticism of Islam while meditating on the Ganges. They threw him into the water but he is claimed to have saved himself because his [[Pranayama]] practice allowed him to stay under water until the attackers left.<ref>Vandematharam Veerabhadra Rao (1987) ''Life Sketch of Swami Dayananda'', Delhi. p. 13.</ref>

== Assassination ==

[[Nahar Singh of Shahpura|Raja Nahar Singh]] was one of the devotees of Swami Dayanand Saraswati and he welcomed him with open heart when visited [[Shahpura, Bhilwara|Shahpura]] on 9th March 1883. While Swami was in Shahpura, he received invitation to come to [[Jodhpur]] but Nahar Singhji had warned him against going to Jodhpur.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Arya |first1=Krishan Singh |last2=Shastri |first2=P. D. |title=Swami Dayananda Sarasvati: A Study of His Life and Work |date=1987 |publisher=Manohar |isbn=978-81-85054-22-3 |pages=165–66 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M4vXAAAAMAAJ&q=NAHAR+SINGH+SHAHPURA+ATTEND |access-date=4 June 2025 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Bhardwaj |first1=R. R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NUpkEAAAQBAJ&dq=NAHAR+SINGH+SHAHPURA++swami+dayananda&pg=PA66 |title=Swami Dayanand Saraswati: Inspiring Episodes |date=15 March 2022 |publisher=K.K. Publications |pages=66 |language=en |access-date=4 June 2025}}</ref> In 1883, the [[Maharaja]] of [[Kingdom of Marwar|Jodhpur]], [[Jaswant Singh II]], invited Dayananda to stay at his palace. The Maharaja was eager to become Dayananda's disciple and to learn his teachings. Dayananda went to the Maharaja's restroom during his stay and saw him with a dancing girl named Nanhi Jaan. Dayananda asked the Maharaja to forsake the girl and all unethical acts and to follow the [[Dharma]] like a true [[Aryan|Arya]] (Noble). Dayananda's suggestion offended Nanhi, who decided to take revenge.<ref name="autogenerated1">Krant (2006) ''Swadhinta Sangram Ke Krantikari Sahitya Ka Itihas''. Delhi: Pravina Prakasana. Vol. 2, p. 347. {{ISBN|81-7783-122-4}}.</ref>

On 29 September 1883, Nanhi Jaan bribed Dayananda's cook, Jagannath, to mix small pieces of glass in his nightly milk.<ref name="rg" /> Dayananda was served glass-laden milk before bed, which he promptly drank, becoming bedridden for several days, and suffering excruciating pain. The Maharaja quickly arranged doctor's services for him. However, by the time doctors arrived, his condition had worsened, and he had developed large bleeding sores. Upon seeing Dayananda's suffering, Jagannath was overwhelmed with guilt and confessed his crime to Dayananda. On his deathbed, Dayananda forgave him, and gave him a bag of money, telling him to flee the kingdom before he was found and executed by the Maharaja's men.<ref name="autogenerated1" />

Later, the Maharaja arranged for him to be sent to [[Mount Abu]], however, after staying for some time in Abu, on 26 October 1883, he was sent to [[Ajmer]] for better medical care.<ref name="rg" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Punjab Past and Present  |url=https://www.vidhia.com/Historical%2C%20Political%2C%20Philosophical%20and%20Informational/SINGH_SABHA_AND_OTHER_SOCIO-RELIGIOUS_MOVEMENTS.pdf}}</ref> There was no improvement in the Swami's health, no medical aid was given and he died on the morning of the Hindu festival of [[Diwali]] on 30 October 1883 chanting [[Mantra]]s.<ref name="rg">[[Dayananda Saraswati#Garg|Garg]], pp. 96–98.</ref><ref name="hin1">{{Cite web |title=Arya Samaj founder Swami Dayanand Saraswati's idea of a modern India |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/arya-samaj-swami-dayanand-saraswati-modern-india-1378699-2018-10-30 |access-date=18 December 2023 |website=India Today |date=30 October 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

==Cremation and commemoration==
[[File:NavlakhaMahal.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Information board inside Navlakha Mahal.]]

