In Chapter 21, Poem 4 of Attar's Mokhtar Nameh, the poet explores the insurmountable obstacle posed by the carnal self (referred to as the 'dog-like self' or nafs-e sag). Despite the spiritual seeker's intense desire to advance on the mystical path, the persistent base instincts of the ego continually hold them back. Furthermore, Attar emphasizes that any attempt to traverse the spiritual journey relying on one's own selfhood (ego-driven effort) inevitably leads to falling further behind, illustrating the necessity of transcending the self to make true spiritual progress.