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Indian Freedom Struggle (1707–1947 A.D.)

Notes 3. The Vedas are the books of true knowledge.
4. An Arya should always be ready to accept truth and abandon untruth.
5. All actions must conform to dharma, that means after due consideration of right and wrong.
6. The principle aim of this Samaj is to promote the world’s well-being, material, spiritual and
social.
7. All persons should be treated with love and justice.
9. Ignorance should be dispelled and knowledge increased.
10. Everybody should consider his own progress to depend on the uplift of all others .
11. Social well-being of mankind should be placed above the individual’s well-being.
Perhaps the most phenomenal achievement of the Arya Samaj has been in the field of social
reform and spread of education. The Samaj based its social programme entirely on the authority
of the Vedas, of course conditioned by rationalism and utilitarianism. The Arya Samaj’s social
ideals comprise, among others, the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, the equality
of sexes, absolute justice and fairplay between man and man and nation and nation and love and
charity towards all. The Arya Samaj lays great emphasis on education and enjoins on all Arya
Samajists to endeavour “to diffuse knowledge and dispel ignorance”. The D. A.V. institutions
spread over the length and breadth of the country are a standing proof of the educational
achievements of the Samaj. The nucleus for this movement was provided by the Anglo Vedic School
established at Lahore in 1886. The education imparted in D.A.V. Institutions combines the best of the
modern and classical Indian studies. The orthodox opinion in the Arya Samaj which stands for the
revival of Vedic ideal in modern life set up the Gurukula Pathsala at Hardwar in 1902.
The Arya Samaj movement gave “proud” self-confidence and self-reliance to the Hindus and
undermined the belief in the superiority of the White Race and Western culture. As a disciplined
Hindu organisation, it has succeeded in protecting Hindu society from the onslaught of Islam and
Christianity. Rather, the Samaj started the shudhi movement to convert non-Hindus to Hinduism
Further, it infused a spirit of intense patriotism. The Samaj always remained in the forefront of
political movement and produced leaders of the eminence of Lala Hans Raj, Pandit Guru Dutt and
Lala Lajpat Rai. Dayanand’s political slogan was ‘India for the Indians’.
While the Brahmo Samaj and the Theosophical Society appealed to English educated elite only,
Dayanand’s message was for the masses of India also. The Arya Samaj movement has taken deep
roots in the Punjab, Haryana, the Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan.
3.3 Singh Sabha Movement

Four years before the setting up of the Arya Samaj, the Sikh gentry of Amritsar had convened
meetings to protest against the speeches of a Hindu orator who had made scurrilous re-marks
against the Sikh gurus. These protest meetings had been organized by a society which described
itself as the Singh Sabha. It had the support of the rich, landed gentry and the orthodox. “The
society’s objects included the revival of the teachings of the gurus, production of religious literature
in Punjabi, and a campaign against illiteracy. The founders also sought to ‘interest high placed
Englishmen in, and assure their association with, the educational programme of the Singh Sabha.’
To ensure the patronage of the government the Sabha resolved ‘to cultivate loyalty to the crown’.”
Thakar Singh Sandhawalia was president and Gyani Gyan Singh secretary of the Amritsar Shri
Guru Singh Sabha. The government extended its patronage to the educational programme of the
organization.
“In 1879 another Singh Sabha was formed at Lahore. Leaders of this Sabha were a group of
educated and energetic men of the middle class.” The governor of the Punjab, Sir Robert Egerton,
agreed to become its patron and induced the viceroy.
Lord Lansdowne, to lend his support: The Lahore Singh Sabha opened branches in many towns,
sent missionaries to the villages, established liaison with Sikh regiments, and began publishing
journals in Punjabi.

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