He died at ''Bhinai Kothi'' at [[Bhinai]] 54&nbsp;km south of Ajmer, and his ashes were scattered at Ajmer in [[Ana Sagar Lake#Rishi Udyan|Rishi Udyan]] as per his wishes.<ref name="swa1">{{Cite book |last=Chatterjee |first=Ramananda |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1wsFAAAAMAAJ&q=Bhinai+Kothi+swami+dayanand |title=The Modern Review |date=1933 |publisher=Prabasi Press Private, Limited |language=en}}</ref> Rishi Udyan, which has a functional Arya Samaj Mandir with daily morning and evening [[Yajna]] [[Homa (ritual)|Homa]], is located on the banks of [[Ana Sagar Lake]] off the [[National Highway 58 (India)|NH58 Ajmer-Pushkar Highway]]. An annual three day ''Arya Samaj [[melā|Mela]]'' is held every year at ''Rishi Udyan'' on Swami Dayanand's death anniversary at the end of October, which also entails Vedic seminars, Vedas memorisation competition, Yajna, and [[Dhvaja|Dhavaja Rohan]] flag march.<ref name=swa2>[https://www.patrika.com/jaipur-news/rishi-dayanand-mela-start-in-ajmer-arya-scholors-in-ajmer-1447262/ Rishi Dayanand mela start in Ajmer Arya scholors in Ajmer], [[Rajasthan Patrika]], 20 November 2015.</ref> It is organised by the ''Paropkarini Sabha'', which was founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati on 16 August 1880 in [[Meerut]], registered in Ajmer on 27 February 1883, and since 1893 has been operating from its office in Ajmer.<ref name=swa2/>

Every year on [[Maha Shivaratri]], Arya Samajis celebrate [[Tankara#Rishi Bodh Utsav|Rishi Bodh Utsav]] during the 2 days Mela at Tankara organised by Tankara Trust, during which [[Mangal Shobhajatra|Shobha Yatra]] procession and [[Yajna|Maha Yajna]] is held; event is also attended by the Prime Minister of India [[Narendra Modi]] and Chief Minister of Gujarat [[Vijay Rupani]].<ref>[https://issuu.com/first_india/docs/first_india_gujarat_for_gujarat_samachar_epaper_22 Rishi Ustsav celebrated in presence of CM]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729031538/https://issuu.com/first_india/docs/first_india_gujarat_for_gujarat_samachar_epaper_22|date=29 July 2020}}, First Paper.</ref>

[[Gulab Bagh and Zoo#Navlakha Mahal|Navlakha Mahal]] inside [[Gulab Bagh and Zoo]] at [[Udaipur]] is also associated with him where he wrote the second edition of his seminal work, Satyarth Prakash, in [[Vikram Samvat|Samvat]] 1939 (1882-83 CE).<ref>{{cite news|title=Udaipur Garden Palace now a shrine to Arya Samaj founder|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Udaipur-Garden-Palace-now-a-shrine-to-Arya-Samaj-founder/articleshow/55282697.cms|newspaper=The Times of India|date=7 November 2016 |publisher=Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd|access-date=8 November 2016}}</ref>

==Legacy==
[[File:Dayananda Saraswati 1962 stamp of India.jpg|thumb|Dayananda Saraswati on a 1962 stamp of India.]]
[[Maharshi Dayanand University]] in [[Rohtak]], [[Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University]] in Ajmer, [[DAV University]] (Dayanand Anglo-Vedic Schools System) in [[Jalandhar]] are named after him. So are over 800 schools and colleges under [[D.A.V. College Managing Committee]], including [[Dayanand College]] at Ajmer. Industrialist [[Nanji Kalidas Mehta]] built the Maharshi Dayanand Science College and donated it to the Education Society of Porbandar, after naming it after Dayananda Saraswati.

