One family, one first mind

maharṣayaḥ sapta pūrve catvāro manavastathāmadbhāvā mānasā jātā yeṣāṃ loka imāḥ prajāḥ

The seven ancient sages and the four Manus came from my mind. From them come all the beings of this world.

What it means

In Hindu tradition, the seven sages and the Manus are the first ancestors and teachers of humankind. Krishna says they arose from his own mind and carry his nature. Every family line, traced far enough back, leads to him. It is a way of saying that all people share one origin.

The story

Arjuna knows his lineage by heart, the Kuru kings, generation after generation. Across the field stand cousins from that same line. Krishna reaches past all of it to a single beginning that both armies share.

In your life

A woman takes a home DNA test, expecting a neat answer. The results show roots on three continents. Today, think of someone very different from you, and remember that you share an ancient family.