Birth of Arya Samaj + D’s Death

The first Arya Samaj was established at Mumbai on 10/04/1875 with the following principles and rules, here are some important ones.

1. AS shall regard the Vedas alone as absolutely authoritative. For the purposes of understanding, testimony, all the four Brahmanas, the six Vedangas, the four Upavedas, the six Darshanas and 1,127 Shakhas or expositions of the Vedas, shall by virtue of their being ancient and recognized works of the Rishis, be also regarded as secondarily authoritative, in so far as their teaching is in accordance with the Vedas.
2. The principal Samaj shall have various works in Sanskrit and Aryabhasa or Hindi for the dissemination of true knowledge.
3. The Samaj shall do stuti, pratharna and upasana i.e. shall glorify, pray to and hold communion with the one God in the manner commended by the Vedas. They believe God to be formless, almighty, just, infinite, immutable, eternal, incomparable, merciful, father of all, mother of the universe, all supporting, all truth, all intelligence, all happiness and the supreme and the only lord of the universe, as also all pervading, knower of all hearts, indestructible, deathless, everlasting, pure and conscious, the bestower of happiness, the giver of righteousness, wealth, comfort and salvation - to speak of him as endowed with such attributes i.e. to do his stuti (glorify and praise him). Asking his help in all righteous undertakings is identical with prarthrana (praying to him) and to become absorbed in the contemplation of his essence, which is absolute happiness is termed upasna i.e. holding communion with him.
4. In the interests of the country, spiritual and worldly reform shall receive the attention of the Samaj. Welfare of the entire mankind shall be the objective of the Samaj.
5. The Samaj shall believe only in what is right and just i.e. in true Vedic Dharma, free from prejudice and tested by all tests laid down by the ancient authorities.
6. In the interest of education of both males and females, separate schools shall be established, if possible at all places.

The next step in the evolution of the Samaj was to take place two years later at Lahore. Here the Samaj took its final shape, which it preserves, to this day, the principles revised and constitution reframed. From 1877 to 1883 SDS spent his time preaching, writing books and in establishing, organizing Arya Samajes in India in all areas except Madras. In Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat he met with greatest success.

It was at Jodhpur that SDS passed away because of a fatal illness. He had gone there to visit the Maharajah of that state who was keen to become his disciple. SDS took objection to the Maharajah’s keeping as a concubine, a Muslim woman who naturally regarded him with violent aversion. There is a strong rumor that this Muslim woman poisoned him resulting in a fatal illness. Inspite of the Maharajah’s best efforts, SDS could not be revived. A few days before the end, his friends moved him to Ajmer where he passed away on 30/10/1883.

SDS attracted praises from far and wide, Madame Blavatsky, Max Mueller, The Theosophical Society of India. Excerpts from their tributes “ It is perfectly certain that India never saw a more learned Sanskrit scholar, a deeper metaphysician, a more wonderful orator, and a more fearless denunciator of any evil, than Dayanand, since the time of Shankaracharya”. “ A master spirit has passed away from India. Pandit Dayanand Sarawati is gone, the irresistible, energetic reformer, whose mighty voice and passionate eloquence for the last few years raised thousands of people in India from lethargic indifference and stupor into active patriotism, in no more”. “ We bear in mind his life long devotion to the cause of Aryan regeneration, his ardent love for the grand philosophy of his forefathers, his untiring zeal in the area of social and religious reforms. A patriot in the true sense of the word, SDS labored from his wariest years for the recovery of the lost treasures of Indian intellect. Certainly there was no greater orator in Hindi and Sanskrit than in India”.