Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.10
intermediate
आत्मैवेदमग्र आसीदेक एव। सोऽकामयत। जाया मे स्याद्। अथ प्रजायेय। अथ वित्तं मे स्यात्। अथ कर्म कुर्वीयेति। एतावान्वै कामः। नेच्छंश्चापि एततो भूयो विन्देत। तस्मादप्येतर्ह्येक आकाङ्क्षति जाया मे स्यादथ प्रजायेयाथ वित्तं मे स्यादथ कर्म कुर्वीयेति। स यावदप्येतेषामेकैकं न प्राप्नोति अकृत्स्न एव तावत्मन्यते॥
ātmaivedamagra āsīdeka eva | so\'kāmayata | jāyā me syād | atha prajāyeya | atha vittaṃ me syāt | atha karma kurvīyeti | etāvānvai kāmaḥ | necchaṃścāpi etato bhūyo vindeta | tasmādapyetarhyeka ākāṅkṣati jāyā me syādatha prajāyeyātha vittaṃ me syādatha karma kurvīyeti | sa yāvadapyeteṣāmekaikaṃ na prāpnoti akṛtsna eva tāvātmanyate ||
"In the beginning this was Self alone, one only. He desired: "May I have a wife, may I procreate, may I have wealth, may I perform work." This is the full extent of desire. Even if one wishes, one cannot obtain more than this. Therefore even today one desires these: "May I have a wife, may I procreate, may I have wealth, may I work." As long as one doesn't obtain each of these, one considers oneself incomplete."
What This Means:
The primal Self had four desires: spouse, children, wealth, action. These are the extent of all worldly desires. Without these, people feel incomplete.
Going Deeper:
The four purusarthas (human goals) are traced to the original Self. Feeling incomplete drives worldly pursuit.
How To Apply This:
Recognize these as universal desires from the primal Self. Are you seeking completion in externals?
#four desires#completeness#worldly goals#kama