T Ram Sewak

AHANKAR

In Shri Ramcharitmanas 7.121, Kakabhushundiji further elaborates on Garuda's seventh query. He states:

Ahankar ati dukhad damarua, mad maan neharua.

"Ego (Ahankar) is like the deeply painful disease gout - a glandular disorder (damarua). Also, arrogance (mad) and pride (maan) are like the disease of the nerves (neharua)."

Ego, arrogance, and pride (all synonymous) are serious afflictions of the mind that Kakabhushundiji compares to painful and persistent physiological disorders. Like these diseases which affect the entire body (through glands and nerves), these deeply rooted spiritual disorders influence the mind, intellect, and memory, disturbing inner balance. As these diseases are hard to eradicate, so too is the ego very difficult to overcome.

Ahankar/mad/maan is that illusory knot of individuality created by Avidya Maya that binds the self to the body and results in dehabhiman. As Shri Krishna says in Gita 3.27, it fosters the illusion, 'I am the doer', although all actions are performed, in all cases, merely by the three gunas of prakriti. The only path to ego effacement for a karma yogi is selfless action, without any egoistic motive, unattached to the fruits of your karma.

On the gyan marg, ahankar does not fall all at once; it weakens through samata (evenness of mind), vivek (discretion), and vairagya (dispassion) and dissolves gradually in stages, corresponding to the deepening of self-inquiry and experiential understanding of the Self (Atma). These stages align with the four Mahavakyas, as realisation finally dawns - Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahm).

However, on the bhakti marg, ahankar falls at the first step because the bhakt dissolves his identity through complete surrender to HIM (sharanagati). Bhakti is surrender without reason or effort. The bhakt only yearns for HIS grace. His journey begins by merging his 'I' into loving dependence on his Aaradhya, offering everything, including his ahankar, at the feet of the Divine.

Transcending Ahankar is thus the sine qua non of the spiritual journey! / DAILY WORLD /

The author is a former electrical Engineer and resides in the Himalayas. He can be occasionally reached at ramam.namami@gmail.com