Dayananda Saraswati is most notable for influencing the freedom movement of India. His views and writings have been used by various individuals, including [[Shyamji Krishna Varma]], [[Subhas Chandra Bose]], [[Lala Lajpat Rai]], [[Bhikaiji Cama|Madam Cama]], [[Vinayak Damodar Savarkar]], [[Har Dayal|Lala Hardayal]], [[Madan Lal Dhingra]], [[Ram Prasad Bismil]], [[Mahadev Govind Ranade]],<ref name="Isrj.net">{{cite web |date=17 May 1996 |title=Mahadev Govind Ranade: Emancipation of Women |url=http://www.isrj.net/PublishArticles/520.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225122331/http://www.isrj.net/PublishArticles/520.aspx%20 |archive-date=25 December 2018 |access-date=17 September 2012 |publisher=Isrj.net}}</ref> [[Swami Shraddhanand]], [[S. Satyamurti]], [[Pandit Lekh Ram]], [[Mahatma Hansraj]] and others.

He also had a notable influence on [[Bhagat Singh]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Dhanpati Pandey|title=Swami Dayanand Saraswati|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X9xKAAAAMAAJ|year=1985|publisher=Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India|page=8}}</ref> Singh, after finishing primary school, had joined the Dayanand Anglo-Vedic Middle School, of Mohan Lal Road, in [[Lahore]].<ref>{{cite book |author=K. S. Bharathi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=enmjrZiAe9EC |title=Encyclopaedia of Eminent Thinkers |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |year=1998 |isbn=978-81-7022-684-0 |volume=7 |page=188}}</ref> [[Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan]], on Shivratri, 24 February 1964, wrote about Dayananda:

{{blockquote|Swami Dayananda ranked highest among the makers of modern India. He had worked tirelessly for the political, religious and cultural emancipation of the country. He was guided by reason, taking Hinduism back to the Vedic foundations. He had tried to reform society with a clean sweep, which was again needed today. Some of the reforms introduced in the Indian Constitution had been inspired by his teachings.<ref>World Perspectives on Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Ganga Ram Garg, p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Siv6V1VDX-AC&pg=PA198 198].</ref>}}

The places Dayanand visited during his life were often changed culturally as a result. [[Jodhpur]] adopted [[Hindi]] as main language, and later the present day [[Rajasthan]] did the same.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Holloman |first=Regina E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zL40AAAAIAAJ |title=Perspectives on Ethnicity |author2=S. A. Aruti︠u︡nov |publisher=Mouton |year=1978 |isbn=978-90-279-7690-1 |pages=344–345}}</ref> Other admirers included [[Swami Vivekananda]],<ref>{{cite book|author=Basant Kumar Lal|title=Contemporary Indian Philosophy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WGxYTLq6XzUC|year=1978|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0261-2|page=3}}</ref> [[Ramakrishna]],<ref>{{cite book|author=Christopher Isherwood|title=Ramakrishna and His Disciples|url=https://archive.org/details/ramakrishnahisdi0000ishe/page/159|year=1980|publisher=Vedanta Press|isbn=978-0-87481-037-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/ramakrishnahisdi0000ishe/page/159 159]}}</ref> [[Bipin Chandra Pal]],<ref>{{cite book |author=Narendra Nath Bhattacharyya |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZqTXAAAAMAAJ |title=Indian Religious Historiography |date=1996 |publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers |isbn=978-81-215-0637-3 |page=58}}</ref> [[Vallabhbhai Patel]],<ref>Krishan Singh Arya, P. D. Shastri (1987) ''Swami Dayananda Sarasvati: A Study of His Life and Work''. Manohar. p. 327. {{ISBN|8185054223}}.</ref> [[Shyama Prasad Mukherjee]], and [[Romain Rolland]], who regarded Dayananda as a remarkable and unique figure.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Mitra |first=Sisir Kumar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7qHRAAAAMAAJ |title=Resurgent India |author2=Ghose |first2=Aurobindo |publisher=Allied Publishers |year=1963 |page=166}}</ref>

