The document discusses the role of individuality and ego as essential components of human existence according to the Bhagavad Gita. It emphasizes that individuals are created by God to contribute to the progression of humanity through their work and intellectual capabilities, while also highlighting the dual nature of knowledge that can either benefit humanity or elevate the individual at the expense of others. Ultimately, it advocates for a balance between personal ambition and collective advancement, asserting that our ego should serve creativity and societal improvement, not superiority.

1. INDIVIDUALITY
VS.
TRUE PURPOSE OF SELF
BHAGWADGITA
K S Madhavan
MAR., 2013
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2. INDIVIDUALITY
VS.
TRUE PURPOSE OF SELF
BHAGWADGITA
MAR 2013
K S Madhavan
2 of 18

3. Most of us accept that there is
a superior being, whom we call GOD.
But why has He created individuals ?
And why was he created with EGO?
Why has He instilled ego in individuals that
make the person feel superior to the rest of
the community and get emotionally disturbed
when the ego is hurt?
What is the difference between
EGO & EGOISM?

4. Lord Krishna explains the purpose why God
instilled egoism in man and how man has to
use it for common good.
In the Bhagwadgita.
Lord Krishna talks about
the importance of individual Self
&
How and Why man was created and
provided with intellectual capabilities
that man uses and misuses
for glorification of self
or for taking Humanity forward.

5. Human beings have been created by God
- The purpose of human evolution is that
humanity shall constantly improve itself.
- That is, human genetic evolution shall
constantly take it forward from a lower
level of quality of existence to a higher
level.
- Individuals are only created as
instruments of humanity.
- If human species was not there is no
individual human being - Me or you of X
Y Z – nobody.

6. - God has also provided all human beings
with desire to protect self, sustain oneself
and take individual self forward.
- Without this instinct of survival and
sustenance of individuals, humanity
itself would perish.
- Because all of us want to live and do
well, our society is progressing.
- IF NO INDIVIDUAL EGO, NO
SOCIAL PROGRESS WHATSOEVER!
Hence God has provided
each individual with an ego.

7. - There is a purpose for which an individual
has been brought into existence in the
evolutionary process.
- They are there to do the work of
humanity.
- From genetic angle we are all there for
the single purpose of meeting the goal of
human evolution.
- As a part of our existence we have to
constantly work, do our karma.
- In order that we do our works properly,
individuality has been created.

8. Janma karma ça mé divyam
Évam yo vétti tattvataha
• Constantly human beings are born,
in order that humanity advances.
• At the same time, they have to
perform.
• Non-performing human beings do
not contribute to human evolution
at all.

9. - In addition to doing work, we have to
possess knowledge. Only with
knowledge we can do our work better.
- For the purpose of enabling human
beings to gain proper knowledge and
do work properly, individuality has
been created by God. They have been
provided with ‘Ego’.
- If human beings did not possess ego,
the concept of “I”, humanity would
not have been able to evolve better.

10. - Intellectual capability was created in man
so that he is able to understand what is
good for self, protection of oneself, making
self move forward.
- Man has to have Gnyānam (Knowledge).
- Without knowledge humanity cannot
evolve into a better species.
- However, this knowledge also creates the
problem of seeing the purpose of oneself
as distinct from the totality of the purpose
of humanity.

11. - If all human beings were thinking
exactly alike, representing a single
purpose, humanity could not have
evolved at all.
- We would have been like a rock –
- NOT EVOLVING, NOT MOVING
INTO SUPERIOR SPHERE OF
PERFORMANCE, NO SOCIAL
EVOLUTION AND MOVEMENT
INTO BETTER QUALITY OF
LIFE AT ALL.

12. Unfortunately KNOWLEDGE is of two kinds:
- One that takes humanity forward
- Another that takes individual forward.
- Without the former the greatest discoveries
would not have been made.
- Without the latter, social distinctions would
not have become sources of pride and
discrimination.
- We have to learn to combine the two
without affecting humanity negatively.
- Each one of us has a right to good happy and
satisfactory existence.

13. - Each one of us has a right to good
happy and satisfactory existence.
- However, we do not have the right to
project ourselves as superior to others
in society.
- We are all arms of the society.
- We shall perform and take ourselves
and the society (humanity itself)
forward through our work.

14. Brahmārpaņam Brahma havihi
Brahmāgnau Brahmaņā hutam ǁ
Brahmeņa tena gantavyam
Brahma karma samādhinā ǁ ǁ
- Bhagwadgita, Ch. IV, Verse 24
- Each individual human being is God’s
contribution to humanity.
- They shall be constantly creative.
- Even the lowest quality worker, or any one
just living has to create his next work.

15. Brahmārpaņam
The entirety of one’s work shall be
sacrificed for creativity.
We shall do work so that the society,
humanity progresses forward towards
becoming a superior species.

16. Brahma havihi
Burn your ego in the fire of
creativity.
Ego has been given to you so
that you are able to perform and
not for superiority complex.

17. Brahmāgnau
Brahmaņā hutam ǁ
In the fire of creativity, all of one’s work is
offered.
Please note the wordings – it says the work
is offered in the fire of creativity by
creativity itself.
The implicit meaning is that creativity is
preceded by creativity, and followed by
creativity with the works of individuals as
the offerings to promote creativity.

18. Brahmeņa tena gantavyam
Work done by each individual is driven by
creative drive of human genes.
New creativity is sponsored, so to say, by
old creativity.
But while the driver is previous creation,
work (karma) pushes it forward.

19. Brahma karma samādhinā
The end of all work is new creation.
All work has to have an ending.
It meets with death.
Attains its Samādhi – fruitful end.
The fruitful end of all work is new
creativity.

20. Shiva – the Lord of Change –
Lord of constant creativity –
Nataraja - Dancer of creation
– the eternal dancer.
Change is the essence of creativity.
Without change, creativity loses its value.
Today shall be better than yesterday And
tomorrow shall be better than today. This is
the essence of this sloka.