Which Desires Lead our Life. (KNOW YOUR DEATH - 11)

How human karma is motivated / initiated.

We have seen in a separate article the concept of Sreyas and Preyas. Here we shall try to see the hierarchy of the needs (desires) as felt normally by the human being. Here we refer to the well-known “Maslow Theory of the hierarchy of needs”.

Hierarchy of needs/desires.

Maslow stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs. When one need is fulfilled a person seeks to fulfill the next one, and so on. It is quite true that man lives by bread alone — when there is no bread. But what happens to man’s desires when there is plenty of bread and when his belly is chronically filled? At once; other (and “higher”) needs emerge and these, rather than physiological hungers, dominate the organism. And when these in turn are satisfied, again new (and still “higher”) needs emerge and so on. This is what we mean by saying that the basic human needs are organized into a hierarchy of relative prepotency. Maslow stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs. When one need is fulfilled a person seeks to full fill the next one, and so on.

1. Biological and Physiological needs -air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep etc.

2. Safety needs - protection from ailments, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc.

3. Social Needs - Belongingness and Love, - work group, family, affection, relationships, etc.

4. Esteem needs - self-esteem, achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige, managerial responsibility, etc.

5. Cognitive needs - knowledge, meaning, etc.

6. Aesthetic needs - appreciation and search for beauty, balance, form, etc.

7. Self-Actualization needs - realizing personal potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences.

8. Transcendence needs - helping others to achieve self-actualization.

Please note that it start from the need of the body initially then go to the needs of the mind, elevated mind toward the journey to the status of “Soul”.

Although we are all, theoretically, capable of self-actualizing, most of us will not do so, or only to a limited degree. Maslow (1970) estimated that only two percent of people will reach the state of self-actualization. Which in reality is much, much in lesser proportion.

Holy Gita.

In contrast to Maslow Gita prescribes self-control in a different manner

The self-controlled person, moving among objects, with his senses free from attachment and malevolence (hatred) and desires brought under his own control, attains tranquillity.

A disciplined person, enjoying sense objects with senses that are under control and free from attachments and aversions, attains tranquility.  Peace and happiness is achieved, not by sense gratification, but by sense control. (Gita 2/64)

We have also seen the concepts of Karma, Vikarma  and Akarma in a separate article. Gita also states that though to reach the self-realization state is the highest objective of life very rarely this is met. So in all probability, to attain the total stage of desire-lessness though ideal for highest mind evolution, very few people would be able to reach.

“One in thousand men try to become,

Learned is the knowledge of perfection,

And only one of those learned men,

Really know me (concept of God)  in reality”.                       Gita chapter 7, verse 3.

“After several births, this wise man,

Realizing that everything is the universal godhead,

Reaches me and such a person is rare indeed”.                   Gita chapter 7,verse19.  

Who would lead to Bliss, who leads to re-birth ?

Gita answers this in chapter 8, verses 23, 24, 25.

 Oh Arjuna, please hear from me,

About that period of times in which,

Yogis who depart, return or not return?

Those who die in the light caused by fire,

During day time, during the waxing period of moon,

During northern solstice and are the devotees of Brahmam,

Would eventually attain the Brahmam.

Those who die when there is smoke,

Or during night, during the waning phase of moon,

And during the southern solstice and are,

Well versed in yoga, attain the moon,

And return back to earth.

To explain this in common language Saint Vinoba Bhave says :-

When the hands perform act of service till last breath, when the full moon of Bhavana shines brightly, mind’s sky is free from desire, and the intellect is free and keen – when a man dies in this state, we may presume that he has merged with God. In order to make such auspicious ending, one must watch day and night and wage skilful war. Not even for an instant, should an evil tendency be permitted to enter the mind. And in order to gain strength necessary for this, one should remember His name and meditate on is Truth. (Vinobaji in “Gita Pravachan”).

But if the life departing mind would carry with it some or other un-fulfilled desire, possibility of re-birth looms large.

We shall review in the next article the desires in some of the so-called great people’s mind at the moment of death. The last desire naturally leads to the further journey and destination in the after death stage.

Vijay R. Joshi.