"One should deliver the self by the self; one shouldn't degrade the self, because a person is a friend of the self as well as an enemy of the self" says Bhagvad Gita.
We are the worst enemies of our self. Why? All our actions / inaction is controlled by our consciousness, the self. Our consciousness takes a primary role in deciding what we do, how we do and frames our attitudes, beliefs & behaviour towards others, towards the society, and towards friends & enemies. Our consciousness determines who we are rather than why we are. Our consciousness is therefore our friends as well as an enemy.
We generally see that many persons reach high levels of excellence in different fields and attain wealth, fame, power, etc, but succumb to the temptations of flesh, pride, vengeance and so on.
One famous example comes readily to the mind. Ravan was a very accomplished brahmin. It is also said that Lord Shiva had personally honoured him. He however become very proud, so much so that he decided to kidnap Sitaji. Later on he was advised by nearly all his dear ones, but he doesn't changed his mind. We know what happened to him ultimately.
What is there to learn from this famous example? There are two parts in becoming successful. The first part is to put the necessary hard work, which many are able to do. The second part is the more difficult of the two, that is to stay on course. Any success, gives the feeling of invincibility and a sense of superiority.
Why it is so? Because success, any success has the potency to make one proud, to look down upon others, and in many cases to become revengeful. Why? Because one is deluded into believing that one is highly intelligent. "How else could such success have been achieved?" one thinks. Then one assumes that he can get away with such transgressions. This is how our consciousness becomes the worst enemy of our self.
"By whom, consciousness of the self has been conquered by the self, his consciousness is a friend, and for whom, who has not conquered the consciousness, his consciousness remains an enemy of the self" says Bhagvad Gita.
Then how to control our consciousness? Talk to self, ask your consciousness and conquer with it if its necessary. This is the most difficult part of dealing with the self. Become intensely honest with yourself about yourself. Take charge of your thoughts, beliefs & tendencies. We become the worst enemies of our self, if we let our consciousness controls our self. Opposite is also true. We become the best friend of our self if we conquered with self, for what is good.
I have already emphasised on taking charge of our lives in my earlier post the world is what you like to think it is.
Be like a tree which bears fruit: the more laden with fruit it is, the lower its branches will bend. Become humble and stay humble. And surrender to God. God promises such help. Lord Krishna has declared in the Bhagavad Gita: "Those people who worship Me with un-deviated attention, meditating on Me, of those regular practitioners of the Yoga, I undertake attainment of what one does not have and security of what one has."
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