Ego

With your mind fixed on me, you will pass over all difficulties by my grace; but if from egotism you will not listen, you will perish.

मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि | अथ चेत्त्वमहंकारान्न श्रोष्यसि विनङ्क्ष्यसि ||१८-५८||

freed from egotism, force, arrogance, desire, anger, and possessiveness, unselfish and at peace — such a one is fit for union with Brahman.

अहंकारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम् | विमुच्य निर्ममः शान्तो ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ||१८-५३||

Actions are performed in every way by the gunas of nature; but one whose self is deluded by egoism thinks, "I am the doer."

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः | अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ||३-२७||

The person who abandons all desires and moves about free from longing, without any sense of "mine" and without egoism, attains peace.

विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः | निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः स शान्तिमधिगच्छति ||२-७१||

If, taking refuge in egotism, you think "I will not fight," this resolve of yours is in vain; your own nature will compel you.

यदहंकारमाश्रित्य न योत्स्य इति मन्यसे | मिथ्यैष व्यवसायस्ते प्रकृतिस्त्वां नियोक्ष्यति ||१८-५९||

But action performed with great effort by one who seeks to fulfill desires or acts from egotism — that is declared to be rajasic.

यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहंकारेण वा पुनः | क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम् ||१८-२४||

One whose state of mind is free of egotism, whose intellect is untainted — even if he slays these people, he does not slay, nor is he bound.

यस्य नाहंकृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते | हत्वाऽपि स इमाँल्लोकान्न हन्ति न निबध्यते ||१८-१७||

The four social orders were created by me according to the distribution of qualities and actions. Though I am their maker, know me to be the eternal non-doer.

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः | तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ||४-१३||

Brahman won a victory for the gods; and in that victory of Brahman the gods gloried.

ब्रह्म ह देवेभ्यो विजिग्ये तस्य ह ब्रह्मणोविजये देवा अमहीयन्त ॥ १॥

This being so, one who, through an untrained understanding, sees the self alone as the agent — that person of perverse mind does not see truly.

तत्रैवं सति कर्तारमात्मानं केवलं तु यः | पश्यत्यकृतबुद्धित्वान्न स पश्यति दुर्मतिः ||१८-१६||

So, having become a student at the age of twelve, he returned at the age of twenty-four, having studied all the Vedas — conceited, thinking himself learned, and arrogant. His father said to him:

स ह द्वादशवर्ष उपेत्य चतुर्विꣳशतिवर्षः सर्वान्वेदानधीत्य महामना अनूचानमानी स्तब्ध एयाय तꣳह पितोवाच

"What power is in you?" "I could carry off all this that is on the earth."

तस्मिँस्त्वयि किं वीर्यमित्यपीदँसर्वमाददीय यदिदं पृथिव्यामिति ॥ ९॥

He ran toward it. It said to him, "Who are you?" "I am Vāyu," he said, "I am Mātariśvan."

तदभ्यद्रवत्तमभ्यवदत्कोऽसीति वायुर्वाअहमस्मीत्यब्रवीन्मातरिश्वा वा अहमस्मीति ॥ ८॥

"What power is in you?" "I could burn all this that is on the earth."

तस्मिꣳस्त्वयि किं वीर्यमित्यपीदꣳ सर्वंदहेयं यदिदं पृथिव्यामिति ॥ ५॥

He ran toward it. It said to him, "Who are you?" "I am Agni," he said, "I am Jātavedas."

तदभ्यद्रवत्तमभ्यवदत्कोऽसीत्यग्निर्वाअहमस्मीत्यब्रवीज्जातवेदा वा अहमस्मीति ॥ ४॥

They thought: "This victory is ours alone; this greatness is ours alone." Brahman knew this pride of theirs and appeared before them, but they did not recognize it: "What is this spirit?"

त ऐक्षन्तास्माकमेवायं विजयोऽस्माकमेवायं महिमेति ।तद्धैषां विजज्ञौ तेभ्यो ह प्रादुर्बभूव तन्न व्यजानतकिमिदं यक्षमिति ॥ २॥