Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
Many people would be curious to know the origin of these words. I did some research.
There is Hitopadesha, a series of stories of moral import and wise sayings in Samskrita, traced to the 9th Century CE. The shloka that occurs there is :
ayaṃ nijaḥ paroveti gaṇanā laghucetasām |
udāracaritānām tu vasudhaiva kuṭumbakam || I.69
See this text in the original:
Someone has been saying this is a hoax, because in the story the words are spoken by an evil person. This interprepation is laughable, since the very reason the evil person resorted to highlighting this idea in his argument was because it had universal moral appeal. And when a moral idea is held up by a moral person who stands for truth, it is a powerful motivator.
However, as I continued my research, I discovered that the shloka occurs in an Upanishad of greater antiquity. As we know, Upanishads are all spiritual texts that deal with the idea of the Soul, Cosmic Soul, Truth, and pursuit of truth.
The Maha Upanishad is referenced in Wikipedia here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maha_Upanishad
The shloka, as it occurs in that work, is as follows:
The translation, in the book Maha Upanishad by Dr. A. G. Krishna Warrier, published by The Theosophical Publishing House, Chennai, is as follows:
Only small men discriminate saying: One is a relative; the
other is a stranger. For those who live magnanimously the entire world constitutes but a
family.
I find an echo of the same idea throughout the Bhagavadgita. Particularly, this shloka describes the perfect yogi as one who is equal in relationship to everyone in his circle:
Bg 6.9
suhṛn-mitrāry-udāsīna- madhyastha-dveṣya-bandhuṣu
sādhuṣv api ca pāpeṣu sama-buddhir viśiṣyate
Swami Chinmayananda's Translation:
He who is of the same mind to the good-hearted, friends, enemies, the indifferent, the neutral, the hateful, relatives, the righteous and the unrighteous, he excels.
The import in this idea is:
One should develop the strength, maturity and cheerfulness to recognise the interconnectedness of the entire world as one large family. This will only build a more positive society and global good.
Hari Om Tat Sat
