The Five States
of Man
Where do you live today — and where will you live tomorrow?
Five steps. One choice. Every moment.
Daivatvam
The Divine in ManManushyatvam
True HumannessDanavatvam
The DemonicPashutvam
The AnimalHeenatvam
Below the BeastOnly the human can rise. Only the human can fall. That is the gift — and the responsibility.
Today, which one am I?
Daivatvam
“How can I serve?”
Manushyatvam
“What is right?”
Danavatvam
“How do I win?”
Pashutvam
“What feels good?”
Heenatvam
“How do I hurt?”
How each state shows up — in everyday life
Six arenas. One spectrum each. Read left to right — the descent is visible.
At Work
01 / 06Mentors freely. Credits the team.
Honest hours. Keeps commitments.
Steals credit. Plays politics.
Clock-watcher. Just enough.
Sabotages. Spreads rumours.
At Home & in Family
02 / 06Anchor of peace. Forgives easily.
Present. Listens fully. Carries share.
Controls. Demands obedience.
Eats, scrolls, sleeps. Absent.
Verbal abuse. Wounds the closest.
With Money & Power
03 / 06Trustee, not owner. Gives freely.
Earns honestly. Pays dues.
Greed without ceiling. Cuts corners.
Spends on cravings. Earns to consume.
Cheats. Defrauds. Exploits the helpless.
On Social Media
04 / 06Shares wisdom. No need to be seen.
Engages with civility. Disagrees kindly.
Performs success. Picks fights.
Endless scrolling. Hours vanish.
Trolls. Mocks. Spreads hate.
In Conflict & Disagreement
05 / 06Composed. Sees both sides. Forgives.
Argues facts, not people. Apologises.
Must win. Personal attacks. Grudges.
Reactive shouting. No reflection.
Plots revenge. Destroys reputations.
Towards Strangers & the Vulnerable
06 / 06Sees the same Self. Helps unprompted.
Courteous. Tips fairly. Stops to help.
Rude to staff. Status-conscious.
Indifferent. Walks past suffering.
Preys on the weak. Cruelty for sport.
Read each strip twice. Once for yourself. Once for those you live with.
If you are between 15 and 30 — this is for you
The choices are not abstract. They are made every hour — in your phone, your studies, your friendships, your scrolling, your scheming. See yourself honestly.
Studies & Learning
01 / 08Studies as offering. Helps classmates rise.
Sincere effort. Honest grades. Learns deeply.
Cuts corners to top. Hides notes from peers.
Studies only at exam time. Crams and forgets.
Cheats. Leaks papers. Mocks the diligent.
Phone & Screen Time
02 / 08Used as a tool. Long stretches without it.
Used with limits. Self-aware about time.
Performs life online. Curates an image.
Endless reels. Loses track of hours daily.
Cyberbullies. Stalks. Spreads private content.
Friendships & Peer Pressure
03 / 08Lifts friends. Stands by them in failure.
Loyal. Honest even when uncomfortable.
Uses friends. Drops them when useful.
Follows the crowd. No own compass.
Backstabs. Spreads rumours. Excludes.
Dating & Relationships
04 / 08Loves with reverence. Wants the other’s growth.
Honest, committed. Respects boundaries.
Plays games. Manipulates. Multiple partners.
Driven by hormones. Forgets the person.
Coerces. Stalks. Shares intimate content.
Ambition & Career
05 / 08Wants to serve a larger purpose.
Works hard for genuine merit and growth.
Will step on anyone to climb faster.
Just wants money for lifestyle and brands.
Frauds, scams, gets-rich-quick at others’ cost.
With Parents & Elders
06 / 08Sees them as living wisdom. Serves gladly.
Respectful. Honest. Carries fair share.
Manipulates for money or freedom. Lies.
Treats home like a hotel. Takes for granted.
Abuses, abandons, or exploits them in old age.
Sports, Games & Competition
07 / 08Plays for the joy. Lifts teammates.
Plays fair. Gracious in win or loss.
Wins at any cost. Cheats when unseen.
Plays only for thrill. Quits when bored.
Hurts opponents deliberately. Gloats cruelly.
Money & Spending
08 / 08Spends thoughtfully. Gives generously.
Saves what is earned. Honest in expenses.
Brand-obsessed. Shows off wealth.
Impulse buys. Lives paycheque to paycheque.
Steals from family. Scams others online.
Your generation has been handed unprecedented tools — and unprecedented temptations. The phone in your hand is a portal to all five states at once.
The state you choose today — quietly, in private — is the state you will inhabit for life. Choose upward.
Thoughts — the upstream of every state
Speech and action follow thought. Catch the state at the level of thought, and you intercept it before it becomes habit. Watch the mind across these eight categories.
Thoughts About Myself
01 / 08“I am the same Self in all. Free of grasping.”
“I am capable. Striving in good faith.”
“I am better than them. I deserve more.”
“I am tired. I want comfort. I want pleasure.”
“I am worthless / I am unstoppable in cruelty.”
Thoughts About Others
02 / 08“May they be well. They are mirrors of the Self.”
“Each has their dignity. I respect their journey.”
“How can I outshine / control / use them?”
“Are they useful to me right now? If not, ignore.”
“I want them to fail / suffer / disappear.”
Thoughts About the Past
03 / 08“Gratitude. Every chapter shaped me.”
