International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Nation-State, Language and Social Consciousness: Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s Revolutionary Ideas on Self-Rule and Social Reform

The 19th century of Indian history can be called the history of political and social awakening, due to which political awakening was seen in the Indian masses after the First War of Independence of 1857. Particularly, the political awakening was led by the middle class, which had received an English education. At the same time, the social reforms started under Raja Ram Mohan Roy, but Dayanand Saraswati can be called the leader of major social reforms. Under whose leadership, Hindu society developed a consciousness with social and cultural expression, and it was ready to focus on its development with modern Western scientific thinking. Modern western philosophy and science were given place in the society by Dayanand Saraswati, and women's rights in India and equality for Dalits. We can see the effort made by him for unity in religion in the role of the social reform movement, as an understanding of God. The work of political awakening in India was also done indirectly by Dayanand Saraswati. Many reforms were implemented by him through which the society can regain its lost past. By giving the example of the Vedas, he again gave voice to the cultural pride consciousness of India and said that we should return to the Vedic lifestyle. What he meant to say was that Indians should return to the Vedic consciousness, in which we played a major role in the world. Even in the present, the role of Dayanand Saraswati should be seen in the same way, and it is continuously influencing us.