American Spiritualist [[Andrew Jackson Davis]] described Dayanand's influence on him, calling Dayanand a "Son of God", and applauding him for restoring the status of the Nation.<ref>{{cite book|author=Andrew Jackson Davis|title=Beyond the Valley: A Sequel to "The Magic Staff": An Autobiography of Andrew Jackson Davis ...|url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000476737|year=1885|publisher=Colby & Rich|page=383}}</ref> [[Sten Konow]], a Swedish scholar noted that Dayanand revived the history of India.<ref>{{cite book|author=Har Bilas Sarda (Diwan Bahadur)|title=Dayanand Commemoration Volume: A Homage to Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati, from India and the World, in Celebration of the Dayanand Nirvana Ardha Shatabdi|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.237056|year=1933|publisher=Vedic Yantralaya|page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.237056/page/n230 164]}}</ref>

Others who were notably influenced by him include [[Ninian Smart]], and [[Benjamin Walker (author)|Benjamin Walker]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://truthabouthinduism.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/swami-dayananda-saraswati-as-a-hindu-fundamentalist-and-nationalist/ |title=Ninian Smart & Benjamin Walker were influenced by Dayananda Saraswati |access-date=18 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418231958/https://truthabouthinduism.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/swami-dayananda-saraswati-as-a-hindu-fundamentalist-and-nationalist/ |archive-date=18 April 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Achievements ==

Dayananda Saraswati wrote more than 60 works. This includes a 16-volume explanation of the [[Vedanga]]s, an incomplete commentary on the [[Aṣṭādhyāyī|Ashtadhyayi]] (Panini's grammar), several small tracts on ethics and morality, Vedic rituals and sacraments, and a piece on the analysis of rival doctrines (such as [[Advaita Vedanta|Advaita]] [[Vedanta]], [[Islam]] and [[Christianity]]). Some of his major works include the [[Satyarth Prakash]], Satyarth Bhumika, Sanskarvidhi, [[Rigvedadi Bhashya Bhumika]], Rigved Bhashyam (up to 7/61/2) and Yajurved Bhashyam. The Paropakarini Sabha located in the city of [[Ajmer]] was founded by Saraswati to publish and preach his works and [[Vedic]] texts.

=== Complete list of works ===
{{col-begin|2}}
{{col-break}}
# ''Sandhya'' (Unavailable) (1863)
# ''Bhagwat Khandan'' or ''Paakhand Khandan'' or ''Vaishnavmat Khandan'' (1866)<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/BhagwatKhandan-SwamiDayanandSaraswati|title=Bhagwat Khandan – Swami Dayanand Saraswati|via=Internet Archive|access-date=14 January 2016}}</ref> which criticised the [[Srimad Bhagavatam]]
# ''Advaitmat Khandan'' which criticised [[Advaita Vedanta]].
# ''Panchmahayajya Vidhi'' (1874 & 1877)
# ''Satyarth Prakash'' (1875 & 1884)
# ''Vedanti Dhwant Nivaran'' (1875) which criticised [[Vedanta philosophy]].
# ''Vedviruddh mat Khandan'' or ''Vallabhacharya mat Khandan'' (1875) which criticised [[Shuddhadvaita]] philosophy.
# ''Shikshapatri Dhwant Nivaran'' or ''Swaminarayan mat Khandan'' (1875) which criticised the [[Shikshapatri]].
# ''Ved Bhashyam Namune ka Pratham Ank'' (1875)
# ''Ved Bhashyam Namune ka Dwitiya Ank'' (1876)
# ''Aryabhivinaya'' (Incomplete) (1876)
# ''Sanskarvidhi'' (1877 & 1884)
# ''Aaryoddeshya Ratna Maala'' (1877)
# ''Rigvedaadi Bhasya Bhumika'' (1878) which is a foreword on his commentary on the Vedas.
# ''Rigved Bhashyam'' (7/61/1) (Incomplete) (1877 to 1899) which is a commentary on the [[Rigveda]] according to his interpretation.
# ''Yajurved Bhashyam'' (Complete) (1878 to 1889) which is a commentary on the [[Yajurveda]] according to his interpretation.
# ''Asthadhyayi Bhashya'' (2 Parts) (Incomplete) (1878 to 1879) which is a commentary on [[Pāṇini|Panini]]'s [[Astadhyayi]] according to his interpretation.
{{col-break}}
# Vedang Prakash (Set of 16 Books)
## Varnoccharan Shiksha (1879)
## Sanskrit Vakyaprabodhini (1879)
## VyavaharBhanu (1879)
## Sandhi Vishay
## Naamik
## Kaarak
## Saamaasik
## Taddhit
## Avyayaarth
## Aakhyatik
## Sauvar
## Paaribhaasik
## Dhatupath
## Ganpaath
## [[Unadi-Sutra|Unaadikosh]]
## Nighantu
{{col-break}}
# ''Gautam Ahilya ki Katha'' (Unavailable) (1879)
# ''Bhrantinivaran'' (1880)
# ''Bhrmocchedan'' (1880)
# ''Anubhrmocchedan ''(1880)
# ''Go Karuna Nidhi'' (1880) which contains his views on [[cow slaughter in India]].
# ''Chaturved Vishay Suchi'' (1971)
# ''Gadarbh Taapni Upnishad'' (As per Babu Devendranath Mukhopadhyay) (Unavailable)
# ''Hugli Shastrarth Tatha Pratima Pujan Vichar'' (1873) which is a record of his arguments with orthodox [[pandits]] at [[Bengal]] and his views regarding validity of [[idol worship]] in Hinduism.
# ''Jaalandhar Shastrarth'' (1877) which is a record of his arguments with orthodox pandits at [[Jalandhar]].
# ''Satyasatya Vivek (Bareily Shastrarth)'' (1879) which is a record of his arguments with orthodox pandits at [[Bareily]].
# ''Satyadharm Vichar (Mela Chandapur)'' (1880) which is a record of his arguments with Muslim and Christian theologians at an interfaith dialogue held in Chandapur of [[Shahjahanpur district]].
# ''Kashi Shastrarth'' (1880) which is a record of his arguments with orthodox pandits at [[Varanasi]].