“Lessons learned. Owned mistakes. Move forward.”
“How can I avenge that slight? I will not forget.”
“Endless replay of pleasures and regrets.”
“Stewing in resentment. Plotting payback.”
Thoughts of Desire & Wanting
04 / 08“I want nothing. What comes is welcomed equally.”
“I want what is right and useful. No more.”
“I want more — more than them, more than enough.”
“I want it now. Whatever feels good. Whatever pulls.”
“I want what is forbidden, harmful, perverse.”
Thoughts of Fear & Anxiety
05 / 08“Fear has dissolved. The Self cannot be harmed.”
“Honest concern. Plan, prepare, then release.”
“Fear of losing power, status, control.”
“Fear of missing out. Fear of being bored.”
“Paranoia. Conspiracy. Everyone is against me.”
Thoughts in Moments of Temptation
06 / 08“The temptation does not arise. The mind is still.”
“I see it clearly. I choose not to indulge.”
“How do I get this without being caught?”
“Just this once. It will not matter. No one sees.”
“I will take it and laugh. I will hurt and enjoy.”
Thoughts Before Speaking
07 / 08“Will my speech serve? If not, silence is better.”
“Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?”
“How do I sound smartest? How do I win this?”
“Whatever pops out. I’ll just react and see.”
“How do I wound them most? Where does it hurt?”
Thoughts in Boredom & Solitude
08 / 08“Stillness is full. The Self rests in itself.”
“Quiet reflection. A book. A walk. A prayer.”
“Plotting, scheming, comparing, envying.”
“Reach for phone. Scroll. Snack. Sleep. Repeat.”
“Dark fantasies. Cruel imaginings. Hate spirals.”
A thought arises. Before it becomes word or deed, name its state.
This single act of recognition — without judgement, without suppression — is the beginning of viveka. The mind that learns to see itself, learns to choose itself.
The Five States — at a single glance
Thought, speech, action, money, conflict, emotion — the full character signature of each state, in one wall chart. Scroll to study, return to remember.
Sees the Self in all
Lives by dharma & viveka
Ego, greed, domination
Appetite, instinct, drift
Cruelty, malice, void
How can I serve?
What is right?
How do I win?
What feels good?
How do I hurt?
Truth, blessing, silence
Honest, kind, measured
Manipulative, cutting
Reactive, unfiltered
Slander, mockery, lies
Welfare of all (lokasangraha)
Duty, conscience, fairness
Power, gain, accumulation
Eat, sleep, procreate, defend
Destruction for its own sake
Same Self in all beings
Honoured, respected
Used as instruments
Means to satisfy needs
Targets to harm
Trustee, gives generously
Earns honestly, pays dues
Greed, cuts corners
Spends on cravings
Cheats, defrauds, exploits
Wisdom shared, no need to be seen
Civil, thoughtful engagement
Performs success, picks fights
Endless reels, hours vanish
Trolls, mocks, spreads hate
Composed, sees both sides
Argues facts, apologises
Must win, holds grudges
Reactive, no reflection
Plots revenge, destroys
Equanimity, fullness
Steady, compassionate
Anger, envy, pride
Restless, fearful
Malice, contempt
The realised sage
The dharmic householder
The brilliant tyrant
The mindless consumer
The wilful destroyer
Sees the Self in all
How can I serve?
Truth, blessing, silence
Welfare of all (lokasangraha)
Same Self in all beings
Trustee, gives generously
Wisdom shared, no need to be seen
Composed, sees both sides
Equanimity, fullness
The realised sage
Lives by dharma & viveka
What is right?
Honest, kind, measured
Duty, conscience, fairness
Honoured, respected
Earns honestly, pays dues
Civil, thoughtful engagement
Argues facts, apologises
Steady, compassionate
The dharmic householder
Ego, greed, domination
How do I win?
Manipulative, cutting
Power, gain, accumulation
Used as instruments
Greed, cuts corners
Performs success, picks fights
Must win, holds grudges
Anger, envy, pride
The brilliant tyrant
Appetite, instinct, drift
What feels good?
Reactive, unfiltered
Eat, sleep, procreate, defend
Means to satisfy needs
Spends on cravings
Endless reels, hours vanish
Reactive, no reflection
Restless, fearful
The mindless consumer
Cruelty, malice, void
How do I hurt?
Slander, mockery, lies
Destruction for its own sake
Targets to harm
Cheats, defrauds, exploits
Trolls, mocks, spreads hate
Plots revenge, destroys
Malice, contempt
The wilful destroyer
Print this map. Keep it where you can see it. The states do not change — but you can.
Five Pillars of Sadhana
Sustained practice is the bridge upward.
Satsang
Noble company
Swadhyaya
Sacred study
Japa & Dhyana
Name & silence
Seva
Selfless service
Satya & Dharma
Truth in action
Cast your vote well. The ballot is yours alone.
Track your state. Watch yourself rise.
Choose the worksheet that fits your life. Print it. Use it daily.
For the Householder
A 2-page daily worksheet across speech, thought, work, family, money, and conduct.
For the Young Seeker
A 3-page worksheet calibrated to phone, studies, peers, dating, ambition — with a 7-day pattern tracker.
Both worksheets · A4 · Print-ready · Free to share
AcadNews Editorial · A Reflection for the Sincere Seeker
