Swami Dayanand Saraswati took inspiration from

Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the founder of the Arya Samaj (1875), took his primary inspiration from the Vedas [2]. He regarded the Vedas as the infallible, inspired word of God and the fount of all true knowledge [2]. His central philosophy was encapsulated in the slogan "Go Back to the Vedas," as he believed they contained the pure form of Hinduism. Conversely, he rejected the Puranas, asserting they were full of false teachings and had been used by ignorant priests to pervert the religion [2]. Under the guidance of his guru, Swami Virjanand, he refined his understanding of Vedic literature and committed his life to its propagation. He rejected all later religious thought and medieval modifications that conflicted with Vedic principles, aiming to revive the ancient Vedic tradition as a source of universal truth and ethical guidance [2].

Sources

1. [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Dayananda Saraswati and Arya Samaj > p. 220
2. [2] Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 13: Growth of New India Religious and Social Reform After 1858 > Swami Dayanand and Arya Samaj > p. 219