Editorial- Hindu Culture Holds the Message of Universal Brotherhood
The core scriptures and foundational texts of Hindu culture—the Vedas and Upanishads—emphasize maintaining universal brotherhood. To understand this in depth, consider the famous verse from the Maha Upanishad. It has been named ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’:
अयं निजः परो वेति गणना लघुचेतसाम् ।
उदारचरितानां तु वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् ॥
(Maha Upanishad, Chapter 6, Verse 71)
Before understanding the meaning of this verse, its importance becomes clear through the sandhi-vicchhed (grammatical split) of these two words. Vasudha means the Earth; Eva means “alone” or “indeed”; and Kutumbakam means “family”. Thus, the phrase implies that the entire Earth and all living beings residing upon it constitute a single family. The sense of division (“otherness”) stems from selfishness—let us reflect on the complete meaning of this Upanishadic verse:
“This person is mine, and that person is a stranger”—such thoughts belong only to those with narrow minds. On the contrary, for those of noble heart and expansive compassion, the entire world is their own family.
In clear terms, the entire Earth is one family. The same spiritual truth echoes again and again: global fraternity. The entire universe is a single household. Indian culture stands pre-eminent because thousands of years ago, the Vedas and Upanishads bestowed the teaching to foster universal brotherhood (Vishwa Bandhutva). True empathy and mutual brotherhood towards the entire world are needed even more desperately in today’s self-centered era. All religions embody this same sacred sentiment.
However, the modern selfish human, driven by greed, acts upon “this is mine, that is mine, only I should remain,” attempting to fracture universal brotherhood. People are divided in the name of caste and religion. Walls of high and low, big and small, are being erected, causing mutual love and trust to wither away. In such times, Dera Sacha Sauda brings forth a new dawn of hope, enriching society through teachings that restore mutual affection, faith, and unity.
Followers of the Dera serve humanity guided by the sacred words of their Spiritual Master (Satguru). Whenever they encounter anyone in suffering or distress—without any discrimination—they step forward to help. Whether a person is mentally challenged or destitute, volunteers readily care for them. Following holy spiritual teachings with selfless devotion, they not only provide food, healthcare, and treatment to the mentally impaired, but also trace their families and travel thousands of kilometers to reunite them with lost loved ones after years of separation.
Imagine the joy of a mother, father, sibling, or their family when a lost loved one is reunited with them after years of losing all hope. Can such selfless service be considered a small feat?
Followers of Dera Sacha Sauda—members of the Shah Satnam Ji Green ‘S’ Welfare Committee and other volunteers—are becoming saviors for children suffering from Thalassemia. In big city hospitals like Patiala and Sirsa, these victims are fighting a battle between life and death and survive only on blood transfusions at fixed intervals. Blood transfusions are their only support for life. These volunteers make every effort to save lives by donating hundreds of units of blood.
So, are these volunteers doing all this for selfish reasons or for self-praise? No, absolutely not! They do this simply following the holy teachings of their beloved Perfect Spiritual Master, ensuring no life is lost due to a shortage of blood. Every day, so many people are injured in road accidents and need immediate blood. Upon learning about it, these volunteers reach out themselves according to the teachings of their Beloved Spiritual Master and selflessly donate their blood.
As the title suggests, the whole world is indeed one family. If one wishes to see a practical demonstration of these sacred teachings from the Vedas and Upanishads today, one can witness it at the spiritual congregations of Dera Sacha Sauda. People of all castes and religions sit together as one, eat food from the common kitchen (langar), and together sing devotional songs.
Crores of devotees from home and abroad, regardless of religion or caste, appear as one family upon reaching here. The truth is that Dera Sacha Sauda Sarv Dharma Satsang stands as a living example of global brotherhood, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.
