Dayanand Saraswati Biography
(Indian Philosopher, Social Leader and Founder of the 'Arya Samaj', a Reform Movement of the Vedic Dharma)
Birthday: February 12, 1824 (Aquarius)
Born In: Gujarat, India
Dayanand Saraswati, a prominent Hindu religious leader and a Vedic scholar was the first Indian to voice his right for freedom of India from British rule in 1876. A highly intelligent and rational personality, he was way ahead of his times. He was a staunch believer in the Vedic tradition and denounced idol worship and the rituals that were very wide spread during him time. A scholar in Vedic lore and Sanskrit he aspired to wean the Indians away from meaningless rituals and guided them towards true Vedic ideologies. Even as a young boy he was inclined towards asceticism and ran away from home when his parents tried to arrange his marriage with a girl of their choice. He was deeply devoted to God and translated the Vedas from Vedic Sanskrit to Sanskrit and Hindi so that the common man could also read them. A visionary, he called for the equality of rights of all human beings irrespective of gender, religion or social standing. Among his biggest contributions to mankind was the founding of the Arya Samaj, a socio-cultural movement that promoted true Vedic learning and worked for the upliftment of the society.