The Five States of Man

Infographic · Self-Reflection

The Five States
of Man

Where do you live today — and where will you live tomorrow?

THE ASCENT

Five steps. One choice. Every moment.

LV
5

Daivatvam

The Divine in Man
Selfless love Equanimity Sees one Self in all Lokasangraha
LV
4

Manushyatvam

True Humanness
Dharma Viveka Honest speech Honours duties
▲ Viveka · The Discriminating Mind · Above  |  Below ▼
LV
3

Danavatvam

The Demonic
Ego & greed Domination Cunning intellect Uses others
LV
2

Pashutvam

The Animal
Eat Sleep Procreate Defend Slave to appetite
LV
1

Heenatvam

Below the Beast
Cruelty without cause Betrayal Mockery Destruction for its sake
THE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE
🐾
Animal
No choice. Bound by instinct.
vs
🧑
Man
Power to discriminate & channel.

Only the human can rise. Only the human can fall. That is the gift — and the responsibility.

QUICK MIRROR

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?”

IN THE WORLD

How each state shows up — in everyday life

Six arenas. One spectrum each. Read left to right — the descent is visible.

DAIVATVAM
MANUSHYATVAM
DANAVATVAM
PASHUTVAM
HEENATVAM
💼

At Work

01 / 06
DAIVATVAM

Mentors freely. Credits the team.

MANUSHYATVAM

Honest hours. Keeps commitments.

DANAVATVAM

Steals credit. Plays politics.

PASHUTVAM

Clock-watcher. Just enough.

HEENATVAM

Sabotages. Spreads rumours.

🏠

At Home & in Family

02 / 06
DAIVATVAM

Anchor of peace. Forgives easily.

MANUSHYATVAM

Present. Listens fully. Carries share.

DANAVATVAM

Controls. Demands obedience.

PASHUTVAM

Eats, scrolls, sleeps. Absent.

HEENATVAM

Verbal abuse. Wounds the closest.

💰

With Money & Power

03 / 06
DAIVATVAM

Trustee, not owner. Gives freely.

MANUSHYATVAM

Earns honestly. Pays dues.

DANAVATVAM

Greed without ceiling. Cuts corners.

PASHUTVAM

Spends on cravings. Earns to consume.

HEENATVAM

Cheats. Defrauds. Exploits the helpless.

📱

On Social Media

04 / 06
DAIVATVAM

Shares wisdom. No need to be seen.

MANUSHYATVAM

Engages with civility. Disagrees kindly.

DANAVATVAM

Performs success. Picks fights.

PASHUTVAM

Endless scrolling. Hours vanish.

HEENATVAM

Trolls. Mocks. Spreads hate.

In Conflict & Disagreement

05 / 06
DAIVATVAM

Composed. Sees both sides. Forgives.

MANUSHYATVAM

Argues facts, not people. Apologises.

DANAVATVAM

Must win. Personal attacks. Grudges.

PASHUTVAM

Reactive shouting. No reflection.

HEENATVAM

Plots revenge. Destroys reputations.

🧑

Towards Strangers & the Vulnerable

06 / 06
DAIVATVAM

Sees the same Self. Helps unprompted.

MANUSHYATVAM

Courteous. Tips fairly. Stops to help.

DANAVATVAM

Rude to staff. Status-conscious.

PASHUTVAM

Indifferent. Walks past suffering.

HEENATVAM

Preys on the weak. Cruelty for sport.

Read each strip twice. Once for yourself. Once for those you live with.

For the Young

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.

DAIVATVAM
MANUSHYATVAM
DANAVATVAM
PASHUTVAM
HEENATVAM
📚

Studies & Learning

01 / 08
DAIVATVAM

Studies as offering. Helps classmates rise.

MANUSHYATVAM

Sincere effort. Honest grades. Learns deeply.

DANAVATVAM

Cuts corners to top. Hides notes from peers.

PASHUTVAM

Studies only at exam time. Crams and forgets.

HEENATVAM

Cheats. Leaks papers. Mocks the diligent.

📱

Phone & Screen Time

02 / 08
DAIVATVAM

Used as a tool. Long stretches without it.

MANUSHYATVAM

Used with limits. Self-aware about time.

DANAVATVAM

Performs life online. Curates an image.

PASHUTVAM

Endless reels. Loses track of hours daily.

HEENATVAM

Cyberbullies. Stalks. Spreads private content.

