Men’s Worst Enemy Is Himself: Gita on Overcoming Lust, Ego, Greed, and Anger
Riya Kumari | May 09, 2025, 23:58 IST
If you’ve ever found yourself caught in a cycle of wanting more, getting frustrated when you don’t get it, or feeling like something’s always missing—no matter how much you achieve—you’ve encountered these enemies firsthand. And while they might seem like everyday emotions, the Gita tells us they are far more dangerous than we realize. They shape who we are, dictate our decisions, and keep us imprisoned in patterns that we can’t break free from. Let’s break them down, one by one, and see why they deserve the villain title.
We’re all living in a world that constantly tells us what to want. Bigger cars, better homes, more Instagram followers, the latest trends—everything is geared to make us feel that we need more, do more, be more. But there’s a problem with this endless chase, one that the Bhagavad Gita knew thousands of years ago: the real enemies we fight are not the external forces we see, but the ones we carry within ourselves. Lust, ego, greed, and anger—they’re the invisible forces steering the ship of our lives, and in most cases, they’re steering it straight into a storm.
If you’ve ever found yourself caught in a cycle of wanting more, getting frustrated when you don’t get it, or feeling like something’s always missing—no matter how much you achieve—you’ve encountered these enemies firsthand. And while they might seem like everyday emotions, the Gita tells us they are far more dangerous than we realize. They shape who we are, dictate our decisions, and keep us imprisoned in patterns that we can’t break free from. Let’s break them down, one by one, and see why they deserve the villain title.
Lust: The Deceptive Illusion of Fulfillment
Let’s start with lust, but not in the way you think. Lust isn’t just about desire for physical pleasure—though that’s certainly part of it. Lust, in the Gita’s sense, refers to an insatiable craving for more, always chasing after the next high, the next thrill, the next thing that promises satisfaction but never delivers.
It’s the feeling that tells you that fulfillment is just one step ahead, but no matter how fast you run, it’s always just out of reach. Lust isn’t about the object of desire—it’s about the feeling that tells you that having more will finally give you peace. But it never does. That’s the trap. What the Gita teaches is that lust feeds on itself. The more you give into it, the more you feel empty, because it’s not the object of your desire that needs to be fulfilled—it’s your internal state, your understanding of what true contentment is.
How many of us know this on some level? We chase fleeting pleasures—new clothes, a bigger paycheck, a temporary escape from reality—but when it’s over, we’re left with the same emptiness. It’s a cycle of never-ending hunger. Lust doesn’t bring happiness; it just creates a longing that can’t be satisfied.
Ego: The Silent Architect of Our Downfall
Next up, the ego. This is the part of us that wants to be seen, heard, and validated. It’s the voice inside that tells us that we’re different, better, and deserving of respect. And while self-respect is important, the ego doesn’t care about balance—it wants domination. The ego doesn’t want to be happy; it wants to prove it’s better than everyone else.
When the ego is in charge, we live in a constant state of comparison. We measure ourselves against others and feel diminished when we fall short, or superior when we rise above. The Gita warns that the ego feeds on this illusion of separateness. It convinces us that we are separate from others, above others, or below others, which leads to feelings of pride, shame, and everything in between.
But here’s the kicker: The ego is a liar. It makes us believe that we are defined by our accomplishments, our status, our titles. It’s the thing that makes us think we need to prove ourselves, even to people who don’t matter. In truth, our true value is not in what we do or what we have—it’s in who we are, independent of any external validation. The ego tells you otherwise, and the longer you listen to it, the more you lose yourself.
Greed: The Destructive Force of “Never Enough”
Now, greed. Oh, greed. We all know it well, don’t we? It’s that voice inside that says, “One more thing. Just one more.” It’s the silent thief that steals joy and peace by convincing us that the world owes us more than we already have. Greed makes us blind to the abundance we already possess, focusing only on the absence, the lack, the void.
The Gita doesn’t just talk about greed in the context of material wealth; it speaks to the hunger we feel for power, for recognition, for control over others. Greed is not just about wanting things—it’s about the fear that we won’t have enough, that we won’t be enough. And it’s that fear that drives us to hoard, to conquer, to dominate.
But here’s the truth: No matter how much you acquire, no matter how many titles or possessions you collect, you will never feel “enough” if your soul is anchored in greed. The world doesn’t revolve around accumulation. It revolves around giving, sharing, and recognizing that there’s enough for everyone. Greed distorts our perception of reality and leads us into a perpetual race that ends in exhaustion.
Anger: The Fire That Burns Everything
Finally, we come to anger. If there’s one emotion that can destroy everything in its path, it’s anger. It’s the explosion that comes when we feel wronged, misunderstood, or helpless. Anger convinces us that the world owes us something, and when we don’t get it, we lash out. But what does anger really achieve?
The Gita tells us that anger clouds our judgment and makes us act without wisdom. It traps us in a state of agitation, where we are no longer in control of ourselves, where every reaction is impulsive and every decision is fueled by emotion rather than clarity. And in that state, we lose sight of what truly matters.
Anger is a slow burn—it eats at you from the inside, leaving scars long after the flames have died down. It poisons relationships, destroys opportunities, and most tragically, it destroys you. If you let anger control you, it will ultimately burn the very things you care about most.
The Path to Liberation: Understanding and Letting Go
So, what’s the solution? How do we conquer these internal enemies that threaten to derail our lives? The answer, according to the Bhagavad Gita, lies in understanding these forces for what they are: illusions. These desires—lust, ego, greed, and anger—are not the true nature of who we are. They are distractions, pulling us away from our true purpose, our true self.
The path to liberation is not about fighting them head-on. It’s about seeing them clearly, understanding their root causes, and learning to let go. It’s about shifting from the external to the internal, recognizing that true peace isn’t found in what we acquire or prove to others, but in who we are when we stand alone in silence.
