Question

Which religious reform movements of the following influenced nationalism in India?
1. Brahmo Samaj
2. Arya Samaj
3. Ramakrishna Mission
4. All of the above

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 4 : All of the above

The correct answer is All of the above.

• Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, Ramkrishna's mission all participate in religious reform movements of the influenced nationalism in India.
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy is regarded as the Father of Modern India who founded the first religious reform organization, Brahmo Samaj in 1828.
  • The two most prominent leaders of the Brahmo Samaj were Keshab Chandra Sen and Debendranath Tagore.
  • It forbade idol worship and discarded meaningless rites and rituals.
  • The greatest achievement in the field of social reform was the abolition of 'Sati' in1829.
  • The Samaj also forbade its members from attacking any religion.
  • It believed in the basic unity of all religions.
  • Raja Rammohan Roy believed that man should adopt truth and goodness and should give up things based on falsehood and superstition.
• Dayanand Saraswati was founder of the Arya Samaj in 1875.
  • It was founded in Bombay.
  • The most influential movement of religious and social reform in northern India was started by Dayanand Saraswati.
  • He held that the Vedas contained all the knowledge imparted to man by God and essentials of modern science could also be traced in them.
  • He was opposed to idolatry, ritual, and priesthood, particularly to the prevalent caste practices and popular Hinduism as preached by the Brahmins
• Ramakrishna Mission is a Hindu religious and spiritual organization that was founded on 1st May 1897 by Swami Vivekananda.
  • The headquarters of the organization is located at Belur Math, Howrah, West Bengal.
  • Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa Dev was a saint, and religious leader in 19th century Bengal. He was a Priest at Dakshineswar Kali Temple.
    • He dedicated his life to God. He believed that there were many roads to God and the service of man was the service of God because the man was the embodiment of God.
  • Swami Vivekananda was one of the notable disciples of Ramkrishna Dev.
  • Swami Smaranananda is a senior monk (president) of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. He is its 16th president.