Founding Arya Samaj in 1875

The question asks about the individual who founded the Arya Samaj in the year 1875 with the specific aim of reforming Hinduism. This was a significant movement in 19th-century India aimed at revitalizing Vedic traditions.

Who Founded Arya Samaj?

The founder of the Arya Samaj was Swami Dayanand Saraswati. He established the organization in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1875.

Swami Dayanand Saraswati's Vision

Swami Dayanand Saraswati was a scholar and a sanyasi who believed that the Vedas were the ultimate source of truth and knowledge. His key ideas included:

• Promoting the study of Vedas.
• Rejecting superstitions and blind faith prevalent in later Hindu scriptures and practices.
• Advocating for monotheism (belief in one God).
• Emphasizing the importance of righteousness, truth, and social equality.
• Supporting social reforms such as the abolition of the caste system (in its rigid hereditary form), child marriage, and advocating for women's education.

The Arya Samaj aimed to bring back the purity of Vedic teachings and establish a rational and ethical framework for Hindu society.

Analyzing Other Options

Let's look at why the other options are not the correct answer for the founding of the Arya Samaj in 1875:

• Swami Vivekananda: While a highly influential spiritual leader and reformer, Swami Vivekananda (born Narendranath Datta) is primarily associated with the Ramakrishna Mission, founded after the death of his guru, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He played a crucial role in spreading Vedanta and Yoga globally, particularly after his famous speech at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. He was not the founder of Arya Samaj.
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy: He is considered the founder of the Brahmo Samaj, established in 1828. The Brahmo Samaj was another important socio-religious reform movement that advocated for monotheism and opposed idolatry and caste distinctions, but it predates the Arya Samaj and had different philosophical underpinnings.
• Keshab Chandra Sen: He was a prominent leader within the Brahmo Samaj after Raja Ram Mohan Roy, eventually leading a schism that formed the Brahmo Samaj of India. His work was significant in the Brahmo movement but not related to the founding of the Arya Samaj.

Conclusion

Based on historical records, Swami Dayanand Saraswati is unequivocally recognized as the founder of the Arya Samaj in 1875, launching a significant movement for the reform of Hinduism.