What is this Ego?

What is this Ego?

by Swami Sivananda

Ego or Egoism or Egotism or Ahamkara in Sanskrit is the self-asserting principle or Tattva born of ignorance or Prakriti. Abhimana is egoism. Garva is egoism.

The seed of this ego is the differentiating intellect or Bheda Buddhi. It is the ego which has created the idea of separateness from God or the Atman. It is the ego which is the root cause for all human sufferings and births and deaths.

This ego identifies itself with the body, mind, Prana, the senses. Wherever there is ego, there are mineness, selfishness, likes and dislikes, lust, anger, greed, hypocrisy, pride, jealousy, delusion, arrogance, conceit, impertinence, Vasanas, Trishna or cravings and Vrittis or Sankalpa, clinging to this earth-life (Abhinivesha), agency, doer (Kartha) and enjoyer (Bhokta).

You must have very clear understanding of the nature of this ego, if you want to annihilate egoism. Killing of egoism is killing of mind only. Destruction of thought, desires, cravings, mineness, selfishness, jealousy, pride, lust is really destruction of mind or egoism. Control of senses also is annihilation of the mind or egoism.

This egoism assumes a subtle form. The gross egoism is not so dangerous as the subtle egoism. Institutional egoism is a subtle form of egoism. The man identifies himself with the institution and gets attached to the institution or cult. He has no broad-mindedness or catholicity.

The working of egoism is very mysterious. It is very difficult to detect its various ways of working. It needs a subtle and sharp intellect to find out its operation. If you practise introspection daily in silence you will be able to find out its mysterious ways of working.

This ego likes his own birth place and district, people of his district, own mother tongue, his own relations and friends, his own ways of eating, mode of dressing. He has his own predilections and preferences. He dislikes others’ ways of eating, dressing etc.

This ego wants to exercise power and influence over others. He wants titles, prestige, status, respect, prosperity, house, wife, children. He wants self-aggrandisement. He wishes to domineer and rule over others. If anybody points out his defects, his vanity feels offended. If anyone praises him he is elated. This ego says, I know everything. He does not know anything. What I say is quite correct. What he says is quite incorrect. He is inferior to me. I am superior to him. He forces others to follow his ways and views.

This ego will lurk like a thief when you start introspection and self-analysis. It will elude your grasp and understanding. You must be ever alert and vigilant. If you obtain the grace of the Lord through Japa, Kirtan, prayer and devotion you can easily kill this ego. Through Lord’s grace only your self-surrender will become Perfect.

When this ego melts in the cosmic ego you will attain communion with the Lord or Self-realisation.

May you realise the goal of life and attain everlasting Bliss through annihilation of this little ego!

What is this Ego? – False Identity, Pride, and the Path to Self-Knowledge

What is this Ego? This question is very important in spiritual life because ego is one of the main causes of bondage, conflict, and suffering. Ego is the false sense of “I” that identifies itself with the body, mind, name, status, possessions, opinions, and achievements. It says, “I am this body,” “I am the doer,” “This is mine,” and “I am separate from others.” Because of this false identification, the human being forgets the deeper self.

In ordinary life, ego appears in many forms. It may appear as pride in wealth, beauty, knowledge, caste, power, talent, or position. It may also appear as hurt, jealousy, fear, insecurity, and the need for appreciation. A person may think ego means only arrogance, but even excessive self-pity can be ego. Whenever the mind is strongly centered around “me” and “mine,” ego is at work.

What is this Ego? It is not the true self. The body changes from childhood to youth and old age. The mind changes through thoughts, emotions, memories, and desires. Social identity also changes with time and circumstance. Yet behind all these changes there is a witnessing awareness that remains present. Ego is the mistaken identification with the changing parts of life, while the true self is beyond change.

Ego creates separation. It divides life into “I” and “others,” “mine” and “not mine,” “friend” and “enemy.” This division produces attachment, hatred, comparison, competition, and fear. When ego is strong, a person cannot see the unity of life. They judge others harshly, seek superiority, and become disturbed when they do not receive importance.

Ego also claims doership. It says, “I alone have done this,” and takes pride in success. But every action depends on many factors: body, mind, nature, family, society, teachers, time, opportunity, and divine grace. When this wider truth is forgotten, ego becomes proud. When the result is unfavorable, the same ego becomes depressed and disappointed.

What is this Ego? It is a powerful habit of false ownership. It says, “my body, my idea, my success, my property, my respect, my pain, my opinion.” This sense of ownership binds the mind. If something praised as “mine” is appreciated, ego becomes happy. If something called “mine” is criticized, ego becomes hurt. Thus, peace becomes dependent on outer reactions.

Spiritual practice aims to reduce ego, not to destroy healthy responsibility. A person still needs practical identity to live, work, communicate, and perform duties. But practical identity should not become spiritual bondage. One can say “I am a student,” “I am a worker,” or “I am a parent” for daily life, while inwardly understanding that the true self is deeper than these roles.

Ego is weakened through humility. Humility does not mean weakness or low self-respect. It means freedom from pride and false importance. A humble person knows their abilities but does not boast. They accept correction, learn from others, and respect every being. Humility opens the heart to wisdom, while ego closes it.

Selfless service is a great method to reduce ego. When a person serves without expecting praise or reward, the heart becomes pure. Service shifts attention from “What can I gain?” to “How can I help?” This change weakens selfishness. Helping others, doing duty honestly, and offering work to a higher purpose gradually soften the ego.

What is this Ego? It is also the root of much emotional pain. Many hurts come not from the event itself, but from ego’s interpretation of it. Someone does not praise us, and ego feels ignored. Someone corrects us, and ego feels insulted. Someone succeeds, and ego feels jealous. When ego becomes weaker, the same situations disturb the mind much less.

Meditation helps reveal the difference between ego and awareness. In meditation, the seeker watches thoughts, emotions, and self-images arise and pass away. The thought “I am important,” “I am hurt,” or “I am afraid” is seen as an object in the mind. The one who observes these thoughts is deeper than the ego. This recognition brings freedom.

Self-inquiry is another direct path. The seeker asks, “Who am I?” Am I the body that changes? Am I the mind that thinks? Am I the emotions that rise and fall? Am I the ego that seeks praise and fears blame? Through deep reflection, the false “I” becomes weaker, and the real self begins to shine.

Ego cannot be removed by prideful struggle. If a person thinks, “I am very humble,” ego may secretly become stronger. Therefore, sincerity is necessary. The seeker must remain alert, simple, and honest. They must notice ego in speech, reactions, desires, judgments, and spiritual practice itself. Even spirituality can become an ego if one feels superior because of knowledge or discipline.

In the end, ego is the false center of individuality that hides the truth of the self. It binds through pride, attachment, doership, ownership, fear, and separation. Through humility, selfless service, meditation, devotion, discrimination, and self-inquiry, ego gradually loses its hold. When the false “I” becomes quiet, the true self is revealed as peaceful, pure, and free. To understand ego is the beginning of wisdom, and to transcend ego is the doorway to liberation.

Ahamkara