Pancha Koshas According to Vedanta under which lies the illuminating Self

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Hierarchy of needs By Abraham Maslow, American Psychologist

 

Abraham Maslow, American Psychologist, the Propounder of " Self

Actualization " in his paper " Hierarchy of needs " on Human Motivation has

included his observation on Humans innate curiosity and needs.

 

Maslow puts it this way, every human has this Hierarchy of needs in the

process where one is Self Actualized or in our terms Self Realisation:

 

Physiological needs - These are the most basic human needs which are

important for sustenance like food, water, warmth, shelter, sleep etc.

Maslow argued that unless physiological needs are satisfied to a degree, no

other motivating factor can work.

 

Safety or Security needs - These are needs to be free of physical danger and

emotional harm like the fear of losing a job, property, food or shelter. It

relates to security, protection and stability in the personal events of

everyday life.

 

Social Needs - These are needs for love, affection and belongingness and

social acceptance.People are social beings and try to satisfy their needs

for acceptance and friendship.

 

Esteem - Once people's social needs are satisfied, they look for esteem

(reputation). This need produces such satisfaction as power, prestige status

and self confidence. It includes both internal esteem factors like

self-respect, autonomy, achievements and external esteem factors such as

recognition and attention as well as personal sense of competence. (Source)

 

Self actualization - This need is the drive to become what one is capable of

becoming. It's the need to grow and use abilities to the fullest potential.

It includes growth and self-fulfillment by achieving one's potential to

accomplish something

 

Similarly,

 

The Pancha Koshas can be roughly understood as the 5 Needs of Humans, The

'Sheath' or 'Koshas' are actually called 'cells' in Human Body,

Psychologically we can take it as our Physiological needs. The Sheath or the

invisible layers of our body needs to be nourished systematically.

 

The Pancha Koshas or the 5 Sheath's are:

 

Annamaya Kosha - Physiological needs (Food Nourishment)

Praanamaya Kosha - Safety or Security needs - (Energy)

Manomaya Kosha - Social Needs - (Emotions)

Vijnanamaya Kosha - Esteem (Ego)

Anandamaya Kosha - Self actualization (Brahman)

 

 

Being born as a Human being, the most primordial and basic need to to keep

it going is to fuel it. therefore every human begins his journey into

eternity from the Anna Maya Kosha or the Food Sheath. Here the Human

primarily needs Food and Water for survival. His needs are limited to

working out his way for his Food.

 

The Second need is energy. Praana simply means Energy. From the need for

Food originates the energy. They are interrelated to each other. This is

primarily signified by our breath. Our breath is our basic energy. The Nadis

or the Nerves carry out the energy to all parts of the body to different

organs to keep the body going. Here the Humans need is to develop the

Energies in his Body.

 

Thirdly, Every human develops emotion. Emotional bonding with others and

himself. Here Human tries to understand whatever is happening to him. He

develops an Emotive ability in determining and fulfilling all his emotions. The

Love and understanding the other, the need for a company, to Co

exist.According to Scriptures there are supposed to be Nava Rasas of 9 types

of emotions.Here Human evolves himself in the Nava Rasas.

 

Fourthly, Vijnanamaya Kosha is Mental level, It clearly signifies the

Intellectual abilities, discrimination, here the Human is really able to

understand and appreciate the Truth! He begins to face the reality face to

face. Here the Ego 'I' is more dominant than ever. In all the previous

stages above, the HUman is not aware of even His Ego. It is only when he is

traveling in Vijnanamaya Kosha that he is able to learn about himself the

Ego in Him. Most of us reside in Vijnanamaya Kosha fluctuating between other

Koshas. Here in when the Discriminative ability is Prominent.

 

Ananda Maya Kosha is the Sheath of Bliss or Sat Chit Ananda Here Perfection

is achieved or what is called the Self Actualization by Maslow. This is the

most Natural State of the Human or the Soul. There is no more needs to be

fulfilled. ABsolute Completeness. Brahman.

 

These are the invisible Sheath or layers or cloths that cover the Soul or

Atman or Brahman. When different needs are met, it discards its layers one

by one and finally in Vijnanamaya Kosha or Self Esteem when the Ego Drops

the Brahman is only to be found and is COMPLETE. and it has no more layers

or Sheath to itself and it only IS.

 

Bhagavan Ramana has explained that these are all inter oven,like a hand

kerchief.The hand kerchief has got a thickness, a colour, a texture, a size,

and then the smell, depending upon the perfume one uses.All the five sheaths

are interoven as all the above things are interoven in the handkerchief.

 

Marshall McLuhan, a Canadean Philosopher coined in the Term " The world is a

Global Village "

 

In the Vedas we have this idea from time immemorial " Vasdeiva Kutumbakam "

The world world in one family

 

" Ekam Sat Vipraha bahudha vadanti " from The Rig Veda

There is but one God, learned scholars call this God by different names

 

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