- goal = remove fake beliefs and go back to vedic past
- i.e. purity of traditions by removing impurities
- set up by Swami Dayanand Saraswati
Beliefs & Methods
- projected hinduism as a religion of book (like christianity or islam)
- supported reasons/ rationality along w/ vedas
- supported swarajya (freedem from foreign influence)
- vedas contain scientific truths + hinduism supreme
- vedas = infallible
- radically attacked social ills
- idolatory
- priestcrafct
- rituals
- child marriage
- infanticide
- polytheism
- casteism
- radically supported
- idol worship = contamination introduced by priests
- condemned pilgrimage
- female edu must for benefit for society
- launched Widow Remarriage programs in 1800s
- denounced untouchability & caste
- supported varnashram
- supported ahimsa / non violence
- started Shuddhi Movement for voluntary reconversion
- set up gurukuls to teach vedas
- followers of SDS set up DAV college trust & mgmt society after his death in 1883
Results
- ∴ Arya Samaj wanted radical reforms but failed as opposed by gradualists & orthodox orgs
- succeeded in Punjab, North West Provinces
- Post 1883 revivalism (-ve)
- AS began militant campaign to preach vedas
- aggressive re conversion
- in response, Singh Sabha mvmt of Sikhs, Tanzim & Tabligh mvmt of Muslims
- Aggressive cow protection led to cow killing riots 1893