| Part of a series on Sikh Beliefs |
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| Sikhism |
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2. Three Pillars |
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3. Five Evils |
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4. Five Virtues |
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Ahankar is the Gurmukhi word which translates to means ego or excessive pride over one's possessions, beauty, talents, material wealth, intelligence, spirituality, authoritative powers, charity work etc. An individual can come to feel that these 'gifts from God' make him superior to others, who are therefore are at a lower level than him. It leads to jealousy, feelings of enmity and restlessness amongst people. Sikhism requires that a person serves society and community with Nimrata or humility. And this is obtained by Sewa and hence, one sees the practise of devotees cleaning the footwear of visitors to a Gurdwara so that the mind of the devout Sikh is made more humble.
This Cardinal Evil is often regarded by Sikhs as the worst of the five evils. Pride makes human beings believe that they are more important than others. It makes them treat others badly and unequally, leading to injustice. Pride makes human beings take personal credit for the successes, good qualities, wealth and talents they have. It makes them forget that God is responsible for these things and leads them away from reunion. Pride leads to Haumai because it makes people believe that they are the most important thing in life and leads to self-centredness.
The five evils ones[]
The five evils or five thieves or panch doot (five demons) or panj vikar (five sins) as they are referred to in the Sikh Scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, are according to Sikhi, the five major weaknesses of the human personality at variance with its spiritual essence. These are the five traits that bring misery and pain the our lives; the Guru Granth Sahib asks us to overcome these internal demons and clasp the virtues of the "Super soul".
The common evils found in mankind far exceed this number, but a group of five of them came to be identified because of the major obstruction they are believed to cause to man's pursuit of the moral and spiritual path. The other four evils in the group of five are:
Together these five are the ones that need to eradicated from our persona so that we can live a life without the pain and misery that results from the company of these five vices.
What Gurbani says[]
The following Shabads from Gurbani clarify this cardinal vice:
| SGGS Page 51 Full Shabad |
| The world is drunk, engrossed in sexual desire, anger and egotism. |
| SGGS Page 141 Full Shabad |
| Renounce sexual desire, anger, falsehood and slander; forsake Maya and eliminate egotistical pride. |
| SGGS Page 223 Full Shabad |
| The duality of Maya dwells in the consciousness of the people of the world. They are destroyed by sexual desire, anger and egotism. ((1)) |
| SGGS Page 366 Full Shabad |
| They complain about other peoples` faults, while their own self-conceit only increases. |
| SGGS Page 501 Full Shabad |
| 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)) |
| Five Evils |
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1.Kam (Lust) 2.Krodh (Rage) 3. Lobh (Greed) 4. Moh (Attachment) 5. Ahankar (Ego) |
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