Brahmo Samaj was a social and religious reform movement that aimed to bring about progressive changes in Indian society, particularly in the areas of religion, social customs, and education.
Founder of Brahmo Samaj
Raja Rammohan Roy founded the Brahmo Sabha in August 1828; it was later renamed Brahmo Samaj. Through the Sabha he wanted to institutionalise his ideas and mission.
Rammohan Roy did not want to establish a new religion. He only wanted to purify Hinduism of the evil practices which had crept into it. He was a visionary who introduced rationalism and modernity into Indian society. His efforts led to the abolition of Sati in 1829.
Prominent Leaders of the Brahmo Samaj
Some of the most notable leaders of Brahmo Samaj other than Raja Ram Mohan Roy include:
Debendranath Tagore:
Debendranath Tagore (1817–1905), father of Rabindranath Tagore gave a new life to Brahmo Samaj and a definite form and shape to the theist movement, when he joined the Samaj in 1842. Tagore worked on two fronts: within Hinduism, the Brahmo Samaj was a reformist movement; outside, it resolutely opposed the Christian missionaries for their criticism of Hinduism and their attempts at conversion.
Keshab Chandra Sen:
The Brahmo Samaj experienced another phase of energy, when Keshab Chandra Sen (1838–84) was made the acharya by Debendranath Tagore soon after the former joined the Samaj in 1858. Keshab was instrumental in popularising the movement, and branches of the Samaj were opened outside Bengal—in the United Provinces, Punjab, Bombay, Madras, and other towns.
Shivanath Shastri:
He was a Bengali social reformer, writer, translator, scholar, editor philoshoper and historian. Shivanath Shastri was a key advocate of the Brahmo Samaj’s educational efforts and women’s rights.
Principles, Objectives and Features of Brahmo Samaj
The Brahmo Samaj was founded with several key objectives like monotheism, social reforms, rationalism, education and unity among religions.
The principles and features of Brahmo Samaj were:
֎ It denounced polytheism and idol worship. Prayers, meditation, and readings of the Upanishads were to be the forms of worship, and no graven image, statue or sculpture, carving, painting, picture, portrait, etc., were to be allowed in the Samaj buildings, thus underlining the Samaj’s opposition to idolatry and meaningless rituals.
֎ It discarded faith in divine avataras (incarnations).
֎ It denied that any scripture could enjoy the status of ultimate authority transcending human reason and conscience.
֎ It took no definite stand on the doctrine of karma and transmigration of soul and left it to individual Brahmos to believe either way.
֎ It criticised the caste system.
֎ The Samaj was committed to “the worship and adoration of the Eternal, Unsearchable, Immutable Being who is the Author and Preserver of the Universe”.
֎ The long-term agenda of the Brahmo Samaj—to purify Hinduism and to preach monotheism—was based on the twin pillars of reason and the Vedas and Upanishads.
֎ The Samaj also tried to incorporate teachings of other religions and kept its emphasis on human dignity, opposition to idolatry, and criticism of social evils such as sati.
֎ Unlike traditional Hindus, Brahmos gave as much importance to moral uprightness as to a spiritual life. In traditional Hinduism, moral purity was considered subservient to the spiritual call. Not so for the Brahmos.
Divisions of Brahmo Samaj
Brahmo Samaj of India
Debendranath did not like some of Sen’s ideas which he found too radical, such as cosmopolitanisation of the Samaj’s meetings by inclusion of teachings from all religions and his strong views against the caste system, even open support to inter-caste marriages. Keshab Chandra Sen was dismissed from the office of acharya in 1865. Keshab and his followers founded the Brahmo Samaj of India in 1866.
Adi Brahmo Samaj
After the formation of Brahmo Samaj of India by Keshab Chandra Sen in 1866, Debendranath Tagore’s Samaj came to be known as the Adi Brahmo Samaj.
