The deluded person declares: 'I am wealthy, I am of noble birth — who is equal to me?' Even religious acts become instruments of vanity. All eight traditions condemn this corruption of spirituality. Shankara warns that sacrifice performed from pride generates bondage rather than merit. Ramanuja teaches that comparing oneself favorably to others reveals alienation from God, in whose presence all souls are equal. Madhva insists that wealth and birth are God's gifts, not grounds for comparison. Abhinavagupta sees this competitive spirituality as the ego co-opting religious practice, reinforcing bondage instead of promoting liberation. Vallabha identifies this as the subtlest form of maya — using devotional activities to feed pride rather than to surrender. In pushti-bhakti, even the simplest offering made with love surpasses the grandest ritual performed from pride. The bhakti tradition sees such spiritual materialism as the final fortress the ego builds against surrender. Tilak criticizes performative religiosity as socially corrosive. Vivekananda strongly condemns competitive charity — helping others to enhance one's reputation is exploitation, not service. True giving is anonymous, unconditional, and rooted in recognizing the divine in all beings.