"Women enjoyed far greater freedom in the Vedic period than in later India. She had more to say in the choice of her mate than the forms of marriage might suggest. She appeared freely at feasts and dances and joined with men in religious sacrifice. She could study, and like Gargi, engage in philosophical disputation. If she was left a widow, there were no restrictions upon her remarriage." Will Durant.

Global Hindu Heritage Foundation initiated Bala Samskar Kendras to instill morals, ethics, and principles in the lives the students at an incredibly young age. They will shape their personalities and character. They will allow them to distinguish between right and wrong as well as good and bad. Moral values will build good character at individual level and respect for law and order at the societal level. This week they learned about Swami Dayananda Saraswati.
On February 12, 1824, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, a social and religious reformer, was born in Tankara, Gujarat. He traveled the Himalayas and other religious places in North India as an itinerant monk for 25 years.
He renounced all his earthly possessions in search of the truth about life. During this time, he also started practicing yoga.
Dayananda recognized that Hinduism had strayed from its roots. He promised his guru that he would try his best to restore the Vedas to their rightful place in Hinduism and Hindu culture.
He is the savior of Haindava Dharma who not only established the Arya Samaj and brought back many people to Swadharma through the Purification program, but also brought back many people to Swadharma through the enlightenment of innocent people who had converted with the knowledge of Vedic knowledge. He was the first to demand Swaraj as "India for Indians" in 1876, a call later echoed by Lokmanya Tilak. He tried to resurrect the Vedic principles.
Veda – The mine of knowledge:
Swami Dayanand put emphasis on the Veda. He praised the culture of the Vedas in no uncertain terms. He gave the slogan— “Go back to the Vedas”. He discerned how the Vedas contained the message of equality, parity and several reforms. The Vedas contain scientific knowledge, several reforms, philosophy and doctrines of morality.
Religious Reforms:
Although Dayanand immortalized the Vedas, however, he opposed idol worship. He raised voice against ritualistic religious practices. Those religious performances would lead to social, economic, political and religious degeneration of India. He also rejected the ideas contained in Indian mythology. He denounced polytheism or worship of God in different forms. He emphasized that this polytheism had brought the division in Hindu society. Putting emphasis on monotheism and to devote oneself to the formless God, he wrote in the ‘Satyartha Prakash’ —
Opposition to Caste System and Untouchability:
Dayanand spearheaded his crusade against caste system and untouchability. He reinterpreted the system of Varna mentioned in the Veda. It was meant for occupational purpose in the society. As per the doctrines of guna, karma and swabhava, the society was divided into different varnas like the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras with their respective occupation like worship, protecting the country, carrying on trade and commerce and to serve the other three castes. This occupation were interchangeable. He emphasized the political need of this division of society.
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