International Arya Mahasammelan 2025

The Prime Minister recently addressed the International Arya Mahasammelan 2025 in New Delhi. The event marks two important milestones— the 150th foundation year of the Arya Samaj and the 200th birth anniversary of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati.
Organised as part of the Jy?na Jyoti Festival, the Mahasammelan celebrates Dayanand Saraswati’s reformist legacy and highlights “150 Golden Years of Service.” The event aims to reaffirm the values of Vedic knowledge, Swadeshi, and social upliftment in alignment with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

What is the Arya Samaj?

About

The Arya Samaj is a Hindu socio-religious reform movement founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati in 1875 in Bombay (now Mumbai). It upholds the Vedas as the supreme source of spiritual and moral knowledge and advocates a rational, ethical, and socially progressive model of Hinduism.

Philosophical Principles

The Arya Samaj emphasizes:

• The Vedas as the ultimate authority.

• Rejection of idol worship, elaborate rituals, animal sacrifice, and superstitions.

• Belief in karma, samsara, truthfulness, and the sanctity of the cow.

• Promotion of Vedic fire rituals (yajna/havan) and Vedic samskaras.

Social Reforms

The movement played a pivotal role in:

• Promoting women’s education, inter-caste marriage, and widow remarriage.

• Establishing orphanages, widow homes, and gurukuls.

• Supporting famine relief and medical assistance.

• Leading the Shuddhi Movement, aimed at reconverting individuals who had adopted other faiths.

Important Arya Samaj Leaders

Key personalities associated with the Arya Samaj include:

• Swami Virajanand Dandeesha – Dayanand’s guru and a scholar of Vedic literature.

• Shri Shraddhanand – Founder of Gurukul Kangri University, an advocate of social reform.

• Pandit Lekh Ram – Defender of Vedic teachings and notable reformist thinker.

Arya Samaj Split (1893)

The Arya Samaj split over two issues:

1. Meat-eating vs. vegetarianism, and

2. English education vs. traditional Sanskrit-based education.

This led to:

• The Gurukul wing, led by Lala Hansraj, advocating Vedic-style education.

• The DAV (Dayanand Anglo-Vedic) wing, led by Lala Lajpat Rai and others, promoting modern, English-based education through DAV institutions.

Who Was Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati?

About

Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati (1824–1883) was a distinguished religious reformer, philosopher, and founder of the Arya Samaj. His central mission was to revive the purity of Vedic teachings and eradicate social corruption in Hindu society.

Formative Life

Born as Mool Shankar Tiwari on 12 February 1824 in Gujarat, he displayed early skepticism toward idol worship and ritualism.
At 19, he renounced worldly life and lived as an ascetic for nearly 15 years. Under the mentorship of Swami Virajanand in Mathura, he committed himself to reforming Hinduism based on Vedic principles.

Reformist Vision

Dayanand Saraswati opposed:

• Idol worship and ritualism

• Untouchability and caste-based discrimination

• Polygamy, child marriage, and gender inequality

He advocated:

• Women’s education and widow remarriage

• The upliftment of lower castes and equality

• Abolition of Sati

• Rational thinking and social justice

His major work, Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Truth), challenged prevalent social evils and preached Vedic wisdom.

Academic Contributions

He inspired the establishment of:

• Gurukulas and Girl’s Gurukulas

• DAV Institutions (from 1886 onwards), with the first DAV school begun in Lahore under Mahatma Hansraj

He promoted a blend of modern scientific and Vedic education, resisting the British colonial education system.

Contribution to Nationalism

Dayanand was among the earliest to call for “Swaraj” in 1876, influencing national leaders including Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Mahatma Gandhi.
He strongly supported Swadeshi, cow protection, and Hindi as a national language.

Legacy

Despite facing resistance from orthodox groups, his teachings transformed social, cultural, and religious thought in India. The Arya Samaj and DAV institutions continue to be influential in education and social reform.