Why in news? The Prime Minister, inaugurated the year-long celebrations commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati, at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi.

Highlights

About Dayananda Saraswati

• Dayananda saraswati also known as Maharshi Dayanand, was an Indian philosopher and social leader.
• He was the first to give the call for Swaraj as “India for Indians” in 1876, a call later taken up by Lokmanya Tilak.
• Denouncing the idolatry and ritualistic worship, he worked towards reviving Vedic ideologies and upheld that they are the only true uncorrupted sources of Dharma.
• He believed in the infallible authority of the Vedas and advocated the doctrine of Karma and Reincarnation.
• Founder of the Arya Samaj, a reform movement of the Vedic dharma, enunciating the Ten Universal Principles as a code for Universalism, called Krinvanto Vishwaryam.
• Dayananda’s “back to the Vedas” message influenced many thinkers and philosophers the world over.

Arya Samaj

• The Arya Samaj, condemned practices of several different religions and communities, including such practices as idol worship, animal sacrifice, pilgrimages, priest craft, offerings made in temples, the castes, child marriages, meat eating and discrimination against women.

Works

• Works include Satyarth Prakash, Satyarth Bhumika, Sanskarvidhi, Rigvedadi Bhashya Bhumika, Rigved Bhashyam and Yajurved Bhashyam.
• The Paropakarini Sabha located in the Indian city of Ajmer was founded by Saraswati to publish and preach his works and Vedic texts.