Religious Teachings
I know the all-pervading Supreme Being who is exalted above all, glorious like unto the suns and aloof from darkness. By knowing Him alone is death conquered. Except this, there is no other road to Salvation. Yajur,xxxi,18.
Though originally outlined in 1875, the Ten Principles were revised at Lahore in 1877. Every Arya is required to subscribe to these principles when he applies for membership.
1. God is the primary cause of all true knowledge and of everything known by its means.
2. God is All-truth, All-knowledge, All-beatitude, Incorporeal, Almighty, Just, Merciful, Unbegotten, Infinite, Unchangeable, without a beginning, Incomparable, the Support and the Lord of All, All-pervading, Omniscient, Imperishable, Immortal, Exempt from fear, Eternal, Holy and the Cause of the Universe. To him alone is worship due.
3. The Vedas are the book of true knowledge, and it is the paramount duty of every Arya to read or hear them read, to teach and read them to others.
4. An Arya should always be ready to accept truth and renounce untruth.
5. All actions must conform to virtue ie should be performed after a thorough consideration of right and wrong.
6. The primary job of the Samaj is to benefit the whole world viz. by improving the physical, spiritual and social condition of mankind.
7. All ought to be treated with love, justice and with due regard to their merits.
8. Ignorance must be dispelled and knowledge diffused.
9. No one should remain content with his good alone, but every one should regard his or her prosperity as included in that of others.
10. In matters which effect the general social well-being of all, no one should allow his individuality to interfere with the general good, but in strictly personal affairs everyone must act with freedom.
Nothing beyond these ten principles has any binding force. The difference between the principles as enunciated in Bombay and Lahore was the object to make the Samaj as catholic as possible without loosing its Hindu character. The meanings of the most important teachings are briefly discussed below.
1. The first and foremost is the Aryan conception of the Godhead. AS believes in God and enjoins that he alone is worthy of adoration. Quotes from the Vedas – Rig, They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni and he is heavenly noble-winged Garutmaan. He is one, sages call him by different names viz. Agni, Yama, Matarisvan. What God shall we adore with our oblation? The great one Whose are these snow-clad mountains as well as the terrestrial and celestial seas, and Whose arms are these heavenly origins? From the Yajur Veda, There is no measure of Him Whose Glory verily is great. From the Atharva Veda, He is Aryaman, He is Varuna, He is Rudra, He is Mahadeva. He is Agni, He is Surya, He is Mahayam.
2. The AS believes that some persons may be of either sex may have more of divine in them, in proportion to the degree of exaltation to which their spirits have arisen, but they can never be the same as God, and therefore must remain imperfect. The AS believes that these exalted persons are the great benefactors and uplifters of human race that they deserve the respect of every man, regardless of nationality, but the salvation of each human soul must eventually depend upon his or her own exertions and the faith in no other human soul can, save him or her. This teaching of the AS is in direct conflict with the teaching of Christianity.
3. The AS does not believe in the infallibility or immunity from mistake or sin. To err is human is thus accepted in its literal and widest sense.
4. The only accepted forms of worship are Contemplation, Communion and Prayer i.e. Stuti, Prasantha and Upasana coupled with purity of word, thought and deed.
5. The AS believes in the doctrine of Karma that “acts must be followed by their consequences, that the results of actions cannot be warded off or atoned by any means”.
6. The AS does not believe in Fate unless it is confounded with the doctrine of Karma stated in 5 above. Everyone can make or unmake her own destiny, subject to the eternal laws of God, including the law of karma. Action, right earnest action, with confidence and faith, is the only way to undo Karma. Surrender to inaction or fate means death.
7. D did recommend ancestor-worship in the sense in which the Hindus follow it in popular belief. He enjoins, however, respect to and service to living parents and grandparents.
8. The Samaj accepts the Vedas as infallible and expects every man and woman to know them and to expound them for the benefits of others.
These constitute the principle religious teachings of the Samaj.
Religious Observances and Practices
1. The five Mahayajnas i.e. the five religious practices to be observed daily.
a) Brahma Yajna, which has two parts, Sandhya and Swadhya. The former is worship of God, morning and evening, by contemplation, communion and prayer, and the latter is the regular reading of some portion of the scriptures once a day.
b) Dev Yajna – This is the well-known Homa, i.e. burning of Ghee and other articles in the fire, and is one of the most ancient practices. The Hindu’s day must begin with Homa, which purifies the house spiritually and physically.
c) Pitri yajna – worship of parents.
d) Athithi yajna – the feeding of some learned man or ascetic who has not been invited beforehand, but who must be sought must be fed everyday.
e) Bali Vaishwadeva yajna – it is recognition of human dependence on animals and also in recognition of one’s duty towards the poor and helpless. It consists in giving food to as many of them.
2. The sixteen Sanskars i.e. sacred ceremonies or sacraments.