It’s a difficult journey, no doubt. But it’s one that leads to real freedom—the freedom to be content without needing more, to be at peace without validation, and to act from a place of calm rather than reaction. And that’s the true victory, the one that’s worth fighting for.
So, the next time lust, ego, greed, or anger tries to take the wheel, just pause. Take a breath. Ask yourself: Is this who I truly want to be? Because the real battle is not out there, but right here—within you. And you, my friend, are the only one who can win it.
If you’ve ever found yourself caught in a cycle of wanting more, getting frustrated when you don’t get it, or feeling like something’s always missing—no matter how much you achieve—you’ve encountered these enemies firsthand. And while they might seem like everyday emotions, the Gita tells us they are far more dangerous than we realize. They shape who we are, dictate our decisions, and keep us imprisoned in patterns that we can’t break free from. Let’s break them down, one by one, and see why they deserve the villain title.
Lust: The Deceptive Illusion of Fulfillment
Let’s start with lust, but not in the way you think. Lust isn’t just about desire for physical pleasure—though that’s certainly part of it. Lust, in the Gita’s sense, refers to an insatiable craving for more, always chasing after the next high, the next thrill, the next thing that promises satisfaction but never delivers.
It’s the feeling that tells you that fulfillment is just one step ahead, but no matter how fast you run, it’s always just out of reach. Lust isn’t about the object of desire—it’s about the feeling that tells you that having more will finally give you peace. But it never does. That’s the trap. What the Gita teaches is that lust feeds on itself. The more you give into it, the more you feel empty, because it’s not the object of your desire that needs to be fulfilled—it’s your internal state, your understanding of what true contentment is.
How many of us know this on some level? We chase fleeting pleasures—new clothes, a bigger paycheck, a temporary escape from reality—but when it’s over, we’re left with the same emptiness. It’s a cycle of never-ending hunger. Lust doesn’t bring happiness; it just creates a longing that can’t be satisfied.
Ego: The Silent Architect of Our Downfall
Next up, the ego. This is the part of us that wants to be seen, heard, and validated. It’s the voice inside that tells us that we’re different, better, and deserving of respect. And while self-respect is important, the ego doesn’t care about balance—it wants domination. The ego doesn’t want to be happy; it wants to prove it’s better than everyone else.
When the ego is in charge, we live in a constant state of comparison. We measure ourselves against others and feel diminished when we fall short, or superior when we rise above. The Gita warns that the ego feeds on this illusion of separateness. It convinces us that we are separate from others, above others, or below others, which leads to feelings of pride, shame, and everything in between.
But here’s the kicker: The ego is a liar. It makes us believe that we are defined by our accomplishments, our status, our titles. It’s the thing that makes us think we need to prove ourselves, even to people who don’t matter. In truth, our true value is not in what we do or what we have—it’s in who we are, independent of any external validation. The ego tells you otherwise, and the longer you listen to it, the more you lose yourself.
Greed: The Destructive Force of “Never Enough”
Now, greed. Oh, greed. We all know it well, don’t we? It’s that voice inside that says, “One more thing. Just one more.” It’s the silent thief that steals joy and peace by convincing us that the world owes us more than we already have. Greed makes us blind to the abundance we already possess, focusing only on the absence, the lack, the void.
The Gita doesn’t just talk about greed in the context of material wealth; it speaks to the hunger we feel for power, for recognition, for control over others. Greed is not just about wanting things—it’s about the fear that we won’t have enough, that we won’t be enough. And it’s that fear that drives us to hoard, to conquer, to dominate.
But here’s the truth: No matter how much you acquire, no matter how many titles or possessions you collect, you will never feel “enough” if your soul is anchored in greed. The world doesn’t revolve around accumulation. It revolves around giving, sharing, and recognizing that there’s enough for everyone. Greed distorts our perception of reality and leads us into a perpetual race that ends in exhaustion.
Anger: The Fire That Burns Everything
Finally, we come to anger. If there’s one emotion that can destroy everything in its path, it’s anger. It’s the explosion that comes when we feel wronged, misunderstood, or helpless. Anger convinces us that the world owes us something, and when we don’t get it, we lash out. But what does anger really achieve?
The Gita tells us that anger clouds our judgment and makes us act without wisdom. It traps us in a state of agitation, where we are no longer in control of ourselves, where every reaction is impulsive and every decision is fueled by emotion rather than clarity. And in that state, we lose sight of what truly matters.
Anger is a slow burn—it eats at you from the inside, leaving scars long after the flames have died down. It poisons relationships, destroys opportunities, and most tragically, it destroys you. If you let anger control you, it will ultimately burn the very things you care about most.
The Path to Liberation: Understanding and Letting Go
So, what’s the solution? How do we conquer these internal enemies that threaten to derail our lives? The answer, according to the Bhagavad Gita, lies in understanding these forces for what they are: illusions. These desires—lust, ego, greed, and anger—are not the true nature of who we are. They are distractions, pulling us away from our true purpose, our true self.
The path to liberation is not about fighting them head-on. It’s about seeing them clearly, understanding their root causes, and learning to let go. It’s about shifting from the external to the internal, recognizing that true peace isn’t found in what we acquire or prove to others, but in who we are when we stand alone in silence.
It’s a difficult journey, no doubt. But it’s one that leads to real freedom—the freedom to be content without needing more, to be at peace without validation, and to act from a place of calm rather than reaction. And that’s the true victory, the one that’s worth fighting for.
So, the next time lust, ego, greed, or anger tries to take the wheel, just pause. Take a breath. Ask yourself: Is this who I truly want to be? Because the real battle is not out there, but right here—within you. And you, my friend, are the only one who can win it.