History of Arya Samaj Mississauga
The foundation of Arya Samaj Mississauga was laid on 16th October 1983, when our very first Satsang was held at the residence of Mr. Mohinder Kashyap, located at 2587 Folkway Drive, Mississauga. The Dev Yajna (Havan) was performed by Pandit S.D. Sharma. This inaugural Satsang was attended by several close associates and families, including Mr. and Mrs. Jagan Nath Dhawan, Drs. Uma and Ravi Srivastava, Mr. and Mrs. S.D. Sharma, Mr. and Mrs. Amar Erry, Mr. Sudershan Beri, and many close friends of Mr. Kashyap.
Following the success of the first event, it was collectively decided to hold weekly Satsangs at the residences of various Arya Samaj families in Mississauga, which helped in fostering a strong sense of community and spiritual growth.
A significant milestone was reached on 9th September 1984, when a formal meeting was held at Mr. Kashyap's residence to elect the first office bearers. In this meeting, Dr. Ravi Srivastava was unanimously elected as President, Sh. S.D. Sharma as General Secretary, and Mr. Mohinder Kashyap as Treasurer.
The official inauguration of Arya Samaj Mississauga was celebrated on 20th October 1985 at the Mississauga Valley Community Centre. The function was graced by members from Arya Samaj Burlington and Arya Samaj Toronto (now known as Arya Samaj Markham), with over 200 attendees present to mark the occasion. From that point onward, our weekly Sunday Satsangs continued at the Mississauga Valley Community Centre, 1275 Mississauga Valley Blvd, until 2nd February 2014.
A major chapter began with the Bhoomi Poojan Ceremony of our own building on 19th September 2010 at 11:00 AM, at 405 Watline Avenue, Mississauga. Key contributors to this project were Mr. Subhash Jhamb, Mr. Chandra Prakash Gupta, and Dr. Ravi Srivastava, who all played prominent roles in the planning and construction. The building was completed by December 2013, and the first Satsang in our new premises was held on 2nd February 2014.
Since then, we have been regularly conducting our Sunday Satsangs in our own building, continuing the journey of spiritual enrichment and community service with the same dedication and unity.
Who We Are & What We Believe
Arya Samaj Mississauga is a spiritual and cultural organization dedicated to promoting the values of the Vedas—universal truths that guide righteous living, spiritual growth, and social upliftment. We are part of the global Arya Samaj movement founded in 1875 by Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati, a visionary reformer who believed that all human beings, regardless of caste, creed, or gender, have the right to spiritual knowledge and self-development.
At the heart of Arya Samaj is the belief in the Vedas as the ultimate source of knowledge, encouraging every individual to seek truth through study, reflection, and practice. We emphasize truth (Satya), knowledge (Vidya), self-discipline (Brahmacharya), and service to humanity (Seva).
We reject ritualism, blind faith, superstition, and social inequalities. Instead, we promote rational thought, equality, women’s empowerment, universal education, and the importance of a moral life grounded in Dharma (righteousness).
Our programs include Vedic Havan ceremonies, spiritual discourses, youth education, Sanskrit learning, community service, and celebrations of Vedic festivals — all aimed at nurturing the individual and contributing positively to society.
Arya Samaj is not just a faith — it’s a way of life rooted in timeless wisdom and progressive values, offering a path of inner growth, selfless action, and harmony with the world around us.
The Ten Principles of ARYA SAMAJ
God is not a kind of person , a superman, but is Super-conscious Energy present everywhere, in the inanimates as well as the animate world. This energy is present where there is movement, growth and decay. In Vedic Literature, God is described as “ purush vishesh”-i.e. An extraordinary person. It is in figurative sense to convey God conception to an average person and is used to describe His Attributes The word “He” is used to describe God.
The First Principle:
The first (efficient) cause of all true knowledge and all that is known through knowledge is Parameshvara (the Highest Lord, i.e., Eeshwar (God)).
Efficient cause is that by which something comes into effect; nothing comes into existence without it. A simple example is that through the making of Eeshwar, the formless and ever-present Prakriti takes form and becomes the universe.
The Arya Samaj stands for truth, and its inspiration is derived directly from Eeshwar. Knowledge—our realization of truth within and outside us—has its ultimate root in the All-Knowing Parameshwara (God). True knowledge is of two kinds: Apara Vidya (Physical knowledge) and Para Vidya (Spiritual knowledge).
Apara Vidya concerns the knowledge of physical materials, from the atom (micro) to the universe (macro). It studies the qualities of matter or nature and applies them for scientific discoveries and inventions.
Para Vidya is the study and attainment of Almighty God.
It is from Him that we first receive the prompting and glimpses of truth. Our intuitive knowledge in yogic vision is derived directly from Him today, just as all knowledge at the beginning of human creation was revealed to the primeval Rishis.
