We Live Microscopic Lives and the Macrocosmic Folly of Egotism
How do we overcome our egos to inhabit our brief moments fully?
In Hindi, a poignant phrase encapsulates one of life’s great paradoxes—“Zindagi jhandwa phir bhi ghamandwa.” A renowned film actor recited this.
Let me take a deep dive into this.
Translated, it means “our life is small, yet we live with ego.” These nine simple words carry a powerful truth about the human condition.
Our lives are microscopic specks when viewed against the vastness of the universe and the epochs that came before us and will follow long after we are gone.
Yet, despite our diminutive existence, we often live consumed by our egos—fixated on trivialities, absorbed by pettiness, and stubbornly clinging to our beliefs, desires, and self-perceived importance.
The ego manifests as arrogance, conceit, jealousy, and a hunger to dominate and diminish others.