On the occasion of the 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati Ji, a programme was organised on March 21, 2024, at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, Delhi. The President of Akhil Bharatiya Dayanand Sewashram Sangh and Chairman of Jai Bharat Maruti Limited Surendra Kumar Arya was the chief guest, and RSS Sah Sarkaryavah Arun Kumar Ji was the chief speaker.
Addressing the programme, Arun Kumar ji said that the birth anniversary of great men is not just the remembrance of their lives. There are four things associated with it. Its purpose is not only to discuss his life. When we remember that great man, we also remember that period. We also remember the challenges of that period and the contribution of that great man in facing those challenges. When we consider them as our ideals, we all get an opportunity to introspect about our own lives. One of its objectives is to find answers to today’s challenges from the perspective of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati’s life, contribution and his path.
He said that all aspects of Maharishi Ji’s life must be studied, and it is also important to understand the background in which Dayanand Ji worked. The great men of this country went to other countries and told us to look at us and that if you find something special in us, then you will become like us. But the invasion of Islam was such a period in the country in which all our institutions were destroyed. Unimaginable atrocities took place. Society was devalued in Bharat. Society became conservative, went into a shell, and became self-centred. The evils seen in the society were the result of the invasion of Islam. After the arrival of the British, the society’s self-consciousness was destroyed, and it became a victim of an inferiority complex.
In such a situation, Swami Dayanand Saraswati ji shook the country’s consciousness, ended inertia and awakened the consciousness of the society. Maharishi Ji said that if you want to understand yourself, you will have to study your original scriptures on the basis of yourself. If you want to understand what we are and what we must do, read the Vedas.
Surendra Kumar Arya ji, said that the path of returning to the Vedas shown by Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati is his most significant contribution. The Prime Minister and President of the country have also participated in the programme related to the birth anniversary of Dayanand Saraswati ji. Apart from this, he further said that he thanks the officials of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh that they planned to organise this programme. Swami Dayanand Saraswati had many disciples who played an essential role in changing Bharat. Arya Samaj and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh are working to remove the evils of society so that Bharat becomes Vishvguru.
National spokesperson of Arya Samaj, Dr. Vinay Kumar Vidyalankar ji, said that questions come into everyone’s mind, but when a person stands up to find the reason for the question, he becomes a thinker.
Explaining the meaning of Sanatan, he said that Sanatan is that which was true in the beginning of the creation, was true in the middle of the creation, is true even today and will be true in the future also. He further said that some people wrongly argue that Arya Samaj opposes Sanatan Dharma. Dayanand Saraswati, the founder of Arya Samaj, is called the patron of the Hindu Dharma. He said that some people have tried to divide Arya Samaj and Sanatan Dharma.
