Dayanand Saraswati and Renaissance : A Study

Abstract

Dayanand Saraswati, the most influential movement for religious and social reform in North India, started. He was born in 1824, in a wealthy Brahmin family of Gujarat. Since childhood, he hated social evils and religious values ??and had great reverence in the religion and culture of ancient India. Although he could not get the education of English, he was a learned scholar of Sanskrit. In Mathura, under the auspices of Swami Virjanand, he studied 'Ashtadhayya' and 'Vedantasutra'. He firmly believed that Vedic religion, civilization and culture are the best in the world and that only by reviving them can the welfare of India. Therefore, he gave the message of returning to the Vedas. Like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Swamiji was a monotheist. He met Keshav Chandra Sen, Maharishi Devendranath Thakur and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and like him, Swamiji started a revolutionary movement in Hindu society. He severely criticized the evil practices and social evils like superstition, casteism, polygamy, child marriage, violent sacrifices etc. and strongly supported widow marriage, women's education etc.