The Eeshwar of the Arya Samaj is the Eeshwar of Truth. Thus, our religion is conviction in, and the quest after, Truth.
The Second Principle:
Eeshwar (God) is existent, intelligent, and blissful. He is formless, omniscient, just, merciful, unborn, endless, unchangeable, beginning-less, unequalled, the support of all, the master of all, omnipresent, immanent, un-aging, immortal, fearless, eternal, and holy, and the maker of all. He alone is worthy of being worshipped.
The Second Principle enumerates the attributes of Parmeshvara. Beginning with the philosophical formula Satchchidananda, meaning that His essential qualities are Existence,Intelligence, and Bliss. He is spirit of spirits, the Supreme Spirit. From all defects to which bodied spirits are heirs, He is of His nature free. He is never born. He does not die. He is changeless. He is unlimited. He is without a form. He is all pervading—immanent in all that is. He is endless, infinite, incomprehensible even in thought. He fears none and hates none too. In His love He combines the apparently opposite virtues of justice and mercy. He is merciful in that he provides for the souls all sorts of physical material with which they work and live, and reap rewards of their actions. He can do all things that agree with His nature as Eeshwar, and indoing them He requires no extraneous help as Eeshwar. Parameshwara is thus a unique conception in the religious creed of the Arya Samaj. Belief in Him fortifies the soul. For realisation of Him within one’s self, prayer and meditation are recommended to be performed at the hours of both morning and evening. The equitable Eeshwar of the Arya Samaj will not, because of our outward flattery of Him, be inclined to show us extra favour. For adoration the Arya Samaj recommends meditation of the Formless—Nirakara. According to this principle, adoration in the sense of devotional worship is due to Parameshvara alone. No man or amimal, or for that matter any other creature, can take the place of Parameshvara, Nor is Parameshvara Himself believed to be born in the form of one. Incarnation of Eeshwar is thus an untenable doctrine under the creed of the Arya Samaj.
In his immortal book “ Satyarth Prakash” Swami Dayanand saraswati narrates 100 important attributes, some of God's virtues, functions and nature only.
The Third Principle:
Vedas are the scripture of true knowledge. It is the first duty of the Aryas to read them, teach them, recite them, and hear them being read.
The Third Principle enumerates the transmission of knowledge from Eeshwar to man is through Vedas. It is this Veda, which, the Arya Samaj lays down, is the repository of all truth, and which, therefore, it is the primary duty of all Aryans to study and teach, to recite and hear being read.
Unfortunately, we have restricted the use of the mantras to cramming or to recitation only and do not attempt to understand the meanings, significance and importance of the mantras. The Vedas have limitless knowledge because each mantra has several meanings.
This one principle distinguishes the Arya Samaj from all other cosmopolitan societies of reform and redemption. The Arya Samaj has before it a particular method, a definite formula of right and wrong. This method is as old as man and as lasting as humanity. All classes of human beings have been declared to have a right—and an equal duty—to study and benefits from the Vedas.
The Fourth Principle:
One should always be ready to accept truth and give up untruth.
Having by the first three principles defined what it means by truth, the Arya Samaj lays stress in the fourth principle on the supreme duty of every individual person to stick to truth and forsake untruth. The Arya Samaj does not confuse right with wrong by declaring that they are simply relative terms.
In the “Satyaarth Prakaash “ chapter 3, Swami Dayanand Saraswati mentioned five tests to examine Truth namely (I) The Vedas and the nature of God , (ii) Laws of nature, (iii) The practice and teachings of Rishis, (iv) purity and conviction of our Soul, (v) eight kinds of evidences-Direct cognizance ( Prataksha) , (2) Inference (Anumaana), (3) Analogy (Upamaana), (4) Testimony (Shabda), (5)History( Itihaasa), (6) Deduction ( Arthaapatti), (7)Possibity(Sambhava) (8) Non-existence ( Abhaava). In our life we should adopt the Truth and shun the untruth.
The Fifth Principle:
One should do everything according to the dictates of Dharma, i.e., after due reflection over right and wrong.
The fourth principle emulates how the practical application of Truth can be utilized for the well being of individual and society. This principle advises us to perform all acts of life in conformity with Dharma. The word Dharma has a very wide scope than the word religion which is generally taken as its synonym, the word Dharma is derived from the root “dhri” which means, to hold, to support, to contain, to observe, to practice, to cite, to quote, to keep, to retain, to preserve etc. The application of both Truth and Dharma in practical life can elevate virtues of a person. In fact, Truth and Dharma are two sides of the same coin and in life activities too, the two should be closely linked to discriminate which is worth doing and what is not and how a pious and virtuous life should be followed. In Manusmriti, Mahrishi Manu outlines the ten rules of Dharma namely Patience ( ), Forgiveness (), Self control ( ), Non stealing ( ), Cleanliness ( ), Sense control ( ), Wisdom( ), Knowledge(), Truth (), Calmness ( ).
