# Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (Sanskrit: वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्) is a Sanskrit phrase found in Hindu texts such as the Maha Upanishad, meaning, "the world is one family".

## Translation

The phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (Sanskrit: वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्) consists of: Vasudha; Eva (transl. 'Is Thus'); and Kutumbakam (transl. 'Family').

## 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 the Maha Upanishad Vi.71-73., and 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 World Is A Family
   One Is A Relative, The Other Stranger,
   Say The Small Minded. The Entire World Is A Family,
   Live The Magnanimous.
   Be Detached, Be Magnanimous, Lift Up Your Mind, Enjoy The Fruit Of Brahmanic Freedom.
Subsequent shlokas go on to say that those who have no attachments go on to find the Brahman (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 Maha Upanishad has been influential in the major Hindu literature that followed it. The teachings of Bhagavata Purana calls the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam adage of the Maha Upanishad, as the "Loftiest Vedantic Thought".
The ancient idea of Vasudhaiva is considered relevant today. It promotes a global perspective and prioritizes the greater good over individual or family interests. It encourages considering the welfare of others, fostering global solidarity and responsibility on various issues, including climate change, sustainable development, peace, and tolerance of differences. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is not merely human related but includes all life forms. Humans, animals, plants, and the entire natural world. This interconnectedness is not limited by boundaries or borders; it encompasses the entire cosmos.
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.

## Modern Use

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi 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 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, 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 contest. However, due to opposition from China, which claimed that Sanskrit is not one of the six official languages of the United Nations, the phrase failed to appear in most official G20 documents.