GREAT ARYA

Introduction

ARYA PRASHIKSHAN SATRA:

Our aim in organizing Arya Prashikshan Satra is to unfold the truth. We have expounded truth as truth & error as error. The exposition of error in place of truth & of truth in place of error doesn't constitute the unfolding of truth.

To speak of, write about, & believe in a thing as it is, constitutes truth. He that is prejudiced tries to prove that even his error is truth, while the truth of his religions opponent is error. He can't, therefore, know what the true religion is. Hence it is the bounden duty of truthful & learned men to unfold this right nature of truth & error before all men in their writings & speeches & then to leave them free to judge what promotes their welfare & what is prejudicial to their interests, & to embrace what is true & reject what is false.

This will lead to the happiness of the people at large. Though the human souls posses the capacity for the ascertaining truth, yet through self-interest, obstinacy, wrong-headedness, ignorance & the like, it is led to renounce truth & incline towards untruth. We have freed ourselves from these influences while organizing the Satra. It is not our object to hurt anyone's susceptibilities or to injure anyone. On the other hand, our aim is to further the advancement & advance the well-being to help humanity in the attainment of what is right, and to enable them to accept truth and reject falsehood. In our opinion there is no other way of elevating the human race.

It is our firm belief that everything calculated to the advancement of knowledge and righteousness is like poison to begin with but like nectar in the end. We have kept all this in view while organizing the Satra. Let all those who attend it being attend with an open mind, enter into the spirit of the Acharya and form an independent opinion.

The perusal of the satra will help men to sift truth from error and to embrace the former and renounce the latter. It does not become wise men to mislead people. The ignorant are sure to misinterpret what we say, but if the willing will realize what our aim is in organizing these satra, we shall consider our labor amply rewarded.

We invite humanity to attend the satra in the hope that they will embrace the truth and make our labor fruitful We consider it the first and foremost duty of every man to proclaim the truth without fear or favor. May the Omniscient, Omnipresent, Supreme Spirit who is the true personification of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss through his grace diffuse this spirit and give it permanency.

"Blessed are the men and women whose minds are centered on the acquisition of knowledge; who possess sweet and amiable tempers; who cultivate truthfulness and other similar virtues; who are free from vanity and un cleanliness.; who enlighten the minds of those who are in ignorance; whose chief delight consists in promoting the happiness of others by the preaching of truth, by generous distribution of knowledge without fee or reward; and who are engaged in altruistic work as prescribed by the Vedas."

It is the highest duty of parents, preceptors., and relatives to adorn children with good sound education, nobility of character, refinement of manners, and amiability of temper.

STATEMENT OF MY BELIEFS

 Rishi Dayanand

"I believe in a religion based on universal and all-embracing principles which have always been accepted as true by mankind and will continue to command the allegiance of mankind in the ages to come. Hence it is that the religion in question is called the primeval eternal religion, which means that it is above the hostility of all human creeds whatsoever.

 Whatever is believed in by those who are steeped in ignorance or have, been led astray by sectaries is not worthy of being accepted by the wise. That faith alone is really true and worthy of acceptance which is followed by Aptas i.e., those who are true in word, deed and thought, promote public good and are impartial and learned; but all that is discarded by such men must be considered as unworthy of belief and false.

My conception of God and all other objects in the universe is founded on the teachings of Veda and other true Shastras, and is in conformity with, the beliefs of all the sages, from Brahma down to Jaimini. I offer a statement of these beliefs for the acceptance of all good men. That alone I hold to be acceptable which is worthy of being believed by all men of all ages.

I do not entertain the least idea of founding a new religion or sect. My sole aim is to believe in truth and help others to believe in it, to reject falsehood and help others to do the same.

Had I been biased, I would have championed any one of the religions prevailing in India. But I have not done so. On the contrary, I do no approve of what is objectionable and false in the institutions of this or any other country, nor do I reject what is good and in harmony with the dictates of true religion, nor have I any desire to do so, since a contrary conduct is wholly unworthy of man. He alone is entitled to be called a man who possesses a thoughtful nature and feels for other in the same Way as he does for his own self, does not fear the unjust however powerful but fears the truly virtuous, however weak. Moreover, he should always exert himself to his utmost to protect the righteous, and advance their good, and conduct himself worthily towards them even though they be extremely poor and weak and destitute of material resources.

On the other hand, he should constantly strive to destroy, humble, and oppose the wicked sovereign rulers of the whole earth and men of great influence and power though they be. In other words, a man should, as far as it is in his power, constantly endeavor to undermine the power of the unjust and to strengthen that of the just. He may have to bear any amount of terrible suffering, he may have even to quaff the bitter cup of death in the performance of this duty, which devolves on him on account of being a man, but he should not shirk it."

King Bhartri Hari and other wise men have composed verses on the subject which I subjoin with the hope that they will prove useful:-

निन्दन्तु नीतिनिपुणा यदि वा स्तुवन्तु लक्ष्मी: समाविशतु गच्छ्तु वा यथेष्टम् |

अद्दैव वा मरणमस्तु युगान्तरे वा नयाय्यात्पथ: प्रविंचलन्ति पदं न धीरा: || १ ||

(नीतिशतक, श्लो० ८५)

"The worldly-wise may praise one or censure him; fortune may smile on him or frown on him; death may overtake him immediately or he may live for ages, but a wise man, does not swerve from the path of justice." BHARTRI HARI.

न जातु कामात्र भयात्र लोभाद् धर्मं त्येज्जीवितस्यापि हेतो: |

धर्मं नित्य: सुखदु:खे त्वनित्ये जीवो नित्यो हेतुरस्य त्वनित्य: || २ ||

महाभारते (उद्द्योगपर्व- प्रजागरपर्व-अ० ४० | श्लो० ११ ) ||

 "Let a man never renounce Dharma (righteousness) either through lust or through fear, or through greed or even to save his life, since Dharma is imperishable, while pleasure or pain is perishable, the soul is immortal, while the body is mortal." MAHABHARATA.

एक एव सुह्र्द्धर्मो निधनेअप्यनुयाति य: | शरीरेण समं नाशं सर्वमन्ययद्धि गच्छति || ३ ||

मनुः( अ० ८ | श्लो० १७ ) ||

"There is only one true friend that accompanies one ever after death. All others desert one as soon as death has overtaken him." MANU.

सत्यमेव जयते नानृतमं सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयान: |

ह्राप्तकामा यत्र तत्सत्यस्य परमं निधानम् || ४ ||

( मुण्डकोप० मु० ३ ख० मं० ६ ) ||

"It is truth that conquers, not error. It is the path of rectitude alone that men of learning and piety have trodden, and it is by following this path that the great sages of righteous desires have reached the highest citadel of truth - God." UPANISHAD.

नहि सत्यात्परो धर्मो नानृतात्पातकं परम् | नहि सत्यात्परं ज्ञानं तस्मात्सत्यं समाचरेत् || ५ || उपनिषद ||

"Verily there is no virtue higher than truth; no sin blacker than falsehood, Verily there is no Knowledge higher than truth; let a man therefore, always follow truth." UPANISHAD.

Let all men have, the same kind of firm faith (in the power of truth and justice) as he has been expressed by great souls (in the above verses