Jignasa Journal Of History Of Ideas And Culture Part 02

Author(s): Vibha Upadhyaya and Others
Publisher: University of Rajasthan

Page 64

280
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Jijñāsā
just and righteous treatment to all- parents, husbands, wives, fathers in law, mothers in law, their king and fellow subjects, neighbours, friends and offsprings." 26
Similarly, he considered inculcation of moral values and character formation as one of the primary duties of the state. He expected the King and his functionaries to be exemplars of moral virtues for their subjects. He remarked "Let the King appoint...ministers who are men of great integrity, highly intellectual, of resolute minds..."Similarly he felt that the primary function of law was to promote dharma or righteousness. Where the law-likened to a fear inspiring man, black in colour and with red eyes, striking fear into the hearts of the people and preventing them from committing crimes, rules supreme there the people never go astray and consequently live in happiness if it is administered by a just and learned man." 27
Dayanand had also laid down a comprehensive role for the state as far as social regeneration was concerned. The state had to ensure compulsory education for all sections of society, allocation of caste on the basis of guna, karma and svabhāva, discourage child marriages and at the same time promote marriages between grown-ups with their consent, check polygamy and prostitution. Thus the state was held responsible for the creation of a progressive and healthy social ethos. 28
Dayanand Saraswati's conceptualization of a reformed and regenerated Hinduism derived from the Vedas distinguished him from his contemporaries. While other exponents of renaissance were concerned with removal of a particular social evil like sati, miserable condition of widows, abolition of child marriage, upliftment of depressed classes or spread of education. They did not articulate any holistic vision that could connect women's issues with fundamental changes in the larger social structure. While he agreed with the major concerns of the social reform movement, Dayanand was perhaps one of the few reformers whose approach was holistic rather than piecemeal. Dayanand turned to the ancient scriptures not merely for seeking validation for isolated reform causes but he undertook the reinterpretation of the entire Vedas and carved out from the same an extensive blueprint of a socioreligious and political structure. It was through this reinterpreted and reformed formulation of Hinduism that he sought to bring about social and religious reform and at the same time respond to the moral and cultural challenge of the British rule. In fact, as far as, regeneration of Indian society and religion was concerned, Dayanand was perhaps one of the few reformers whose approach was holistic rather than piecemeal. In his numerous writings, he had been extremely articulate and insistent about the specific, comprehensive and progressive changes that were imperative for the modernization of the social, religious and the political structure.
References:
1. Bruce Carlisle Robertson (ed.), The Essential Writings of Raja Rammohan Roy, Oxford University Press, Delhi, 1999. pp. 113-166
2. Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, Marriage of Hindu Widow's, K. P. Bagchi Co, Calcutta, 1976, p.4.
3. Dayanand Saraswati, Satyartha, Prakash, Light of Truth, English Translation by Chiranjiv Bhardwaj. (henceforth, Satyartha Prakash), Sarvadeshik Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, New Delhi, 1989, pp. 78-79
4. K.C.Yadav (ed.), Autobiography of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Manohar, New Delhi, 1978. p.24. 5. J.T.F.Jordens, Dayanand Saraswati: His Life and Ideas, Oxford University Press, Delhi, 1978. p. 273.
6. Ghasiram, Maharshi Dayanand ka Jivan Charit, Vol. II, Arya Sahitya Mandal Limited, Ajmer, 1950, pp. 3435 & 40-41
7. Satyartha Prakash, p.314 8. Satyartha Prakash. pp. 112-119 & 382
9. Sat värtha Prakash, pp. 113-114 & Dayanand Saraswati, Dayanand Pravachan Sangrah or Poona Bombay Pravachan, Yudhishthir Mimansak (ed.), henceforth, Dayanand Pravachan Sangrah, Ramlal Kapoor Trust, Bahalgarh 1982, p. 142. p. 162.