Ahankar is the Gurmukhi word which translates to means
ego or
excessive pride due to one's possessions, material
wealthWealth is an abundance of valuable resources or material possessions. The word is derived from the old English wela, which is from an Indo-European word stem...
,
intelligenceIntelligence is an umbrella term used to describe a property of the mind that encompasses many related abilities, such as the capacities to reason, to plan, to solve problems, to think abstractly, to comprehend ideas, to use language, and to learn. There are several ways to define intelligence...
or powers. It gives an individual the feeling that he is superior to others and therefore they are at a lower level than him. It leads to
envyEnvy may be defined as an emotion that "occurs when a person lacks another’s superior quality, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it." The Catholic definition of Envy is to wish you had another man's tangible or intagible blessings...
, feelings of enmity, and restlessness amongst people.
SikhismSikhism, founded on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev and ten successive Sikh Gurus in fifteenth century Punjab, is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat or the Sikh Dharma...
requires that a person serves society and community with
NimrataNimrata is a virtue that is vigorously promoted by Gurbani. The literal translation of this Punjabi word is "Humility", or "Benevolence". The other four qualities in the arsenal are: Truth , Contentment , Compassion and Love...
or humility.
Ahankar is the Gurmukhi word which translates to means
ego or
excessive pride due to one's possessions, material
wealthWealth is an abundance of valuable resources or material possessions. The word is derived from the old English wela, which is from an Indo-European word stem...
,
intelligenceIntelligence is an umbrella term used to describe a property of the mind that encompasses many related abilities, such as the capacities to reason, to plan, to solve problems, to think abstractly, to comprehend ideas, to use language, and to learn. There are several ways to define intelligence...
or powers. It gives an individual the feeling that he is superior to others and therefore they are at a lower level than him. It leads to
envyEnvy may be defined as an emotion that "occurs when a person lacks another’s superior quality, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it." The Catholic definition of Envy is to wish you had another man's tangible or intagible blessings...
, feelings of enmity, and restlessness amongst people.
SikhismSikhism, founded on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev and ten successive Sikh Gurus in fifteenth century Punjab, is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat or the Sikh Dharma...
requires that a person serves society and community with
NimrataNimrata is a virtue that is vigorously promoted by Gurbani. The literal translation of this Punjabi word is "Humility", or "Benevolence". The other four qualities in the arsenal are: Truth , Contentment , Compassion and Love...
or humility. This is obtained by
SewaSEWA is the Self-Employed Women's Association of India, a trade union founded in 1972 after a split in the Textile Labour Association . It was founded by the noted Gandhian and civil rights leader Dr. Ela Bhatt....
and hence, one sees the practise of devotees cleaning the footwear of visitors to a
GurdwaraA gurdwara , meaning "the doorway to the guru", is a place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism and also a place where weary travellers and pilgrims may rest and eat. A gurudwara is also referred to as a "Sikh temple"...
so that the mind of devout Sikh is made more humble.
This Cardinal Evil is often regarded by Sikhs as the worst of the
Five EvilsFive evils or five thieves as they are referred to in Sikh Scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, are, according to Sikhism, the five major weaknesses of the human personality at variance with its spiritual essence...
.
They feel that pride leads to
HaumaiHaumai: The self-centeredness of a human, which can only be overcome through meditation on God’s name Naam ....
because it makes people believe that they are the most important thing in life and leads to self-centredness.
The following
ShabadShabad may refer to one of the following.*Shabad , hymn, a piece of Holy Text in Indian culture** Shabad Hazaray*Zemach Shabad, Yiddish doctor and political activist*Shabad, Rangareddi district, a village in India...
s from Gurbani clarify this cardinal vice:
- The world is drunk, engrossed in sexual desire, anger and egotism. (Guru Granth Sahib
The Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is the holy scripture and the final Guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs , compiled and composed during the period of Sikh Gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
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- Renounce sexual desire, anger, falsehood and slander;
forsake Maya and eliminate egotistical pride. (Guru Granth SahibThe Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is the holy scripture and the final Guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs , compiled and composed during the period of Sikh Gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
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- The duality of Maya dwells in the consciousness of the people of the world. They are destroyed by sexual desire, anger and egotism. ((1)) (Guru Granth Sahib
The Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is the holy scripture and the final Guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs , compiled and composed during the period of Sikh Gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
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- They complain about other peoples` faults, while their own self-conceit only increases. (Guru Granth Sahib
The Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is the holy scripture and the final Guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs , compiled and composed during the period of Sikh Gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
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- In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, redeem your mind, and adore the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Sexual desire, anger and egotism will be dispelled, and all troubles shall end. ((2)) (Guru Granth Sahib
The Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is the holy scripture and the final Guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs , compiled and composed during the period of Sikh Gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
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