What are the core/root traits in narcissism from a psychoanalytical approach?

Because when I look at the superficial symptoms of narcissism:

https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1519417-overview?form=fpf

the root trait that may explain all those 9 superficial symptoms (listed above) that immediately jumps out to me is low self-esteem. All of those traits would be compatible as defense mechanisms for someone with low self-esteem. It appears to me that when the individual is unable to handle low self-esteem, this can cause cognitive dissonance, and in response, if they cannot handle this cognitive dissonance, they develop a defense mechanism of narcissism, which is manifested as some of the superficial symptoms listed above.

So for this reason, I disagree with the DSM (and find it a bizarre that they don't mention low self-esteem) when it implies that the 3 core root traits of narcissism are "a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), a constant need for admiration, and a lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by the presence of at least 5 of the following 9 criteria..."

This is because "a pervasive pattern of grandiosity" does not appear to be a core trait, it appears to be a superficial symptom. Same with "constant need for admiration". "Lack of empathy" is debated (read on). All 3 of these symptoms tend to be defense mechanisms that spawn from the root/core trait of low self-esteem, though it is debatable whether "lack of empathy" could also be a core/root trait itself (read on).

It is not letting me post because it is saying the post is too long, so I wrote the rest of my OP in a comment.. please see my comment that starts with "2ND HALF OF OP CONTINUE HERE:"