Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Brahmo Samaj?

Answer: (b) 1 and 2 only

Statements 1 and 2 are correct and statement 3 is wrong, so the answer is (b). The Brahmo Samaj, founded by Raja Rammohan Roy in 1828, rejected image worship and the ritual hold of the priestly class. It did not accept the Vedas as infallible.

• ✓ 1. The Samaj forbade idol-worship and discarded meaningless rites and rituals. It stood for the worship of one formless God.
• ✓ 2. Rammohan Roy condemned the priestly class. He held that the principal ancient Hindu texts themselves preached monotheism, the worship of one God, so believers did not need priests to interpret them. He translated the Upanishads into Bengali so people could read them directly.
• ✗ 3. The Brahmo Samaj did not accept the authority of the Vedas and had no faith in avatars. The doctrine that the Vedas are infallible was championed by Dayananda Saraswati's Arya Samaj, not by the Brahmo Samaj.

Remember · Brahmo Samaj (1828, Rammohan Roy): monotheism, against idolatry and priestly ritualism, no acceptance of Vedic authority. Arya Samaj (1875, Dayananda): Vedas infallible.

Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2012, General Studies paper. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). · Report an error