Are the border disputes between countries justified?

Shri Hrushikesh asked: When the whole earth belongs to God alone, are the border disputes between countries justified?

Swami replied: The concepts of pravrutti should not be confused with the concepts of nivrutti. Pravrutti is maintaining justice in worldly life while nivrutti is the path of devotion and service to God. Let us assume that the wicked Duryodhana from the Mahaabhaarata is speaking to the good Dharmaraja. He would say “My dear brother! This entire world is the property of God since the Veda says ‘Ishavasyamidam sarvam’. Why then do you bother about your share and my share in this Kingdom of God? How does it matter whether I rule this Kingdom or you rule?” Would Dharmaraja leave his share and go back to the forest? In fact, king Dhrutaraashtra, the father of Duryodhana actually played this trick on Dharmaraja when Dharmaraja and his brothers were living in the forest. He sent Sanjaya with a message for Dharmaraja. In it Dhrutaraashtra accepted that his son Duryodhana was at fault and that Dharmarāja was a good man. So, he suggested that Dharmaraja, being the good man that he was, should remain in the forest along with his brothers and perform penance to reach God while allowing Duryodhana to enjoy the kingdom!

But God Krishna never allowed such exploitation of the concepts of nivrutti in the field of pravrutti. Such exploitation is very common. One kills the other saying that everything happens due to the will of God alone. He wants his crime to be treated as God’s will. In that case, you should kill him back saying that killing him is also the will of God! God expects unity and brotherhood among people. But the concept should not be exploited by cunning people to grab the land of other people and countries. That is why soldiers protect the borders of their nation following the rules of justice in pravrutti. They do not give up their duty of protecting their borders just because cunning people say that the whole earth belongs to God.

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