“Arya Samaj was revivalist in form but reformist in content.” Critically examine this statement in light of its objectives, methods, and societal reforms.

Answer:

Approach to the answer:

In the question, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, the founder of the Arya Samaj organization, discusses his efforts to uphold religious holiness in British India. As a result, it has two heads (bold typefaces). The proposition must first be supported by arguments before we may enumerate Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s accomplishments.

Introduction: By outlining the function and history of Arya Samaj, we may introduce the response.

For Example: Established in 1875 as a monotheistic Hindu reform movement, the Arya Samaj upholds Vedic principles and practices to this day. Swami Dayanand Saraswati was the founder of the samaj.

Body: There are two parts to the inquiry, which is rather particular. Since “justify” is the essential word in the first section, we must present arguments in support of the statement or quote. Only Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s contributions that either directly or indirectly supported upholding Hinduism’s holiness may be mentioned in the second section.

There was a lot of promotion of Christian missionary work in India. The indigenous culture suffered as a result, and groups like Arya Samaj were established to counteract these effects. Swami Vivekananda, for example, once said that Christian missionary education turns an Indian into a boneless, lifeless mass of negation. The British strongly backed the missionary endeavors. For example, the Charter Act of 1813 had clauses that authorized missionary activity.
Dayananda was a harsh critic of the Hindu escapist concept of maya (illusion). Rather, he promoted the idea that God, soul, and matter (prakriti) were separate, everlasting entities, and that each person had to figure out how to be saved in the context of the timeless rules that govern human behavior. He rejected the idea of karma and maintained that people are not puppets under the influence of fate, but rather that the world is a battlefield where each person must earn his salvation via his deeds.

A summary of the body section’s arguments or a list of the organization’s drawbacks and how it mitigates them are two possible ways to wrap up.

While some Arya Samaj elements were criticized for their actions, such as the Shuddhi movement, their belief in only one true religion (ignoring other faiths), and their occasional reliance on contentious historical beliefs and ideas, they also fought to preserve India’s religious identity and free individuals from the traps of superstition, religious pomp, and social evils.

Practice Question:

Question: Discuss the role of Arya Samaj in redefining Hindu identity during colonial India. How did it balance between cultural revival and modern rationalism?

Mains PYQs

Question:How did Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s teachings influence the nationalist movement in India? (UPSC IAS 2019)

MCQs

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Question: With reference to the Arya Samaj, consider the following statements:

It advocated for image worship and the infallibility of both the Vedas and Puranas.
It supported intercaste marriage, widow remarriage, and female education.
It upheld the caste system as per birth-based hierarchy.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(d) 2 and 3 only

Answer: (b) 2 only

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