For other miscellaneous Shastrarth read:
* ''Dayanand Shastrarth Sangrah'' published by Arsh Sahitya Prachar Trust, Delhi.
* ''Rishi Dayanand ke Shastrarth Evam Pravachan'' published by Ramlal Kapoor Trust Sonipat (Haryana).
* ''Arya Samaj ke Niyam aur Upniyam'' (30 November 1874) which deals with code of conduct for the [[Arya Samaj]].
* ''Updesh Manjari (Puna Pravachan)'' (4 July 1875) which is a record of his sermons delivered to his followers at [[Pune]].
* ''Swami Dayanand Dwara Swakathit Janm Charitra'' (During Puna Pravachan) (4 August 1875) which is a record of his early life spoken by himself to his followers at [[Pune]].
* ''Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati Jivan Charitra'' Photo Gallery<ref>{{citation|title=Maharshi Dayanand Jivan Charitra|url=http://www.aryasamajjamnagar.org/photogallary/photogallary.htm}}</ref>
* ''Swami Dayanand Dwara Swakathit Janm Charitra'', for the Theosophist Society's monthly Journal: Nov & 1 Dec
* ''Rishi Dayanand ke Patra aur Vigyapan'' which is a collection of the letters and pamphlets written by him.{{col-end}}

==See also==
* [[Cow protection movement]]
* [[Swami Shraddhanand]]
* [[Sudhakar Chaturvedi]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|ref=Garg|author=Garg, Gaṅgā Rām |title=World Perspectives on Swami Dayananda Saraswati|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Siv6V1VDX-AC&pg=PR44|year=1984|publisher=Concept Publishing Company}}
* {{cite book |title=Swami Dayanand Saraswati|last=Sinhal |first=Meenu |year=2009 |publisher=Prabhat Prakashan|isbn=978-81-8430-017-8 |ref=Sinhal }}

