Houmei & Ahankar

ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂਜੀਕਾਖ਼ਾਲਸਾਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂਜੀਕੀਫ਼ਤਹਿ !
English translation of Gurbani ussually never satisfy me. As Ahankar and Houmei are both refered to as ego. (?)

Houmei has been described by Sri Guru Bani ji as a very dangerous entity:

ਵਡਹੰਸੁਮਹਲਾ ੩ ॥

ਹਉਮੈਨਾਵੈਨਾਲਿਵਿਰੋਧੁਹੈਦੁਇਨਵਸਹਿਇਕਠਾਇ ॥

ਹਉਮੈਵਿਚਿਸੇਵਾਨਹੋਵਈਤਾਮਨੁਬਿਰਥਾਜਾਇ ॥੧॥
..........................
(Ang 560)

This is much deeper:

ਹਉਮੈਏਹਾਜਾਤਿਹੈਹਉਮੈਕਰਮਕਮਾਹਿ ॥ .
ਹਉਮੈਏਈਬੰਧਨਾਫਿਰਿਫਿਰਿਜੋਨੀਪਾਹਿ ॥
ਹਉਮੈਕਿਥਹੁਊਪਜੈਕਿਤੁਸੰਜਮਿਇਹਜਾਇ ॥
ਹਉਮੈਏਹੋਹੁਕਮੁਹੈਪਇਐਕਿਰਤਿਫਿਰਾਹਿ ॥
ਹਉਮੈਦੀਰਘਰੋਗੁਹੈਦਾਰੂਭੀਇਸੁਮਾਹਿ ॥ ( How? )
ਕਿਰਪਾਕਰੇਜੇਆਪਣੀਤਾਗੁਰਕਾਸਬਦੁਕਮਾਹਿ ॥
ਨਾਨਕੁਕਹੈਸੁਣਹੁਜਨਹੁਇਤੁਸੰਜਮਿਦੁਖਜਾਹਿ ॥2॥ (Ang 466-19, ਆਸਾ, ਮ: 2)



1)What is Houmei? (apparently, it is mentioned more in Sri Guru Bani ji)

2)What is Ahankar/Madh/Maa'an? (1 of the 5 thieves)

3)Are they the same ?

4)If they are different, then how are they different?

Chota veer

Haume is the false sense of believing oneself to be this body of flesh as opposed to Atma. From Haume all 5 Vikaars - Kaam, Krodh, Lobh, Moh and Ahankaar - arise. Many times Haume and Ahankaar are mixed up. Ahankaar or Hankaar actually means Maan or pride.

Kulbir Singh

Bhai Sahib, if it is acceptable to you, would elaborate more in detail?

Quote
BHai Kulbir Singh
Haume is the false sense of believing oneself to be this body of flesh as opposed to Atma.

Han ji dass gets this point. Then why has it been been called a "ਦੀਰਘ ਰੋਗੁ" by Satguroo?
What are the characteristics of one being in Haumei?

Quote
BHai Kulbir Singh
From Haume all 5 Vikaars - Kaam, Krodh, Lobh, Moh and Ahankaar - arise.

How BHai Sahib ji ?

Is haumei controlled or destroyed by doing bhagti?

As this question has been within me for a long time now.
Plus, understanding both Haumei and Ahangkar would make doing veechar of Gurbani more easier for us.

Chota veer

as we are the topic of ego, there is a gurbanee pangtee saying to defeat ego you have to have ego, i think you know which pangtee I'm referring to. I've looked at this for a long time and can't seem to understand it.