Sadharan Brahmo Samaj
In 1878, Keshab’s inexplicable act of getting his 13 year-old daughter married to the minor Hindu Maharaja of Cooch-Behar with all the orthodox Hindu rituals caused another split in Keshab’s Brahmo Samaj of India. Earlier, Keshab had begun to be considered as an incarnation by some of his followers, much to the dislike of his progressive followers. Further, Keshab had begun to be accused of authoritarianism.
After 1878, the disgusted followers of Keshab set up a new organisation, the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj. The Sadharan Brahmo Samaj was started by Ananda Mohan Bose, Sib Chandra Deb, and Umeshchandra Dutta. It reiterated the Brahmo doctrines of faith in a Supreme being, one God, the belief that no scripture or man is infallible, belief in the dictates of reason, truth, and morality.
Significance and Contributions of Brahmo Samaj
The Brahmo Samaj played an important role in the intellectual and cultural renaissance of India. It challenged orthodox beliefs and provided a platform for the discussion of new ideas, fostering a spirit of inquiry and intellectual growth. The major contributions of the Brahmo Samaj can be summarised as:
֎ In matters of social reform, the Samaj attacked many dogmas and superstitions. It condemned the prevailing Hindu prejudice against going abroad.
֎ One of the Brahmo Samaj’s greatest achievements was its role in the abolition of the practice of Sati. Raja Ram Mohan Roy led the campaign against Sati, and his efforts eventually led to the passing of the Sati Prevention Act in 1829.
֎ It worked for a respectable status for women in society: condemned sati, worked for abolition of the purdah system, discouraged child marriage and polygamy, crusaded for widow remarriage and for provisions of educational facilities.
֎ The Brahmo Samaj’s emphasis on monotheism and rejection of idol worship brought about a religious awakening in India. It helped shape a modern, progressive vision of Hinduism that sought to align with universal moral and ethical values.
֎ The Brahmo Samaj played a significant role in fostering a sense of national unity and pride. Its promotion of rational thinking and the fight for social justice inspired many future leaders of the Indian freedom struggle.
֎ It also attacked casteism and untouchability though in these matters it attained only limited success.
However, the influence of the Brahmo Samaj, did not go much beyond Calcutta and, at most, Bengal. Also, it did not have a lasting impact.
Decline of Brahmo Samaj
Although Raja Rammohan Roy’s death in 1833 was a setback for the Samaj’s mission, the decline of Brahmo Samaj started in the late 19th century. It first got divided because of personal differences and then lost it’s influence with time as it had nothing substantial to provide to the masses according to the contemporary situations.
However, several factors led to the decline of the Brahmo Samaj:
Internal Divisions and lack of unity:
The ideological differences and splits within the Brahmo Samaj weakened the movement. The lack of unity among its leaders led to a fragmentation of its followers and decreased its influence.
Opposition from Orthodox Groups:
The progressive ideas of Brahmo Samaj met with strong opposition from orthodox elements. For example, Raja Radhakant Deb organised the Dharma Sabha to counter Brahmo Samaj propaganda. The Brahmo Samaj’s radical reforms, particularly its opposition to the caste system, idol worship, and social customs, invited strong resistance from orthodox Hindu groups.
Lack of Mass Base:
The Brahmo Samaj remained limited to urban educated classes and elite circles. Resistance from conservative elements of society limited the Samaj’s influence in rural areas. It could not reach the masses like other movements.
Rise of Nationalist Movements:
Rise of nationalist movements by the late 19th century, focusing more on political freedom than socio-religious reforms.
Conclusion
Despite its decline, the Brahmo Samaj made an enormous impact ideologically as well as culturally and created an enduring value system. Its emphasis on monotheism, equality, and rationality challenged deeply rooted social evils and paved the way for modern India. It was behind promoting women’s education, introducing widow remarriages, inter caste marriages, questioning the very hierarchy of caste, and democratising education.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
QUES . Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Brahmo Samaj? UPSC PRELIMS 2012
1 . It opposed idolatry.
2 . It denied the need for a priestly class for interpreting the religious texts.
3 . It popularized the doctrine that the Vedas are infallible.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer – (b)