==Further reading==
{{Refbegin|40em}}
* ''Dayananda Saraswati, Founder of Arya Samaj'', by Arjan Singh Bawa. Published by Ess Ess Publications, 1979 (1st edition:1901).
* ''Indian Political Tradition'', by D. K. Mohanty. Published by Anmol Publications PVT. LTD. {{ISBN|81-261-2033-9}}. Chapter 4: Dayananda Saraswati.
* ''Rashtra Pitamah Swami Dayanand Saraswati'' by Rajender Sethi (M. R. Sethi Educational Trust Chandigarh 2006).
* [[Aurobindo Ghosh]], in ''Bankim Tilak Dayanand'' (Calcutta 1947 pp. 1, 39).
* ''Arya Samaj And The Freedom Movement'' by K. C. Yadav & K. S. Arya, Manohar Publications Delhi 1988.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140517123343/http://www.vivekananda.net/PDFBooks/TXTVersion/ProphetsofNewIndia.html ''The Prophets of the New India''], [[Romain Rolland]] p.&nbsp;97 (1930).
* ''[[Satyarth Prakash]]'' (1875) Light of Truth – first English translation 1908. [https://books.google.com/books?id=0vwYAAAAMAAJ&q=Dayananda+Sarasvati The Light of Truth].
* R̥gvedādi Bhāṣya Bhūmikā / An Introduction to the Commentary on the Vedas. ed. B. Ghasi Ram, Meerut (1925). [https://books.google.com/books?id=7SggAAAAMAAJ&q=Dayananda+Sarasvati Glorious Thoughts of Swami Dayananda: Being a Treasury of Several Thousand Inspiring and Valuable Thoughts of the Great Social Reformer Classified Under Several Hundered &#91;sic&#93; Subjects]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028143808/http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Ithaca/3440/int1.html |date=28 October 2009 }}.
* ''Glorious Thoughts of Swami Dayananda''. ed. New Book Society of India, 1966 {{google book|7SggAAAAMAAJ}}.
* ''An Introduction to the Commentary on the Vedas''. Jan Gyan Prakashan, 1973. [https://archive.today/20130123135533/http://www.flipkart.com/introduction-commentary-vedas-dayananda-rigvedadi-book-8170771293 An Introduction to the Commentary on the Vedas].
* ''Autobiography'', ed. Kripal Chandra Yadav, New Delhi : Manohar, 1978. [https://books.google.pl/books/about/Autobiography_of_Dayanand_Saraswati.html?id=XdYcAAAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y Autobiography of Dayanand Saraswati].
* Yajurvēda Bhāṣyam: Samskr̥ta Bhāṣyaṃ, Āndhraṭīkātātparyaṃ, Āṅglabhāvārthasahitaṅgā, ed. Mar̲r̲i Kr̥ṣṇāreḍḍi, Haidarābād: Vaidika Sāhitya Pracāra Samiti, 2005.
* ''The Philosophy of Religion in India'', Delhi: Bharatiya Kala Prakashan, 2005, {{ISBN|81-8090-079-7}}.
* Prem Lata, Swami Dayananda Sarasvati (1990) [https://books.google.com/books?id=m0YdAAAAMAAJ&q=Dayananda Swami Dayānanda Sarasvatī].
* Autobiography of Swami Dayanand Saraswati (1976) [https://books.google.com/books?id=NR7tCyHEw6EC&q=Dayananda Autobiography of Swami Dayanand Saraswati].
* M. Ruthven, ''Fundamentalism: A Very Short Introduction'', Oxford University Press, USA (2007), {{ISBN|978-0-19-921270-5}}.
* N. A. Salmond, Hindu Iconoclasts: Rammohun Roy, Dayananda Sarasvati, and Nineteenth-Century Polemics against Idolatry (2004) [https://books.google.com/books?id=wxjArixq5hcC&dq=Dayananda&pg=PP1 Hindu Iconoclasts: Rammohun Roy, Dayananda Sarasvati, and Nineteenth-Century Polemics Against Idolatry].
*[http://www.aryasamajjamnagar.org/the_renaissance_rishi_ar1.htm 'THE RENAISSANCE RISHI' by Brigadier Chitranjan Swant, VSM: www.aryasamajjamnagar.org].
{{Refend}}
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