Brahmo Samaj: The Complete Notes
I. Foundation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772–1833)
“Father of Indian Renaissance” | “Inaugurator of the Modern Age”
- 1814: Founded Atmiya Sabha (Friends Society) in Calcutta.
- 1828: Founded Brahmo Sabha (August).
- 1830: Renamed to Brahmo Samaj.
- 1833: Died in Bristol, UK.
Core Ideology
- Monotheism: Worship of one formless God (Nirguna).
- Anti-Idolatry: Strictly opposed idol worship.
- Rationality: Scriptures must be judged by reason (Tarka).
Key Publications
- 1803: Tuhfat-ul-Muwahhidin (Persian) – “Gift to Monotheists”.
- 1820: Precepts of Jesus – Separated moral message from miracles.
- 1821: Sambad Kaumudi (Bengali Weekly) – Anti-Sati.
- 1822: Mirat-ul-Akbar (Persian) – First Persian newspaper.
🔥 Major Reform: Sati was abolished in 1829 (Reg. XVII) by Lord William Bentinck due to his efforts.
II. Consolidation: Debendranath Tagore (1817–1905)
Father of Rabindranath Tagore | “Maharshi”
Timeline & Actions
- 1839: Founded Tattvabodhini Sabha (Propagated RRMR’s ideas).
- 1843: Merged Sabha with Brahmo Samaj. Introduced formal Membership (Covenant).
Key Contributions
- Brahma Dharma: Compiled Upanishads into a prayer book.
- New Doctrine: Repudiated the “Infallibility of Vedas” (Vedas are not error-free).
- Dual Strategy: Reform Hinduism from within + Oppose Christian Missionaries.
III. Expansion & Splits: Keshab Chandra Sen (KCS)
Joined in 1858 | Appointed Acharya | Very Radical
💥 The First Split (1866)
Cause: KCS wanted cosmopolitization (using texts of all religions) & attacked caste/sacred thread. Tagore was conservative.
Adi Brahmo Samaj
Leader: Debendranath Tagore
(The original, conservative group)
Brahmo Samaj of India
Leader: Keshab Chandra Sen
(The new, radical group)
Key Achievements of KCS
- Native Marriage Act (1872): Legalized inter-caste marriage, set marriage age (14 for girls, 18 for boys).
- Journals: Indian Mirror (English), Bamabodhini Patrika (Women).
💥 The Second Split (1878)
Cause: KCS married his 13-year-old daughter to the Prince of Cooch Behar (violating his own 1872 Act).
Nababidhan
Leader: Keshab Chandra Sen
(New Dispensation – Mystical)
Sadharan Brahmo Samaj
Leaders: A.M. Bose, Shibchandra Deb, Umesh Chandra Datta
(Democratic & Progressive)
IV. High-Yield Exam Facts
| Entity | Founder/Year | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Dharma Sabha | Radhakanta Deb (1830) | Founded specifically to oppose Brahmo Samaj (Pro-Sati). |
| Prarthana Samaj | Atmaram Pandurang (1867) | Bombay, Maharashtra. Inspired by KCS’s visit. |
| Dayal Singh College | Lahore | Result of Brahmo influence in Punjab. |
| Veda Samaj | K. Sridharalu Naidu (1864) | Madras. Later “Brahmo Samaj of South India”. |
Important Statements for Prelims
- ✅ The Brahmo Samaj denied the need for a priestly class.
- ✅ They did not believe in Avatars (Incarnations).
- ✅ They took no definite stand on Karma/Transmigration (unlike Arya Samaj).
- ✅ David Hare helped RRMR found the Hindu College (1817).
Deva Samaj (1887): Founded by Shiv Narain Agnihotri in Lahore. It was a religious sect that emphasized moral conduct (Guru worship) rather than just social reform
Veersalingam Pantulu
• He was the 1st Social Reformer from the Telugu-speaking area.
• He was influenced by Keshav Chandra Sen.
• He started an organization called Hitkarni Sabha focused on women education