ਭਰੀਐ ਹਥੁ ਪੈਰੁ ਤਨੁ ਦੇਹ ॥
ਪਾਣੀ ਧੋਤੈ ਉਤਰਸੁ ਖੇਹ ॥
ਮੂਤਪਲੀਤੀ ਕਪੜੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਦੇ ਸਾਬੂਣੁ ਲਈਐ ਓਹੁ ਧੋਇ ॥
ਭਰੀਐ ਮਤਿ ਪਾਪਾ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ॥
ਓਹੁ ਧੋਪੈ ਨਾਵੈ ਕੈ ਰੰਗਿ ॥
ਪੁੰਨੀ ਪਾਪੀ ਆਖਣੁ ਨਾਹਿ ॥
ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਣਾ ਲਿਖਿ ਲੈ ਜਾਹੁ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਬੀਜਿ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਖਾਹੁ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਆਵਹੁ ਜਾਹੁ ॥੨੦॥

A person reaps what they sow. If a person acts in ego, then they will continue to act in ego. According to Guru Sahib Ego ( hankar) is the dirt that pollutes the mind. So how do we remove this dirt? Through water ( humility) Water is a symbol of lowness because water resides on the ground. Ego can only be erased through Naam, because where there is no Ego there is only Naam. The problem arises how does one engage in Naam? What prevents a person from indulging in Naam?

We often commit virtuous acts like going on pilgrimages, doing Naam Abhyiaas, Paath, Kirtan , Seva etc and we start to think that we have done such good things we must be so virtuous. We become so virtuous that we refuse to think we are bad or low. The egoist will never call ( label/name) themselves as a Paapee. Instead they will keep on doing acts under the illusion that they do the acts, and they are virtuous for doing such actions. Thus the ego only gets bigger through each religious deed instead of getting smaller and getting closer to naam. Because they do all types of virtuous deeds they regard themselves as superior ( Punee) and inferior to nobody . We continue to act and act and just build up more karma ( ego based deeds). Thus we keep coming and going. But the Gurmukhs call themselves the ultimate Paapee. There is shabad by Bhagat Kabeer Ji in which Bhagat Jee says that person is my friend who calls me a sinner/bad.

I think as long as we follow Guru Jis Hukums , thank him, and praise him for allowing us to walk on his path then we will be saved from Ego. If we follow Guru Jis hukum through his Kirpa and encourage others who are interested to do so then we will certainly please Guru Ji for acting like low servants. But once we start thinking we are virtuous and we are so good then we will certainly fall as Bhai Joga Singh is a prime example. Perhaps we should regard ourselves a the biggest sinners thus we will not be affected by ego; instead we will continue to beg at the holy feet of Guru Sahib for more and more of his blessings.

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਮ ਨੀਚ ਕਰੰਮਾ ॥
ਸਰਣਿ ਪਰੇ ਕੀ ਰਾਖਹੁ ਸਰਮਾ ॥੨॥੪॥

Pyasi Chatrik jeeo,

After wandering in this world for countless units of time we come to the conclusion that this is not for us and that we want to get out of this. We want everlasting peace and happiness. In this world we get happiness but it is only transient. We are hungry for permanent and everlasting happiness.

Haume deeragh Rog hai, Daaroo bhee iss maahe|| is a great pankiti that tells us that though Haume is a rog and a very inveterate rog but the medicine for this rog or malady lies in Haume itself. I want to save myself. I have to do something to save myself from getting endless torture I have to endure while taking birth and at the time of death. If I do bhagti, I will be saved. I have to get out of this dukh. There has to be a way out. Who am I. Where did I come from. Where am I headed.

All these questions and soliloquies of our mind are triggered because of our haume. We want the best for ourselves and this feeling of wanting the best for ourselves, though a form of haume, still can be beneficial for us if it incites us to indulge in Bhagti in order to the best for ourselves.

How many incentives does Gurbani give us for chanting Naam? A friend once wrote to me that it is selfish to think of ourselves and then do bhagti but if it was wrong to think of ourselves in a positive manner, why would Gurbani offer countless incentives to us, for doing bhagti? Just read the first ashtpadi of Siri Sukhmani Sahib for more details on incentives that range from simple worldly wishes to the topmost spiritual and mystical inducements.

Haume is bad but still it can do good for us too if it prompts us to japp Naam. Eventually as we japp Naam our false ego diminishes and we meet our beloved.

More to come soon.

Daas,
Kulbir Singh