Bharat Bhushan Arya
Yug Purush Maharishi Dayanand Sarswati ( Mool Shanker was the name given by the parents ) was born in Tankara(Gujrat) on 12 of Feb 1824 .Family of Mool Shanker was disciple of Lord Shiva .On the eve of festival of Mahashivratri , the entire family including Mool Shanker was in the temple to offer prayers . At that time Mool Shanker was mere a boy of 12/ 13 years . In the night when Mool Shanker saw a rat climbing over the ‘Shivalingam’ , the idol of Lord Shiva , shattered his faith and concluded that the stone idol was not a real Shiva ‘ The Almignhty’ . This set him athinking which was sufficient not only to turn his mind away from idolatry but was a turning point in the life of Mool Shanker .
Mool Shanker was a man of very strong conviction .He decided to search real Shiva ‘The Almighty’ and ultimately left his home , where he never turned back .He knocked at all the doors of many scholars / saints where there was some likelihood of getting his desire /search of finding real Shiva fulfilled but was disappointed .
After many years of his struggle , Mool Shanker met an old Saint Swami Purna Nand and shown him his desire . Swami Ji advised Mool Shanker that one can know The Almighty only through true knowledge of Vedas and Vedic philosophy as Vedas are considered as the direct preachings from The Almighty. Mool Shanker got ‘Sanyas Diksha’ from Swami ji and was renamed as Swami Dayanand Sarswati ‘. Dayanand wanted to stay with Swami Ji for his studies of Vedas and Vedic Philosophy but Swami Ji ,due to his old age and poor health , shown his inability to accede to Dayanand’s request but advised Dayanand to go to Mathura where Swami Virjanand Sarswati , known for his rich knowledge of Sanskrit language ,Vedas and Vedic Philosophy , can guide him .
In the year 1860 Swami Dayanand succeeded in his efforts and reached Mathura to meet Swami Virjanand Sarswati . Dayanand was happy to note that at least there was one person who could unlock the closed rather jammed doors of Vedic Philosophy , so was happy Swami Virjanand to find a disciple like Dayanand . Swami Virjanand helped Dayanand to gain the best of knowledge . Dayanand also drank deep at the fountain and was gratified to feel a flood of new light had dawned upon him . In the Vedas ,he found the elements of human progress ,which the much advanced civilization of that time utterly lacked. He found to his utter amazement,that ancient Vedic literature had a mine of knowledge ,buried deep under the debris of the present Puranic system , which alone , if unearthed ,could save not only India ,but the whole world.
It took Dayanand about two and a half years to complete his studies of Vedas and Vedic Philosophy and was ready to take leave from his Guru Swami Virjanand . At that time Swami Virjanand asked Dayanand for “ Guru Dakshina “ and Dayanand without any hesitation , offered his whole life to work for the welfare of the Society by spreading in real sense “ The Preachings of Vedas and revival of Vedic Philosophy “.
“ Back to the Vedas “ was the cry of Dayanand.
Swami Dayanand was far away from the glitter of materialistic world . He remained Brahmchari throughout his life , always preferred to speak truth only, never fell victim to monetary temptations . It was with these equipments that he proposed to purify the Society and effect the revival of Vedic Culture .
Swami Dayanand Sarswati was a follower as well as as teacher of Vedic Philosophy, a great social reformer , the motivating force behind Indian freedom struggle , staunch supporter of women empowerment , and was against the superstitions and evils prevailing in the society .
Swami Dayanand Sarswati wrote a number of books touching almost all the aspects of one’s life. “Satyarth Prakash” is one of such great books written by Swami ji in the year 1875 . Process of learning / teachings of Vedas and Vedic Philosophy did not stopped ,even after his death . Swami Ji laid foundation of “Arya Samaj “ in the year 1875 . For the welfare of the society as a whole , Arya Samaj has done and is still doing a great work in spreading the message and importance of learning / teachings of Vedas and Vedic Philosophy
Swami Dayanand Sarswati had a desire to work more and more for the welfare of the Society but the irony of fate was telling something else . Year 1883 was a fateful year of Swami ji’s life .Swami ji was not feeling well for the last so many days and his condition was deteriorating day by day . Swami ji realized that the time had come to complete his journey of life . On fateful day of Deepawali the 30th October 1883 , Swami ji chanted his most favorite mantra “ The Gyatri Mantra “ and breathed his last by saying “ Ishwar tune acchi leela ki ,Teri Iccha puran ho “ (it is the will of Almighty and it is to be accepted ). The “Nirvana” of Maharishi Dayanand Sarswati is an irreparable loss to the society .
Our sincere homage to the great man Yug Purush Maharishi Dayanand Sarswati will be to follow his teachings in real sense and work earnestly for the welfare of the society .
(The author is former President, Arya Pratinidhi Sabha , J&K)
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