Modern History : Socio-Religious Reform Movements In 19th-Century India
UPSC CSE Prelims 2012
Statements 1 and 2 are correct.
The Brahmo Samaj, founded by Raja Rammohan Roy, was a reformist movement that advocated for monotheism (worship of one formless God) and explicitly rejected idolatry and polytheism. It sought to purify Hinduism by removing practices it considered irrational or superstitious.
It also challenged the authority of the traditional priestly class, denying their exclusive role in interpreting religious texts or mediating between devotees and God. The Samaj promoted direct access to religious knowledge and individual spiritual experience based on reason and conscience.
Statement 3 is incorrect.
Brahmo Samaj did not popularize the doctrine that the Vedas are infallible. Instead, it emphasized rationalism, ethical monotheism, and a critical approach to religious texts, including the Vedas. It believed in accepting only those aspects of scripture that resonated with reason and universal moral principles, rather than blind adherence to their infallibility. This stance differentiated it from movements like Arya Samaj, which upheld Vedic infallibility.