We, the People

A Vedic lens on immigration, ownership, and human unity

Author: Balarama Anuja Dasa

“A dog marks its territory and does not allow any other dog to enter its territory. Human beings are not meant to quarrel like cats and dogs. The Vedic literature is meant for humanity and not for cats and dogs.”

Three million. That is the number of inadmissible individuals encountered at the United States borders in the year 2024. Meanwhile, Europe’s population is projected to decline by 6%—approximately 27.3 million people—by the year 2100, without increased immigration.

On one hand, there is rising resentment against illegal immigration worldwide, and on the other hand, the mass of people willing to risk their life and property for a chance to cross the border into the land of their dreams is increasing by the day. This is a strange paradox. While people want freedom to claim any land for themselves, they want to restrict the freedom of others to similarly move to any land.

This paradox of conflicting desires can be viewed through the lens of Vedic philosophy, which offers a deeper understanding of ownership and freedom. Let us look at this from the Vedic perspective. Upaniṣads are part of the Vedas. Of the Upaniṣads, Śrī Īśopaniṣad is one of the most important. Let us read the very first verse from Śrī Īśopaniṣad:

īśāvāsyam idam sarvaṁ
yat kiñca jagatyāṁ jagat
tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā
mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam

“Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.” — Śrī Īśopaniṣad, Verse One

Iśopaniṣad is part of the Yajur Veda, and consequently it contains information concerning the proprietorship of all things existing within the universe. The Lord’s proprietorship over everything within the universe is also confirmed in the Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā (7.4–5).

This material world is a temporary manifestation of just one of the energies of the Lord and is referred to by the Lord as His inferior energy (aparā prakṛti). The living beings on the other hand are referred to as His superior energy (parā prakṛti). Both of these prakṛtis, or energies, are emanations from the Lord, and ultimately He is the controller of everything that exists. There is nothing in the universe that does not belong to either the parā or the aparā prakṛti; therefore, everything is the property of the Supreme Being.

A dog marks its territory and does not allow any other dog to enter its territory. Human beings are not meant to quarrel like cats and dogs. The Vedic literature is meant for humanity and not for cats and dogs. A human being is expected to understand that he is not the proprietor of the land he occupies. Rather, the Supreme Lord is the proprietor and enjoyer.

The position of the living being, as prakṛti, is that of the enjoyed. The root of sin lies in disobedience to the laws of nature and the disregard for the Lord’s proprietorship. Disobeying the laws of nature or the order of the Lord brings ruin to a human being. Conversely, one who is sober, who knows the laws of nature, and who is not influenced by unnecessary attachment or aversion is sure to be recognized by the Lord and thus become eligible to go back to Godhead—back to the eternal home.

This perspective challenges the notions of ownership and boundaries that are the foundation of immigration policies worldwide.

The notion that “I am this body” and that the land I was born on belongs to me is an illusion caused by ignorance. This illusion fosters a sense of proprietorship over land and resources and promotes the formation of exclusive groups, dividing “we, the people” from a universal brotherhood of all. Such exclusionary groupism leads to conflicts and restrictive policies against those deemed “others.”

While acknowledging that all land belongs to the Supreme, it is also essential to respect the laws established by human societies. Śrīla Prabhupāda taught that obedience is fundamental to maintaining order and discipline. The primary reason for our suffering in the material world is our desire to be the enjoyer, whereas our constitutional position is to experience joy by being the enjoyed.

This desire to be the enjoyer has been cherished by us lifetime after lifetime. If we want to curb this rebellious attitude, we must first of all become obedient to the laws of the land. Disobeying the laws of the land only causes disruption in society.

The current global challenges surrounding immigration and border control stem from a deep-seated identification with temporary, material designations and a misplaced sense of ownership. The Vedic perspective, as presented in Īśopaniṣad, offers a transformative solution: recognizing that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa.

This realization, coupled with respect for societal laws, paves the way for a world where unity, compassion, and freedom prevail over division, discrimination, and restriction.