THE RATIONAL BASIS OF ARYA SAMAJ

Reason and Religion

Religion is generally considered to be incompatible with reason and science. This is because of the many superstitious beliefs that dominate most religions and because every religion has some dogmas which are untenable in the light of modern knowledge. As scientific knowledge grows, the mysteries of nature cease to be inscrutable and supernatural and therefore, they no longer inspire awe and fear of the unknown, and the superstitions based on the fear of the unknown no longer hold good. The people begin to lose faith in these superstitions and consequently in the religious beliefs and dogmas based on them. Efforts are therefore made either to give symbolic and rational meaning to them or they are discarded by new reforms of these old religions.

One may therefore say that as knowledge proceeds, religion recedes and in the future or for some, even in the present, there will be no place or need for religion in the accepted sense of the word. It is, however, strange that comparatively newer religions like Islam and Christianity and Pauranic Hinduism have more superstitions than the simpler and older religions, such as that of the Vedic Aryas. This may be due to the occasional or periodic deterioration in the social, political and moral conditions in different countries. There seems to be a kind of cycle of enlightenment in human knowledge. There is a greater crises of faith, or scepticism and disbelief in those religions, old or new, which have a greater share of superstitious beliefs. Belief in astrology has thus become the most vulnerable aspect of Hinduism. Ordinary natural phenomena like eclipses still cause irrational panic amongst even the educated Hindus.

The modern concept of religion is based mostly on the spiritual needs of man. In any case, it is safer to leave the mysteries of nature to the scientists and confine religion to spiritual problems related to God and the soul. These problems are and would probably always remain beyond the domain of physical science.

Belief in God or some supernatural being is essential for every religion. With growing scientific knowledge, the need for any super-human being is no doubt greatly diminished. The location of God and His throne, as well as the existence of Heaven and Hell, somewhere above or below, have lost credibility. Similarly, many functions e.g. cures attributed to God, have been taken over by doctors. Sins against God have either ceased to inspire fear or have been transferred under the jurisdiction of the estate as crimes.

All this did not, however, exclude the necessity for the existence of God. It only made him the constitutional head of the universe. Belief in God is probably ingrained in human nature or perhaps has some intrinsic affinity with the soul and therefore, man cannot help believing in so such ultimate power or shelter, if only for his psychological and spiritual satisfaction. Even some lifelong and confirmed atheists have in their last days succumbed to this weakness as some would call it. The belief in a personal or physical God can be easily replaced by a superhuman or supernatural power, with as few functions as would be compatible with the position, and the need for God and also with the freedom of the soul. Perhaps, religion as an institution and God as its basis can survive forever or at least for a longer period like the constitutional king, if their powers and functions are limited.

The third area of challenge to religion today is the secular or non-religious aspect of our individual and social life. Whatever may have been the reason and justification for old religions to claim every aspect of life under their domain today, a religion can survive only if it restricts itself to the affairs of God and soul and leaves the rest to the social, political and other relevant human institutions. In other words, there must be complete separation, though not conflict or confrontation, between religion on the one hand and our social and political obligations towards fellow human beings on the other. That is the real meaning of secularism or separation between the state and the church.

A common civil code would take care of marriage, divorce, succession and other personal relations, which were part of religion before and are so even now in many polities. A state based on democratic socialism should look after every other human need except for the strictly spiritual ones, which can not be and need not be regulated by the state. The concept of morality also has become secular today. This, in our opinion, is the only way in which we can respect all religions whether we consider them all true or none of them as true. This will avoid conflict amongst their followers themselves as well as with the state or the stability, the respectability, popularity and even durability of religions.

