Ahankar (अहंकार)

Ahankar means ego or “I-ness.” It also refers to a subtle material element that arises from Mahat-tattva during the process of creation.

JKP Literature

— 1 min read
A person looking at their reflection, representing identification of the eternal soul with the temporary physical body.
Ahankar has two distinct meanings: the false identification of the soul with the body, and a subtle material element involved in Srishti.

Ahankar (अहंकार | ahaṁkāra) broadly means ego, or the sense of “I-ness”—literally, “the I.” This term also has another distinct meaning.

Ahankar in the Process of Creation

During the process of Srishti (creation), Ahankar is a subtle material element that arises from Mahat-tattva.

Ahankar manifests in three forms:

  • Sattvic Ahankar
  • Rajas Ahankar
  • Tamas Ahankar

These participate in the further manifestation of the material world.

Ahankar as False Ego

For the individual soul (jeev), Ahankar refers to the false ego—the mistaken identification of the eternal soul with the temporary physical body.

Instead of realizing, “I am a soul, a servant of God,” the jeev identifies with the body: “I am this body,” “I am a man or woman,” “I am rich or poor,” and so on.

This mistaken identification is caused by Avaranatmika Maya, the aspect of Swaroopavarika Maya that veils the true nature of the soul.

Go Deeper

Srishti — Creation
As you read through this article about the “Process of creation” you might find it so contradictory and complicated that you might shake your head in disbelief and say “this is impossible”. Nevertheless, though it is beyond human comprehension yet, since some people have asked for this information, I would
Kripalu Vedic WisdomJKP Literature

See how Ahankar arises from Mahat-tattva and participates in the manifestation of the material world.

Reference

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