Unconscious virtue is simply action, not virtue. The principles of the Arya Samaj concern themselves equally with the individual and collective duties of mankind. An Arya Samaji will, for instance, on no occasion give up his belief either in Eeshwar or in Eeshwar’s revelation, the Vedas. Nor can he part with his right to say his prayers to Parameshvara whose salient characteristics are delineated in the Second Principle. The duty to read and write, teach and listen to a recitation of theVedas is equally sacred. The truths taught by the Vedas, as a matter of his personal conviction, and as the foundation further of his personal practice, are to be his inviolable sanctuary giving him inner solace which no compromise with his fellow-beings can ever deny him. This granted, he is to place himself unreservedly at the disposal of humanity. Knowledge of right and wrong followed by conduct conforming thereto is what in Arya religion is called dharma. And the object of the principles of the Arya Samaj is to teach that dharma. This term occurs in its most appropriate place in this principle.
The Sixth Principle:
Doing good to the whole world is the primary objective of this Society—to ensure, i.e., its physical, spiritual, and social upliftment.
This principle , in simple and self explanatory words, leaves a very deep impression about the limitless generosity of Swami Dayanand Saraswati who did not limit his affectionate commands of good good to Hindus only but he embraced the whole world. He endorsed the message of the Veda “Krinvanto Vishvam Aryam- make the whole humanity noble”emphasizing Selflessness. This principle encompasses all physical, spiritual and social aspects. Without strong physical body, a person cannot establish and maintain law and order in the society and make the citizen fearless, eradicate corruption , misdeeds and lawlessness.
The mission of the Arya Samaj is universal. Religions generally ignore the physical side of human growth. Some think this phase of life is mundane and therefore beneath the notice of majority of religions. Maharshi Dayanand gives the physical body of both man and animal foremost place. Charity should look after the physical needs of its recipients first. Such measures should be taken by the corporate activity of the citizens, as will tend to the physical betterment of the race. The extirpation of disease, the lowering of the death-rate, and the popularization of the idea and methods of physical culture, the training of citizens in habits of clean living etc., are items of social civic work, to which every philanthropic society of men and women should address itself.
The Arya Samaj, only after its brief career of social activity, had at its back stellar record of social service. Many orphanages and widow homes stand to its credit. Many a famine, earthquakes, floods have found the Arya Samajis busy rehabilitating the helpless. The misery of a whole world requires the service of whole humanity. And what we are depicting to-day is the social ideal, not the actual achievements of this society or that. The achievement is only an infinitesimal part of what remains to be done. It is the mission of the Arya Samaj to carry whole humanity.
The application of this principle inculcates efforts made by each person by all the legitimate means including people and money.
The Seventh Principle:
Let thy dealings with all be regulated by love and justice, in accordance with the dictates of Dharma.
As the sixth principle advises us to do good to the whole humanity by trying for their physical, spiritual and social progress and to do so, contact directly or indirectly is essential. This principle highlight Love as the foundation of ethical and spiritual life. While dealing with other person, our behaviour should be (i) with love, (ii)with due justice and (iii) as per . Affection is the root cause of peace, unity and good relationship in a family , a society, a nation and the world. Our four aims of life are 1. Righteousness, 2. Finance 3. Desires and 4. Salvation should be guided by Dharma. Our dealings with person of other religion should be friendly and be based on tolerance. We can impress the features of Vedic Dharma on a person of another religion only if we behave with him/er with love, give him/her an opportunity to listen, read and understand what we want to emphasize.
The responsibility of an individual goes further than affection toward others. Standing at the head of all creation, he owes an obligation to sub-human creatures as well. His attitude towards these also should be governed by the same principles, viz., those of love, propriety and righteousness. While the first attribute, viz., love is to be the guiding note of his inner motive, the second i.e. propriety will be the criterion in choosing the means, while considerations of righteousness are urged in order to refer him ultimately to the eternal code, viz., the Veda, the injunctions of which alone will give his powers of discretion the right lead.
The Eighth Principle:
One should promote Vidhya (realization of subject and object) and dispel Avidhya (illusion).