👥

Friendships & Peer Pressure

03 / 08
DAIVATVAM

Lifts friends. Stands by them in failure.

MANUSHYATVAM

Loyal. Honest even when uncomfortable.

DANAVATVAM

Uses friends. Drops them when useful.

PASHUTVAM

Follows the crowd. No own compass.

HEENATVAM

Backstabs. Spreads rumours. Excludes.

💖

Dating & Relationships

04 / 08
DAIVATVAM

Loves with reverence. Wants the other’s growth.

MANUSHYATVAM

Honest, committed. Respects boundaries.

DANAVATVAM

Plays games. Manipulates. Multiple partners.

PASHUTVAM

Driven by hormones. Forgets the person.

HEENATVAM

Coerces. Stalks. Shares intimate content.

🔥

Ambition & Career

05 / 08
DAIVATVAM

Wants to serve a larger purpose.

MANUSHYATVAM

Works hard for genuine merit and growth.

DANAVATVAM

Will step on anyone to climb faster.

PASHUTVAM

Just wants money for lifestyle and brands.

HEENATVAM

Frauds, scams, gets-rich-quick at others’ cost.

🏠

With Parents & Elders

06 / 08
DAIVATVAM

Sees them as living wisdom. Serves gladly.

MANUSHYATVAM

Respectful. Honest. Carries fair share.

DANAVATVAM

Manipulates for money or freedom. Lies.

PASHUTVAM

Treats home like a hotel. Takes for granted.

HEENATVAM

Abuses, abandons, or exploits them in old age.

🏆

Sports, Games & Competition

07 / 08
DAIVATVAM

Plays for the joy. Lifts teammates.

MANUSHYATVAM

Plays fair. Gracious in win or loss.

DANAVATVAM

Wins at any cost. Cheats when unseen.

PASHUTVAM

Plays only for thrill. Quits when bored.

HEENATVAM

Hurts opponents deliberately. Gloats cruelly.

💰

Money & Spending

08 / 08
DAIVATVAM

Spends thoughtfully. Gives generously.

MANUSHYATVAM

Saves what is earned. Honest in expenses.

DANAVATVAM

Brand-obsessed. Shows off wealth.

PASHUTVAM

Impulse buys. Lives paycheque to paycheque.

HEENATVAM

Steals from family. Scams others online.

A NOTE TO THE YOUNG SEEKER

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.

The Inner Observatory

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.

DAIVATVAM
MANUSHYATVAM
DANAVATVAM
PASHUTVAM
HEENATVAM
🧠

Thoughts About Myself

01 / 08
DAIVATVAM

“I am the same Self in all. Free of grasping.”

MANUSHYATVAM

“I am capable. Striving in good faith.”

DANAVATVAM

“I am better than them. I deserve more.”

PASHUTVAM

“I am tired. I want comfort. I want pleasure.”

HEENATVAM

“I am worthless / I am unstoppable in cruelty.”

👨‍🧑‍👩

Thoughts About Others

02 / 08
DAIVATVAM

“May they be well. They are mirrors of the Self.”

MANUSHYATVAM

“Each has their dignity. I respect their journey.”

DANAVATVAM

“How can I outshine / control / use them?”

PASHUTVAM

“Are they useful to me right now? If not, ignore.”

HEENATVAM

“I want them to fail / suffer / disappear.”

Thoughts About the Past

03 / 08
DAIVATVAM

“Gratitude. Every chapter shaped me.”

MANUSHYATVAM

“Lessons learned. Owned mistakes. Move forward.”

DANAVATVAM

“How can I avenge that slight? I will not forget.”

PASHUTVAM

“Endless replay of pleasures and regrets.”

HEENATVAM

“Stewing in resentment. Plotting payback.”

🔥

Thoughts of Desire & Wanting

04 / 08
DAIVATVAM

“I want nothing. What comes is welcomed equally.”

MANUSHYATVAM

“I want what is right and useful. No more.”

DANAVATVAM

“I want more — more than them, more than enough.”

PASHUTVAM

“I want it now. Whatever feels good. Whatever pulls.”

HEENATVAM

“I want what is forbidden, harmful, perverse.”

Thoughts of Fear & Anxiety

05 / 08
DAIVATVAM

“Fear has dissolved. The Self cannot be harmed.”

MANUSHYATVAM

“Honest concern. Plan, prepare, then release.”

DANAVATVAM

“Fear of losing power, status, control.”

PASHUTVAM

“Fear of missing out. Fear of being bored.”

