During my posting in Delhi, one of my senior officers often spoke about “Vasudeva Kutumbakam,” a Sanskrit phrase that translates to “The whole world is one family.” For the tech-savvy younger generation, it aligns with what they term as globalization.
Over the past few months, I’ve been reflecting deeply on this thought. Is it truly possible for the whole world to function as one family? Imagine a world with no countries, no borders, no divisions of caste, creed, religion, or race. All nations standing united, practicing only one religion: Humanity.
In this vision, wealthy countries would extend a helping hand to their less fortunate brethren, fostering equality and eliminating poverty. Strife and war would cease to exist. Man-made suffering would become a relic of the past. Peace and bliss would prevail everywhere. Such a world would no longer be called Earth—it would be Heaven.
But then, I wonder—would such a utopian world become monotonous? Without differences and competition, would the spirit to excel and achieve still thrive? Would we still enjoy the electrifying excitement of an India-Pakistan cricket match or the adrenaline rush of the FIFA World Cup? What about the Olympics? Would athletes feel the same joy in victory when their opponents are no longer rivals but members of a global family? Would scientists remain as ambitious to innovate and discover in a world devoid of challenges?
Without vices, how would we truly value virtues? After all, it is often through struggle and adversity that greatness emerges.
From a philosophical perspective, they say Adam and Eve, on Eve’s insistence, plucked the forbidden apple, leading to their expulsion from Heaven. This marked the beginning of humanity’s journey on Earth—a place inherently defined by struggle and strife.
Perhaps Vasudeva Kutumbakam will remain a beautiful yet hypothetical ideal. A vision that inspires hope, but one that the inherent complexities of human nature might never fully allow.