Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam

 

ayam bandhurayam neti ganana laghuchetasam udaracharitanam tu vasudhaiva kutumbakam

“This is mine and that is a stranger” – is human selfishness. For the magnanimous-heart, the entire earth is a family".

We all know that our planet earth is connected and is round.  The miles of oceans are mere interruptions on the surface; a mile or two deeper there is still the presence of earth surface.  There may be peaks and valleys, but still they are all continuous.  The consciousness is one such continuum. 

The Rishis in their deep meditation could see this eternal truth.  This is important to understand.  The Upanishadic Rishi does not see individual human beings as we see them.  We see ourselves as islands of existence.  The Rishi knows that we are not islands.  All the consciousness is a unit and we are peaks and valleys.  

When we are angry, we are pouring anger to this pool of consciousness and when we are happy, we are pouring happiness to this pool.  When a man kills another being out of hatred, he is contaminating this vast ocean of existence, the consciousness itself. we called this Adharma.  Any act that contaminates this consciousness is Adharma and anything that purifies it is Dharma.

I think that the Rishi, when he proclaims this statement of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ is talking about the relationship that is happening at the level of this consciousness.  Knowing this, a man becomes Dharmic.  There is no possibility of performing any act that will contaminate this pool of consciousness, because this will ultimately contaminate the individual itself.  

If we dive deep inside ourselves we find that we are related to each other and to the whole Universe by consciousness.  In fact there is no two, there is just Consciousness itself. And knowing this, one can proclaim and say, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.”

The words वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् (vasudhaiva kuTumbakam) come from the mantra VI-72 in Maha Upanishad which belongs to sAmaveda tradition. The mantra reads:

अयं बन्धुरयंनेति गणना लघुचेतसाम्

उदारचरितानां तु वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् ॥

Meaning: The distinction “This person is mine, and this one is not” is made only by the narrow-minded (i.e. the ignorant who are in duality). For those of noble conduct (i.e. who know the Supreme Truth) the whole world is one family.

Hitopadesha, 1.3.71:

‘ayam nijah paroveti ganana laghuchetasam

udaracharitanam tu vasudhaiva kutumbhakam’ |

’This is my own and that a stranger’ – is the calculation of the narrow-minded

For the magnanimous-hearts however, the entire earth is but a family’

Tamil Poem written 2500 years ago :

Tamil Poet Kanian Poongundranar on the concept similar to ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (Song 192, Purananuru, Sangam literature)

‘யாதும் ஊரே; யாவரும் கேளிர்;

“Yathum Oore Yavarum Kelir”

‘Every place is my home town; Everyone my kith and kin

We have from IshAvAhsya, mantra 6: 

यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतानि आत्मन्येवानुपश्यति ।
सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं ततो न विजुगुप्सते |

Meaning: He who perceives all beings in the Self alone, and the Self in all beings does not entertain any hatred on account of that perception.

That means he sees everyone as himSelf. That is the height of Oneness. No distinctions. Total unity. When what is, IS one Unit, there is no scope for hatred because there is nothing separate from himSelf to be hated. That is the perception of the really real Reality, वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् !!

The statement is not just about peace and harmony among the societies in the world, but also about a truth that the whole world must live like a family. Just by contemplating this idea and by at least trying to live by it and practice it in our lives, we could make this world a better place.