ahankara

Ahankara, often transliterated ahamkāra, is a Sanskrit term commonly translated as the ego or the sense of “I.” The word combines aham, meaning “I,” with kara, meaning “maker” or “doer,” signifying the egoic sense that identifies the self with the body, mind, or personal will.

In Indian philosophy, ahankara is discussed across several schools, notably Samkhya, Yoga, and Advaita Vedanta. In Samkhya and Yoga, it is described as a modification (vritti) of Prakriti (nature) that creates the identification of Purusha (consciousness) with the body-mind complex. This ego-sense is seen as a necessary but potentially limiting function that organizes experience, yet it can distort perception by confounding the self with the material or psychological processes.

In Advaita Vedanta, ahankara is treated as a product of avidya (ignorance) that binds the individual to a false sense of individuality. The goal is to discern between the real self (Atman) and the apparent self constructed by the ego. Practices such as viveka (discernment between the permanent and the impermanent), vairagya (detachment), and spiritual inquiry are employed to dissolve ahankara and realize the non-dual nature of Brahman, wherein there is no separate “I” apart from all.

Beyond philosophers, ahankara is also discussed in psychological and ethical contexts as the self-centered aspect of personhood. While the ego can support functioning and agency, excessive identification with it is viewed as a barrier to spiritual insight and self-transcendence.