Swami Dayananda Saraswati, as a traditional Advaita Vedānta teacher and Vedic scholar, consistently unfolded a vision of non-duality in which the individual self is understood to be non-separate from Brahman. In this vision, the apparent bondage of the human being is due not to any real limitation of the Self, but to ignorance and habitual identification with the body–mind complex. Liberation, therefore, is not a new attainment but the clear recognition that the Self is already whole, free, and unaffected by changing circumstances. This recognition rests on seeing that the same witness consciousness underlies all states of experience—waking, dream, and deep sleep—and that happiness is not imported from outside but is intrinsic to one’s real nature.

To make this vision meaningful rather than merely theoretical, Swami Dayananda placed great emphasis on the primacy of śruti—the Upaniṣads, Bhagavad Gītā, and Brahma Sūtras with their traditional commentaries—as a valid means of knowledge for the Self. He upheld the guru–śiṣya tradition and a systematic methodology of teaching, involving careful listening, reflection, and steady assimilation. For him, knowledge rather than fleeting experience is the decisive means to mokṣa; extraordinary states may come and go, but doubt-free understanding alone resolves the fundamental problem of self-ignorance. In this light, “enlightenment” is not a dramatic event but a stable clarity that can coexist with an ordinary human life.

At the same time, his teaching never floated above the realities of daily living. Karma-yoga, understood as performing one’s responsibilities with an attitude of offering to Īśvara and graceful acceptance of results, was presented as essential preparation for self-knowledge. Such a life of dharma—marked by non-injury, truthfulness, responsibility, and emotional maturity—reduces binding likes and dislikes and renders the mind fit for subtle inquiry. Devotion in the form of prayer, ritual, and mantra was not treated as something opposed to knowledge, but as both a means to inner growth and a natural expression of understanding. In this way, jñāna and bhakti stand together rather than in competition.

A distinctive feature of his vision was the way he spoke about Īśvara and the world. Īśvara was presented as the intelligent and material cause of the universe, the very order that governs all laws and relationships. From this standpoint, the world is not dismissed as unreal in the sense of non-existent; rather, its dependent status is acknowledged without denying its pragmatic reality or the ethical responsibilities that arise within it. Seeing the universe as an order given by Īśvara encourages humility, acceptance, and a sense of reverence for life. This perspective naturally extends to social responsibility, respect for diverse traditions, and a commitment to preserving and transmitting Vedic learning through well-trained teachers and institutions.

Finally, Swami Dayananda’s approach to the role of the guru and the process of learning was marked by clarity and sobriety. The guru was understood as a skilled communicator of a pramāṇa, not as a miracle-worker or an object of blind adoration. He resisted both sensationalism and anti-intellectualism, insisting on a logical, text-based unfolding of Vedānta that could address contemporary minds without diluting the tradition. Under his guidance, many students were trained to carry this teaching forward, demonstrating that the ancient wisdom of non-duality can be rigorously taught, carefully assimilated, and lived in the midst of ordinary human challenges.