Mada or Madha means Pride and is the fifth of the Arishadvarga, the set of six enemies.
In Sanskrit, Garva exactly translates to pride. Mada more accurately refers to the incorrigible behavior of someone intoxicated due to an inflated ego, feeling very special and superior about oneself, goes on to disrespect and despise people around without any regard to elders, learned people, their status, etc.
Pride or Vanity is excessive preoccupation with oneself. It is always about "I", "me", "mine" and "myself". Interestingly we notice that the letter "I" is right in the middle of the word "Pride".
Pride is not just feeling good about oneself. It is believing that one is better than everyone around, deserves to possess anything desired, demands extreme respect, behaves arrogantly, brandishes haugtiness and highly disdainful and dismissive of others.
Ancient Indian texts talk about Ashtamada (eight prides). They are
- Anna Mada (pride of food),
- Artha Mada (pride of wealth)
- Tarunya Mada (pride of youth),
- Sthree Mada (pride of women),
- Vidya Mada (pride of learning)
- Kula Mada (pride of rank and family)
- Rupa Mada (pride of beauty and physique)
- Udyoga Mada (pride of professional position, power, contacts and influence)
There are certain cousins of Mada (Pride) which are mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita, 16th chapter, 4th verse. They are Dambha (hypocrisy, pomposity), Darpa (arrogance), Abhimana (false ego) and Paarushyam (harshness, rudeness).
If any of these prides is not respected, then it results in the outburst of Krodha, anger.
Regarding pride, Saint Augustine says, “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels”.
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