Vidhya ( right knowledge)will help us to achieve our goals. There is no limit to seek knowledge. The whole world is a vast school where we can learn from cradle to crevice. Those who do not endeavour to seek Vidhya are like stagnant water that stinks. Those who seek Vidhya are endowed with divine bliss. Avidhya – a negative knowledge is as useless as darkness. All four aims of life and three pillars of Dharma as quoted in the seventh principle are closely dependent upon Vidhya, education and knowledge. It is by education and knowledge only that we can know Dharma, can earn living,can make judicious decisions , can control urges and can make efforts to obtain Salvation. Avidhya is destructive and negative learning and it degrades, deteriorates, destroy and devastates us. The aim and objective of acquiring knowledge is to purge the inner self of dross and dirt and purify the mind. Just as when impurities of gold are burnt in fire, it begins to glitter, so does true knowledge, having burnt our imperfectons, impurities, flaws and follies, make us shine. That is why Vedas urge upon us to seek knowledge which may purge and purify us.
Arya Samaj seeks to further right knowledge and dispel ignorance, to promote realisation and remedy illusion. Knowledge, according to the definition of the Arya Shastras, is right knowledge, knowledge born of the Vedas, knowledge which will make-us discriminate between right and wrong, between what tends to our good and what leads to our ruin. Vidya, as conceived by the Rishis, is not simply knowledge in the modern sense ; it is identification of one’s self with the Real, the True, the Right.
The Ninth Principle:
One should not be content with one’s own welfare alone, but should look for one’s own welfare in the welfare of all.
This principle focus upon individual aspirations and collective welfare. This tenet ordains duel directions, on the one hand it comprises full efforts made for one’s self advancement, while on the other hand it strongly stresses the necessity of ameliorating the conditions of the society. The second part of this principle lays down that a person ought to comprehend his/her own up-liftment in the advancement of all persons of the society. So it is our paramount duty not to make efforts for selfish ends alone because such an act will render the person as a beast in human form. By performing Yajna (Agnihotra) the whole atmosphere is purified for all living creatures. Yajna teaches us to be unselfish. Volunteering, Philanthropy, Community Engagement are practical ways to serve the society and will build stronger, more resilient society.
There are two main conceptions regarding the reciprocal relationship which exists between the individual and the community. The first conception lays down that the progress of individual will ultimately lead to the advancement of the society. Accepting this approach, when people attempt for their selfbetterment, competition may arise leading to collusion and confrontations of interest among them, causing enmity, non cooperation and mutual confrontation and will create havoc in the society.
The second conception is the most ancient one originated in India, aiming at the well being of all, as is indicated in the following verse
Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niraamayah. Sarve Bhadraani Pashyantu, Maakashchid Duhkhaa Bhaagbhavet.
(O Lord! May all enjoy happiness, be free from diseases and miseries, Perceive and realize common good and none get pain and sufferings)
This concept clearly stress benevolence as the paramount duty of all so that every one is inspired to do benevolent deeds, bringing about good fruits thereby and all will thus be blessed and none may remain distressed and affected. This concept aspires that individual should seek for his/her share in the progress of the whole community. Thus the individual selfishness will be controlled and in place of strifes and jealousies, the person will be tempted to adopt and adhere to love, cooperation and unity , leading to mutual unanimous organization.
In this principle, Swami Dayanand Saraswati has miraculously elucidated and elaborated the two concepts with his clairvoyance ( divine foresight) in a conciliatory manner. In this principle, he commands that every person should strive for advancement but should not feel satisfied with his/her own progress and should simultaneously attempt for the common good as well, believing that his/her progress is the progress of all, as he/she is also one individual included in the sum total of individual which make up the society. The success of the progress of the individual and the community as well as their welfare can only be achieved by the strict observance of this principle.
The Tenth Principle:
One should regard one’s self under restriction to follow altruistic rulings of society, while in following rules of individual welfare all should be free.
This last principle with the precepts expressed therein should not only link with the previous directions, but also be comprehended coherently along with what has been said before in other principles. As mentioned in the ninth principle, if everyone makes constant efforts for the advancement of the society, all will be benefitted and they by this pursuit will accomplish the desired aim of social and economic goods. As an individual, a person is free to accomplish his/her desires and choices willfully, as far as
By means and power at his/her command. While fulfilling personal desires, the person should not infringe on the rights of others. He/she should balance personal freedom with collective welfare. The direction in this principle provides that the individual is restricted so far as the beneficial management of the society is concerned . The rule though contains prescription for the free flow of individual will on the one hand yet on the other hand, it enjoins on everyonenot to stick to anti social activities. Moral and social values must be upheld for the growth ofthe society.The society keeps vigilance over the citizens to abideby the rules of conduct and social valuesand if slightly transgressed, the society instantly tries to control the defaulter . Although such repressive measures curtail the individual freedom, yet these areaccepted for the social benefit.
Keeping enlightened the spirit of preachings of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, it is expected of every Arya to translate these principles in actual life activities and follow and adopt in life. Let us make ourselves Arya in the true sense and inspire others to be likewise.
Excerpts adapted from the Arya Samaj website (https://aryasamaj.com)
