Arya Samaj is a Hindu reform movement founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswati in 1875 in Bombay (now Mumbai), whose very name, “Society of Nobles,” signals its aspiration toward moral and spiritual elevation. At its heart lies a call to return to what it understands as the pure, original authority of the Vedas, treating them as the highest and sole religious standard while rejecting later texts and practices regarded as distortions. This Vedic orientation is expressed through a rational, monotheistic understanding of a single, formless, eternal God and a firm rejection of idolatry, polytheism, and elaborate ritualism. Religious life, in this vision, is grounded not in external ceremony but in disciplined study, prayer, meditation, and ethical conduct.

Flowing from this theological stance is a strong commitment to social reform and moral upliftment. Arya Samaj opposes caste discrimination based on birth and seeks to eradicate untouchability, child marriage, and other entrenched social evils, affirming the essential equality of all human beings. It has consistently advocated for the rights and dignity of women, including their education and the acceptance of widow remarriage, while resisting practices that subjugate them. The movement also works against harmful customs such as sati, addiction, and wasteful ceremonies, aiming to purify social life in harmony with what it sees as Vedic principles.

Education occupies a central place in the program of Arya Samaj, which has established schools and colleges—most notably the Dayanand Anglo-Vedic institutions—to integrate modern learning with Vedic wisdom. This educational mission is understood as a means of fostering physical, intellectual, and spiritual development, as well as cultivating a sense of national regeneration and cultural self-respect. By promoting Hindi and Indian cultural values, the movement has contributed to a broader sense of national consciousness and self-governance, seeing the upliftment of the poor and marginalized as a sacred duty. In this way, religious reform, social justice, and educational advancement are woven together into a single fabric.

Underlying these efforts is a vision of universal brotherhood and justice, in which all humans are regarded as members of one family under one God. Arya Samaj encourages righteous action and social responsibility, urging adherents to oppose oppression and exploitation wherever they appear. Its program of religious purification extends to challenging superstitious practices and hereditary priestly monopolies, seeking a more direct, scripture-based relationship with the divine. Through this synthesis of Vedic faith, ethical rigor, and social activism, the movement aspires to both inner transformation and the upliftment of society at large.