As the world grapples with wars, environmental destruction, climate change and a growing disconnect from our true selves, India, as a vishwaguru offers the light that can dispel the darkness of ignorance and lead us back to unity, peace, and an understanding of our shared, sacred humanity.

A guru is one who dispels darkness — specifically, the darkness of ignorance. According to Vedic philosophy and Hindu theology, the very core of who we are, the very essence of each of us, is divine.

We are created not only by the creator but also of the creator. We are not separate from the perfection of the universe. We are soul. We are divinity. We are purna — whole, complete, infinite.

Yet, due to ignorance and illusion, or maya (deceit), we forget this true nature of the self and identify falsely with the physical body — its color, size, shape, race, religion, power, prestige and popularity. This false identification leads to suffering. We suffer from greed, lust, anger and jealousy. We covet what others have and feel inadequate in our own achievements or success.

This suffering extends beyond ourselves. We compete. We oppress. We lie, steal and cheat to acquire more for our illusory selves.

This ignorance breeds conflict in our homes, our communities, our nations and between nations. It also drives environmental destruction and climate change. When our mission is to endlessly acquire in an attempt to satisfy the insatiable hunger of our false selves, we inevitably cause suffering for ourselves and our world. This suffering is rooted in the darkness of ignorance.

India, as the land from which Sanatan Dharma has emerged, as a land that has accepted and embraced all, and as the land to which people from all over the globe turn for wisdom, insight and inspiration, is uniquely suited to serve as a bringer of light, a bringer of wisdom — a vishwaguru.

But we must be clear about the light we are shining. The light of the guru illuminates us. Through the light of the guru, we each connect with the true light within ourselves. A true guru does not shine the light upon themselves; rather, their light is so strong that, in their presence and with their blessings, those around them can see their own true light.

To truly step into the role of vishwaguru, India must move closer to what I call the Himalayan mindset and further from what I call the Hollywood mindset.

When I arrived at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh nearly 28 years ago, at the age of 25, after graduating from Stanford University and in the midst of a PhD program, I came with a backpack, expecting a short adventure away from my studies.

I was deeply entrenched in what I later termed the "Hollywood" mindset—a mindset not only prevalent in Hollywood, where I grew up, but across the Western world, and now rapidly seeping into Indian thought. This mindset says, "You are your body. You are its size, shape, color, bank account and history".

It objectifies ourselves and others, leading to competition, jealousy, low self-esteem, violence and suffering. It’s the mindset that I, and everyone I knew, was raised with. It’s a mindset that views the world through one key question: "What's in it for me?"

The Himalayan mindset, into which I was blessed to be initiated when I came to Rishikesh, teaches us that we have a body, but we are not the body. We are soul, consciousness, love, existence, divinity. This mindset heals our hearts, purifies our minds, leads us out of suffering and empowers us to be instruments of positive change in the world.

The Himalayan mindset leads us to ask not "What's in it for me?" but "What can happen through me?" How can I be an instrument in the hands of the divine?

India has a choice. It can adopt the Hollywood mindset, growing more materialistic, more commercial, more disconnected from our true selves, from each other and from Mother Earth. Or, India can immerse itself in the depth of its ancient and timeless tradition — a tradition of yoga, a union of the jivatma (individual soul) with paramatma (universal soul), a union of us with each other, a union with the creator and all of creation.

By choosing the Himalayan mindset, India can free itself from suffering and truly become the vishwaguru that shares and shines the light for others. This is the role I deeply believe India is destined to play.

This does not mean, of course, that we must shun progress. The Himalayan mindset is not antisuccess, antiprosperity, or antidevelopment. But it is vikas (progress) with virasat (development) that also honors our ancient heritage and culture. The Himalayan mindset embraces science alongside spirituality, allowing us to embrace technology while staying anchored, grounded and connected in our spiritual tradition.

Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam, the great Vedic teaching and the motto that our Prime Minister Narendra Modiji gave to the Group of 20 last year, has a meaning deeper than just "the world is one family". It literally means that we are the family of Vasudha, the Mother Earth Goddess. We are not separate from the air, the water, the soil, the forests and all species in this glorious biodiversity.

It is my deepest prayer that, as Swami Vivekananda emphasized, we will rise together in a resurgence of our timeless values that foster the greatest success for ourselves, our nation, and our planet.

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The writer is director of the annual world famous International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan, president of Divine Shakti Foundation, copresident of Religions for Peace and the author of bestselling memoir: Hollywood to the Himalayas: A Journey of Healing and Transformation.