Acharya Prashant clarifies that the concept of the world as one family is not the fundamental premise of spirituality. Instead, the primary spiritual realization is that the entire world is false. He explains that individuals live in their own personal universes or mental globes, which are centered on a false sense of self. Because these personal centers care only for their own imaginary welfare, they are never in sync with others, leading to constant strife. He argues that popular catchphrases like 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' are often used because they are comfortable and suit our desires, whereas the deeper declarations of the Upanishads and Vedanta are avoided because they reveal the falseness of our very lives. He emphasizes that the fundamental spiritual question is 'Who am I?' Through the process of self-inquiry, one discovers that most of what is considered the 'self' is actually composed of borrowed concepts, past influences, and environmental conditioning. By applying the Vedantic process of 'neti neti' (not this, not this), one begins to drop these false identities. Acharya Prashant points out the hypocrisy in seeking global unity when individuals cannot even maintain peace within a small family of two or five. He suggests that true oneness cannot be achieved as an external accomplishment; it is a discovery that happens within when one realizes the falseness of the divisions they carry. Only by knowing oneself can one truly find oneness with others.
