Pride doesn’t just come before a fall; pride brings the fall — we will be blasted for the very things about which we boasted.

In life, we occasionally find ourselves in fortunate circumstances where our abilities meet our opportunities. This confluence allows us to accomplish remarkable and memorable things. These achievements often become sources of pride.

If pride is centered on appreciating our ability to stay composed and perform under pressure, it can be constructive. However, if pride blinds us to the many factors beyond our control that contributed to our success and makes us believe we alone are responsible, it becomes a dangerous delusion. This kind of pride doesn’t merely foreshadow a fall; it triggers the fall.

How pride leads to a fall

When we achieve success, the Bhagavad Gita (16.4) warns us against pride, labeling it a hallmark of a demoniac nature. Pride often convinces us that external factors—such as favorable circumstances, the support of others, or divine grace—played no role in our success. This delusion sets the stage for downfall because:

  1. Circumstances change: Sooner or later, the factors that once worked in our favor may stop doing so, or even start working against us. Even with our best efforts, we may fail.
  2. Bitterness takes over: If repeated failures occur, pride prevents introspection and learning. Instead, we grow bitter—either at the world for being unfair or at ourselves for falling short. This bitterness can sabotage our ability to perform even when circumstances improve.
  3. Public backlash: The very people who once glorified us may now blast us. The very things about which we boasted will come back to haunt us. Our prideful statements, once perceived as confidence, will now seem like arrogance brought low.

The cure for pride

While the fall can be painful, it can also be instructive. Guided introspection, aided by the Bhagavad Gita’s wisdom on karma, can help us recognize that success is never solely our doing. Many factors beyond our control work under God’s jurisdiction to shape outcomes. Acknowledging these truths can cultivate humility, allowing us to pick ourselves up from failure.

However, it is far better to develop voluntary humility before pride causes a fall than to be forced into humility afterward. By giving credit to external factors, including divine grace, we can prevent pride from taking root.

Summary

  • Pride blinds us to the reality of factors beyond our control that contribute to success, fostering the delusion of sole doership. This delusion not only precedes a fall but causes it.
  • A fall often leads to bitterness and underperformance, causing us to be blasted for the very things about which we boasted.
  • Cultivating voluntary humility by recognizing the role of external factors and divine grace can protect us from the fall that pride inevitably brings.

Think it over

  • How can pride blind us and lead to a fall?
  • How might we be blasted for and by the very things about which we boasted?
  • What steps can we take to protect ourselves from the fall that accompanies pride?

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16.04 Pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness and ignorance – these qualities belong to those of demoniac nature, O son of Pṛthā.