Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s intellectual brilliance will continue to inspire the nation: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday paid rich tributes to Swami Dayanand Saraswati on his birth anniversary , recalling the 19th-century reformer’s enduring contribution to Indian society, religion and national consciousness. Describing him as a towering scholar deeply rooted in Vedic philosophy and the founder of the Arya Samaj, Adityanath said Swami Dayanand’s intellectual brilliance, moral values and reformist vision continue to inspire the nation.

In a post on his official X handle, the chief minister said Swami Dayanand dedicated his entire life to social upliftment, national awakening and human welfare. He noted that the reformer’s ideas encouraged equality, freedom, cultural pride and self-reliance, and remain highly relevant even in contemporary times.

“Heartfelt tributes to Maharishi Swami Dayanand Saraswati on his birth anniversary,” Adityanath wrote, describing him as a great proponent of Vedic thought, a spiritual thinker and a fearless reformer . He said Swami Dayanand’s radiant personality and sharp intellect continue to provide renewed consciousness and guidance to society.

Swami Dayanand Saraswati was born on February 12, 1824, in Tankara in present-day Gujarat. Originally named Mool Shankar, he renounced worldly life at a young age in pursuit of spiritual truth and devoted himself to the study of the Vedas. He believed that the Vedas were the original source of knowledge and strongly opposed practices such as idol worship, blind rituals, superstition and social discrimination, which he felt had weakened Indian society.

In 1875, he founded the Arya Samaj, a reform movement aimed at restoring Vedic values and promoting rational thinking, ethical living and social equality. Through the Arya Samaj, Swami Dayanand campaigned against caste-based discrimination, untouchability and child marriage, and strongly advocated women’s education and widow remarriage ideas considered radical in his time.

Swami Dayanand also played a significant role in awakening national pride during the colonial period by urging Indians to take pride in their cultural heritage and intellectual traditions. His teachings inspired later social reformers and freedom fighters, and laid the groundwork for educational and reform institutions that continue to function across the country.

The chief minister said Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s life and work remain a guiding force for the nation, reinforcing the values of truth, knowledge, social justice and national self-confidence.