The Claims of the Arya Samaj

Let us examine the claim of the Arya Samaj that it comes nearest to fulfilling all the requirements of a rational religion and see if Dayanand was justified in exhorting his followers to convert the whole world to this universal religion Kranvanto vishwam Aryam. If we examine the constitution, organisation and the religious tenets of the Arya Samaj, we would find that an effort has been made to reconcile a definite creed with a rational and progressive outlook on life. This is a happy though difficult combination. Without a creed or some distinguishing and clear beliefs, it would have ceased to be an organised religion. At the same time, without the freedom to "accept the truth and discard the untruth" as envisaged in the fourth principle of the Arya Samaj, it would have ceased to be rational and progressive. The Arya Samaj claims that it gives us a philosophy of life for this world as well as for the hereafter.

The teachings of Swami Dayanand have come to form the religion of the Arya Samaj. Some of its salient and distinguishing features are:

The ten principles of the Arya Samaj have been widely acclaimed for their universal appeal and practical unity. In fact the founder had declared them to be the only articles of faith and no other condition was laid down for joining the Arya Samaj except a declaration of belief in them. The first two principles deal with the belief in and the concept of God and the third refers to the Vedas as the book of all true knowledge. These three principles fulfill the requirements of an organised religion. The remaining emphasise the broader scope and universal appeal of the Arya Samaj movement. They are such as would be readily accepted by persons of any religion and nationality irrespective of their caste, race or creed.

The fourth principle is perhaps the most extraordinary injunction which any religion could dare give to its followers. It says: "We should be ever ready to accept the truth and to discard the untruth." Dayanand wanted to liberate man from the clutches of all superstitions. He therefore declared: " I believe in a religion based on universal and all-embracing principles, which has always been accepted as true by mankind...which is above the hostility of all human creeds whatsoever. My sole aim is to believe in truth and help others to believe in truth."

The fifth principle emphasises that mere acceptance of truth is not enough. All our actions should also be in accordance with what we consider to be the truth, called Dharma or religious duty.

The sixth principle refers to the universal mission of the Arya Samaj. It says, "To do good to the whole world is the chief aim of this Samaj." This has been further expanded when the conception of doing good is explained in concrete terms as the all round welfare both of the individual and society. The good of the individual includes both his physical and spiritual well being. In other words, "this worldly as well as the other worldly happiness." And in the end we are reminded that the individual good is part of social progress. It is significant that this sixth principle has been described as such because the actual application of the remaining principles is intended to be achieved through this principle. The Arya Samaj tries to fulfil this aim through widespread social welfare and philanthropic activities carried out by it all these years, and which have earned for it the reputation of a great reform movement of the nineteenth century India.

The seventh principle propounds a code of individual conduct and social justice. It says, "Love and affection should be the basis of all our behaviour and dealings with other, but at the same time everyone must be given just treatment which he deserves." What can be a better reconciliation between the principle of justice and equality?

The eighth principle ordains that "The dissemination of knowledge and removal of ignorance is the duty of the Samaj and its followers." The network of over a thousand D.A.V. and other Arya Samaj schools and colleges for boys and girls without discrimination of caste or sect as well as specialised institutions like the Gurukuls, stand out as the living examples of this principle.

The ninth principle has been rightly described as the basic ideal of modern socialism. Swami Dayanand was the first modern exponent of socialism in our country. As a timely antidote to the purely individualistic and other worldly Hindu view of life, this was an inspiring call and a reminder that personal or individual good can not be realised without social good. "One should not remain contented with his own progress but should consider the progress of all as his own. " This principle, therefore, contains the best solution suggested by any political thinker of the alleged conflict between the individual and the society.

The tenth principle contains the secret of the successful working of modern democracy. Many a foreign and even Indian observer, wondered how Swami Dayanand could think of, and what is more, advocate, such a concept of democracy so long before the western educated Indians and their English oriented leaders could think of adopting it. This principle reminds us that, "While we are free in individual matters, we cannot claim personal liberty in matters concerning the welfare of the society as a whole." Swami Dayanand has thus anticipated in this principle and the ninth one, those concepts of socialism and democracy, which are now the basic features of the Indian constitution. It may be pointed out that the Arya Samaj was itself organised by its founder on strictly democratic lines. In fact, it was the first democratic organisation of modern India.