HEENATVAM

“Paranoia. Conspiracy. Everyone is against me.”

👀

Thoughts in Moments of Temptation

06 / 08
DAIVATVAM

“The temptation does not arise. The mind is still.”

MANUSHYATVAM

“I see it clearly. I choose not to indulge.”

DANAVATVAM

“How do I get this without being caught?”

PASHUTVAM

“Just this once. It will not matter. No one sees.”

HEENATVAM

“I will take it and laugh. I will hurt and enjoy.”

💬

Thoughts Before Speaking

07 / 08
DAIVATVAM

“Will my speech serve? If not, silence is better.”

MANUSHYATVAM

“Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?”

DANAVATVAM

“How do I sound smartest? How do I win this?”

PASHUTVAM

“Whatever pops out. I’ll just react and see.”

HEENATVAM

“How do I wound them most? Where does it hurt?”

🔔

Thoughts in Boredom & Solitude

08 / 08
DAIVATVAM

“Stillness is full. The Self rests in itself.”

MANUSHYATVAM

“Quiet reflection. A book. A walk. A prayer.”

DANAVATVAM

“Plotting, scheming, comparing, envying.”

PASHUTVAM

“Reach for phone. Scroll. Snack. Sleep. Repeat.”

HEENATVAM

“Dark fantasies. Cruel imaginings. Hate spirals.”

THE PRACTICE

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 Master Map

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.

DIMENSION
DAIVATVAM
DIVINITY
MANUSHYATVAM
HUMANNESS
DANAVATVAM
DEMONIC
PASHUTVAM
ANIMAL
HEENATVAM
BELOW THE BEAST
🧠 INNER ORIENTATION

Sees the Self in all

Lives by dharma & viveka

Ego, greed, domination

Appetite, instinct, drift

Cruelty, malice, void

💭 DOMINANT THOUGHT

How can I serve?

What is right?

How do I win?

What feels good?

How do I hurt?

💬 SPEECH

Truth, blessing, silence

Honest, kind, measured

Manipulative, cutting

Reactive, unfiltered

Slander, mockery, lies

ACTION DRIVER

Welfare of all (lokasangraha)

Duty, conscience, fairness

Power, gain, accumulation

Eat, sleep, procreate, defend

Destruction for its own sake

🤝 WITH OTHERS

Same Self in all beings

Honoured, respected

Used as instruments

Means to satisfy needs

Targets to harm

💰 WITH MONEY

Trustee, gives generously

Earns honestly, pays dues

Greed, cuts corners

Spends on cravings

Cheats, defrauds, exploits

📱 ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Wisdom shared, no need to be seen

Civil, thoughtful engagement

Performs success, picks fights

Endless reels, hours vanish

Trolls, mocks, spreads hate

IN CONFLICT

Composed, sees both sides

Argues facts, apologises

Must win, holds grudges

Reactive, no reflection

Plots revenge, destroys

EMOTIONAL TONE

Equanimity, fullness

Steady, compassionate

Anger, envy, pride

Restless, fearful

Malice, contempt

🎪 EXEMPLAR

The realised sage

The dharmic householder

The brilliant tyrant

The mindless consumer

The wilful destroyer

Print this map. Keep it where you can see it. The states do not change — but you can.

THE WAY UP

Five Pillars of Sadhana

Sustained practice is the bridge upward.

👥
01

Satsang

Noble company

📚
02

Swadhyaya

Sacred study

🛐
03

Japa & Dhyana

Name & silence

🤝
04

Seva

Selfless service

05

Satya & Dharma

Truth in action

EVERY MOMENT, A VOTE
A harsh word
→ Danavatvam
Mindless scrolling
→ Pashutvam
A quiet kindness
→ Manushyatvam
A turn toward God
→ Daivatvam

Cast your vote well. The ballot is yours alone.

DAILY SELF-AUDIT · FREE PDF

Track your state. Watch yourself rise.

Choose the worksheet that fits your life. Print it. Use it daily.

📝
VERSION ONE

For the Householder

A 2-page daily worksheet across speech, thought, work, family, money, and conduct.

8 dimensions 2 pages All ages
📱
VERSION TWO · AGES 15–30

For the Young Seeker

A 3-page worksheet calibrated to phone, studies, peers, dating, ambition — with a 7-day pattern tracker.

8 dimensions Screen audit 7-day tracker

Both worksheets · A4 · Print-ready · Free to share

AcadNews Editorial · A Reflection for the Sincere Seeker