HOW TO CONQUER THE EGO

If one ponders over this word ' I , trying to track it down, one sees that it is only a word which denotes egotism. But it is extremely difficult to shake it off. So one must say, " You wicked 'I, if you will not go by any means, remain as the servant of God. The ego that feels itself to be the servant of God is called the ' ripe I .

Sankaracharya had a disciple who had been serving him for a long time but was not still given any instruction by him. Once, while seated alone, Sankara heard the footsteps of someone coming behind. So he called out, Who is there ? The disciple answered, " It is I. The Acharya thereupon said, " If this T is so dear to you, then either expand it to infinity (i.e., know the universe as yourself), or renounce it altogether."

If you find that you cannot drive off this feeling of I , then let it remain as the servant I . There is not much to fear from the ego which is centered in the thought, " I am the servant of God; I am His devotee." Sweets cause dyspepsia, but not sugar candy which is an exception The 'servant I', the ' I' of a devotee, the ' I ' of a child— each of these is like a line drawn with a stick on the surface of water. I' does not last long.

Just as sugar candy has no unwholesome effect like other sweets, so also the ' ripe' ego which considers itself to be the servant or worshipper of God causes none of those evil consequences characteristic of the unripe ego. On the other hand it leads to God, and signifies that one has progressed in Bhakti Yoga or the path of devotion.

What is the nature of the feelings and impulses of one who has the attitude of the servant I ? If his-conviction is true and sincere, then there remains only the forms, the appearance, of his former feelings and impulses. Even if the ego of the servant or the ego of the devotee remains, one who has realised God can hurt none. The whole sting of individuality vanishes from him. The sword becomes gold by a touch of the philosopher's stone. It retains its former shape, but can no longer hurt any one.

If you feel proud, let it be in the thought that you are the servant of God, the son of God. Great men have the nature of children. They are always children before Him; so they are free from pride. All their strength is of God, and not their own. It belongs to Him and comes from Him.

A person who is convinced that everything is clone by the will of God, feels himself to be a mere tool in His hands. He is then free from all bondage even in this very life. " Thou doest Thy work, Lord ; but man says, I do it' ! "

As long as one says, " I know " or " I do not know ", one looks upon oneself as a person. My Divine Mother says : It is only when I have effaced the whole of this Aham (I-ness) in you, that the Undifferentiated Absolute (My impersonal aspect) can be realised in Samadhi." Till then there is the ' I in me and before me.

After a process of severe struggle with one s lower nature and the assiduous practice of spiritual discipline leading to Self-knowledge, one attains the state of Samadhi. Then the ego with all its train vanishes. But it is very difficult to attain Samadhi; the ego is very persistent. That is why we are born again and again in this world.

So long as one is not blessed with the vision Divine, so long as the touch of the philosopher s stone has not transmuted the base metal in one into gold, there will be the illusive feeling: 'I am the doer . And until this illusion ceases, there will persist the idea that gives the sense of distinction between ' I have done this good work ', and I have done that bad work . Maya means this sense of distinction, and it is because of it that the world continues. One reaches Him if one takes refuge in Vidya Maya —that aspect of Divine Power having the preponderance of Sattva—which leads one by the right path. He alone crosses the ocean of Maya, who comes face to face with God—realises Him. A man is truly free, even here in this embodied state, if he knows that God is the true agent and he by himself is powerless to do anything.