Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is a

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...

phrase found in

Hindu texts Hindu texts are manuscripts and voluminous historical literature which are related to any of the diverse traditions within Hinduism. A few of these texts are shared across these traditions and they are broadly considered Hindu scriptures. These ...

such as the

Maha Upanishad The ''Maha Upanishad'' ( sa, महा उपनिषद्, IAST: Mahā Upaniṣad) is a Sanskrit text and is one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. The text is classified as a Samanya Upanishad. The text exists in two versions, one attac ...

, which means "The World Is One Family". Vedic tradition mentions "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" meaning all living beings on the earth are a family.

Translation

The phrase ( sa, वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्) consists of several words: (); (); and ().

History

:अयं निजः परो वेति गणना लघुचेतसाम्। (Ayam Nijah Paro Veti Ganana Laghucetasam) :उदारचरितानां तु वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्॥ (Udaracaritanam Tu Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam) The original Verse appears in Chapter 6 of

VI.71-73.Robin Seelan (2015), Deconstructing Global Citizenship (Editors: Hassan Bashir and Phillips Gray), Routledge, , page 143, it is considered the most important moral value in the Indian society. This verse of Maha Upanishad is engraved in the entrance hall of the

Parliament Of India The Parliament of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the president of India and two houses: the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of ...

.S Shah and V Ramamoorthy (2014)
Soulful Corporations
Springer Science, , page 449 Subsequent shlokas go on to say that those who have no attachments go on to find the

Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...

(The One Supreme, Universal Spirit That Is The Origin And Support Of The Phenomenal Universe). The context of this verse is to describe as one of the attributes of an individual who has attained the highest level of spiritual progress, and one who is capable of performing his worldly duties without attachment to material possessions.

Influences

The text has been influential in the major Hindu literature that followed it. The popular Bhagvad Gita, the most translated of the

Purana Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...

genre of literature in Hinduism, for example, calls the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam adage of the Maha Upanishad, as the "Loftiest Vedantic Thought". Dr N. Radhakrishnan, former director of the Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, believes that the Gandhian vision of holistic development and respect for all forms of life; nonviolent conflict resolution embedded in the acceptance of nonviolence both as a creed and strategy; were an extension of the ancient Indian concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

References In The Modern World

India's Prime Minister

Narendra Modi Narendra Damodardas Modi (; born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician serving as the 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament from ...

used this phrase in a speech at World Culture Festival, organized by Art of Living, adding that "Indian culture is very rich and has inculcated in each one of us with great values, we are the people who have come from

Aham Brahmasmi Aham may refer to: People * Aham Okeke (born 1969), Nigerian-born Norwegian sprinter * Aham Sharma, Indian film and television actor Places * Aham, Germany, municipality in Bavaria Other * Aham (Kashmir Shaivism) * Aham (film) * Association ...

to Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, we are the people who have come from Upanishads to Upgraha.(Satellite)." It was used in the logo of the 7th

International Earth Science Olympiad The International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO), one of the thirteen International Science Olympiads, is an annual competition for secondary school students that tests their abilities in disciplines such as geology, meteorology, environmental scie ...

, which was held in Mysore, India in 2013. It was designed to emphasize on the integration of the Earth’s subsystems in the school curriculum. It was designed by R. Shankar and Shwetha B. Shetty of Mangalore University. The theme and the logo for India’s G20 Presidency from December 1, 2022, till November 30, 2023 has a mention of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth-One Family-One Future”. The logo was selected after scrutiny of 2400 pan-India submissions invited through a logo design contes

References

Bibliography

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