But when we study patriotism in the light of Indian spiritual thought that the world is one family (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam), then patriotism takes a bigger form and gives a meaning in a larger sense in that patriotism would not just mean love for your own country. Patriotism would now mean love for the entire humanity and living in the world and contributing towards the welfare of all.
When you love the entire humanity it means love for your country as the world includes your own motherland as well. Loving your country or the world has little meaning if you cannot contribute something towards the wellbeing of all others around you. Many of us feel, and rightly too that the world is drifting towards the worse and they should do something to make the world a better place to live in.
Can a man change things around him? Has he got the capacity and power to change the world order? Can a change in the world order come about with man’s individual effort? Can a man give something to the world instead of taking from the world every time? Swami Vivekananda had said that patriotism does not mean mere sentiment or even emotional love for the motherland, but a passion to serve fellow countrymen.
Today practical patriotism is what we need in our country. India has produced world class patriots like Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo and Mahatma Gandhi. Vivekananda never favoured linguistic or territorial patriotism which is found so common in India. Linguistic and territorial patriotism underscores narrow loyalty. This can prove dangerous to the country at times. There is an inherent tendency in man to love the land where he is born but that does not mean that patriotism should be compartmentalized. Love your region, language, country, community by all means. But your love should not stop at what you love and should move forward. True love is always borderless and all inclusive.
Many facets of patriotism assume great significance when India is facing internal threats today in addition to external threats. The internal threats to our country are violence, corruption, poverty, lack of sincerity and commitment, casteism, exploitation of the down trodden, lack of unity on account of fundamentalism, indiscipline and lack of accountability. Hence the foremost task of patriots is to contribute in any way to uplift the masses which are living below morality line and below poverty line. A patriot has to serve his fellow men who are suffering physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Indian nationalism is not just Indian nationalism but it is all inclusive and rooted in internationalism. We should have nationalism as an ideology which should not be confined to any particular caste or religion, but it should cater to all. This could be termed as spiritual nationalism. To understand patriotism in the Indian context, we have to speak, think and act in such a manner that all what we do is beneficial for mankind including our own country.
