04-22-2008, 08:50 PM
You are welcome Bodhiji.
Even though Chanakya appears as the oldest reference for the vasudhaiva-kutumbakam shloka, but the difficulty of finding it in most published niti books of chanakya suggests that the source might even be older than chanakya.
Hitopadaesa and vikrama charita clearly seem to be quoting it, as if from an older source, as you also mention.
I guess the idea is what counts, and if present as a meme in the culture, would find recurrence in different places and different forms.. And oldest occurences are surely there in vedas, and in much detail in atharvavedIya prithivI-sUkta.
Even though Chanakya appears as the oldest reference for the vasudhaiva-kutumbakam shloka, but the difficulty of finding it in most published niti books of chanakya suggests that the source might even be older than chanakya.
Hitopadaesa and vikrama charita clearly seem to be quoting it, as if from an older source, as you also mention.
I guess the idea is what counts, and if present as a meme in the culture, would find recurrence in different places and different forms.. And oldest occurences are surely there in vedas, and in much detail in atharvavedIya prithivI-sUkta.