Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

FREEDOM MOVEMENT

THE BRAHMO SAMAJ (1828)

THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY (1875)

ARYA SAMAJ (1875)

Raja Rammohan Roy (1774-1833)

Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1824-1888) - It was founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswati in 1875. The founder being dis- satisfied with the orthodox Brahmin family took to ascetic life. His mission to spread the gospel of the Arya Samaj was successful in Punjab, U.P, Rajputana and Gujarat. Dayananda vehemently believed that truthful reform of Hindu society could only be effected by reviving Vedic rituals and institu- tions. He ridiculed Brahmin superiority, con- demned the caste system and undertook mas- sive social reform programme. The constitu- tion of Arya Samaj (1877) laid down that “the Vedas are the books of true knowledge which the members should study.” The supreme and unfailing authority for the Arya Samajists was the Vedas as interpreted by Dayananda in his ‘ Satyartha-Prakash. ’ One significant aspect of his thought was that, it differs fundamen- tally, from that of modem and old commentar- ies. It was this variety that attracted B.C. Pal who admirably explained its psychology and object and also his scheme of building India based on the Vedas, “It was really the begin- ning of the religious and social revival among the Hindus to which we owe so largely the birth of our present national consciousness... his urge to establish Hindu Nationalism found concrete expression in the “ suddhi ” move- ment - this means the reconversion of those Hindus... who had once been forcibly con- verted to other religions like Islam or Christi- anity... It was strongly resented by the Mus- lims and was a source of almost chronic feud between the two... two distinctive features of the Samaj are social services like famine- relief, and the spread of English education... The Dayananda Anglo-Vedic College at Lahore had great achievements to its credit... it became the foremost agency for planting a sturdy independent nationalism in Punjab.”

Raja Rammohan Roy (1774-1833) laid the foundation of the Brahmo Samaj (1828) “the first intellectual and cultural expres- sion of a renascent India under the impact of Europe.” He “brought home to the Indians the necessity of modernising themselves, .... and discovered for modern India the treasures of Indian thought through the Unitarian Theosophy of the Upanishads.” He has been described as the father of the Indian Renaissance and the Prophet of Indian Nationalism. The Brahmo Samaj was the outcome of two strong forces : “The Re- volt of the mind against the tyranny and tradi- tional authorities, customs and beliefs” and “The rationalising effect of English educa- tion.” Raja Rammohan Roy challenged the religious beliefs and social practices of the Hindus. “The standard of revolt he thus raised.... created what may be called Modem India, and makes him worthy to rank by the side of “Bacon and Luther.” He looked upon idolatry as a degeneration from the pure mono- theistic doctrine of the Upanishads, and de- voted his time, energy and literary ability to the propagation of the monotheistic doctrine of the Hindu scriptures. His church, opened on 23rd Jan 1830, was a meeting ground for all those who discarded idolatry and wor- shipped one true god. His campaign was a major factor in the banning of the in human practice of sati by William Bentinck in 1829. After the death of Rammohan Roy in 1833, Devendra Nath Tagore infused new life into it. Assisted by other likeminded persons, he advocated female education, supported widow-marriages and de- nounced polygamy. Later Kesab Chandra Sen and his followers carried the message of the Brahmo Samaj all over India.

The Theosophical Society upheld “the modern Hinduism in its orthodox form” and gave a rational expression to its crudities and absurdities... The society also gave an impetus to the development of Indian Na- tionalism. Mrs. Annie Besant, an Irish citizen, was closely associated with the Theo- sophical Society. She joined it in 1889 and became its President in 1907. Her first con- centration was towards social and educa- tional upliftment of Indians and later she found the need of raising the political status of India. Her entry into Indian poli- tics began with the publication of “The Com- monwear (1914). “The paper adopted as its cardinal programme, religious liberty, national education, social reform and political reform aiming at self-government for India within the British Commonwealth.” She bought a daily paper in Madras, renamed it New India, and published it on July 14,1915. She made a speech at Bombay pleading India’s case for Home rule or self government, “I mean by self-government the country shall have a gov- ernment by councils, elected by all the people, with the power of the purse... ” She effectively utilised the network of the Theosophical Soci- ety, set up Home rule organisations all over In- dia and her short period of political activity (less than 5 years) was marked by an “indomi- table will, concentrated purposefulness, un- daunted courage, and indefatigable zeal.” She “stirred the country by the spoken as well as the written word as scarcely anyone else could do. ” Thus the Theosophical Society was “an active force behind Indian Nationalism,” “but the greatest contribution was in its new and strange gospel of Ancient Indian wisdom and its announcement of a great world purpose and world mission which India yet had for the races of the modem world.”

(B.C.P)

(for more details refer Sec. Z-6 & 7.)