Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam () is a Sanskrit phrase found in Hindu texts such as the Maha Upanishad, meaning, "the world is one family".
Verse The full verse from the Maha Upanishad (VI.71–73) in three scripts:
Script Text Devanagari अयं निजः परो वेति गणना लघुचेतसाम् । उदारचरितानां तु वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् ॥ IAST transliteration ayaṃ nijaḥ paro veti gaṇanā laghucetasām / udāracaritānāṃ tu vasudhaiva kuṭumbakam // Gujarati હળવા મનવાળા લોકો એ જ માને છે કે આ તેમનું પોતાનું છે કે બીજા કોઈનું. જે લોકો ચારિત્ર્યમાં ઉમદા છે, તેમના માટે પૃથ્વી તેમનો પરિવાર છે. Telugu అయం నిజః పరో వేతి గణనా లఘుచేతసామ్ । ఉదారచరితానాం తు వసుధైవ కుటుమ్బకమ్ ॥
Meaning Language Meaning English "This is mine, that is theirs" — such is the reckoning of the narrow-minded. For those of noble character, the entire world is one family. Hindi "यह मेरा है, वह उसका है" — ऐसा संकुचित सोच वाले मानते हैं। उदार हृदय वालों के लिए तो पूरी पृथ्वी ही एक परिवार है। Gujarati "આ મારું છે, એ તેનું છે" - સંકુચિત મનના લોકો એવું જ માને છે. વિશાળ હૃદય ધરાવતા લોકો માટે, આખી પૃથ્વી એક પરિવાર છે. Telugu "ఇది నాది, అది వారిది" అనేది సంకుచిత బుద్ధి గలవారి లెక్క. ఉదారమైన స్వభావం గలవారికి ఈ భూమి మొత్తం ఒక కుటుంబమే.
Translation The phrase () consists of: ;vasudhA Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany ();Sanskrit Dictionary and ().
Word-by-word analysis
The following table gives a word-by-word breakdown (padaccheda) of the full verse as it appears in the Maha Upanishad (VI.71–73):
Sanskrit (Devanagari) Transliteration (IAST) Telugu script English Hindi Telugu meaning अयम् ayam అయమ్ this यह ఇది निजः nijaḥ నిజః one's own मेरा / अपना తనవాడు परः paraḥ పరః the other / stranger पराया పరాయివాడు वा vā వా or अथवा లేదా इति iti ఇతి thus / so said इस प्रकार అని गणना gaṇanā గణనా reckoning / counting गणना / सोच లెక్క / ఆలోచన लघुचेतसाम् laghucetasām లఘుచేతసామ్ of the narrow-minded संकुचित सोच वालों का సంకుచిత బుద్ధి గలవారి उदारचरितानाम् udāracaritānām ఉదారచరితానామ్ of the noble-hearted उदार हृदय वालों का ఉదారస్వభావుల तु tu తు but / however किन्तु కానీ वसुधा vasudhā వసుధా the earth पृथ्वी భూమి एव eva ఏవ indeed / verily ही మాత్రమే कुटुम्बकम् kuṭumbakam కుటుమ్బకమ్ family परिवार కుటుంబము
The verse in Telugu script reads: అయం నిజః పరో వేతి గణనా లఘుచేతసామ్ । ఉదారచరితానాం తు వసుధైవ కుటుమ్బకమ్ ॥
History अयं निजः परो वेति गणना लघुचेतसाम्। (ayaṃ nijaḥ paro veti gaṇanā laghucetasām) उदारचरितानां तु वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्॥ (udāracaritānāṃ tu vasudhaiva kuṭumbakam)
The original Verse appears in Chapter 6 of the Maha Upanishad Vi.71-73.,Robin Seelan (2015), Deconstructing Global Citizenship (Editors: Hassan Bashir and Phillips Gray), Routledge, , page 143BP Singh and Dalai Lama (2008), Bahudhā and the Post 9/11 World, Oxford University Press, , page 51 and it is considered the most important moral value in the Indian society.AG Krishna Warrier (1953), Maha Upanishad, Theosophical Society, Madras, Online , Verse VI.71–73S Shah and V Ramamoorthy (2014), Soulful Corporations, Springer Science, , page 449 This verse of Maha Upanishad is engraved in the entrance hall of the Parliament Of India.
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.AG Krishna Warrier (1953), Maha Upanishad, Theosophical Society, Madras, Online
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.
The phrase has been adopted by Jyot, an organisation hosting international conclaves on ethical global governance.
In December 2024, a two-day conclave titled Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Ki Oar 3.0 was held at Gitarth Ganga in Ahmedabad, organised by Jyot Foundation under the guidance of Jainacharya Yugbhushansuri, bringing together legal scholars, geopolitical experts, and thought leaders to discuss a world order based on the principles of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
In January 2026, the Jyot India Foundation, with support from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, held the fourth edition of the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Ki Oar conclave (themed Sankraman Kaal) at August Kranti Maidan, Mumbai, from 16 to 22 January, bringing together jurists, diplomats, and policymakers to examine India's constitutional frameworks through the lens of ancient Indian civilisational values.
See also Universalism Unity In Diversity Religious Syncretism Hinduism We Are The World Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelir
References
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Further reading