Ego is self-consciousness. It is a part of your subtle body which constitutes your inner personality. When you consider yourself distinct and separate from others, you are said to be “egoistic”. As long as you have an ego your mind will be disturbed. You will be under stress. Reduce your ego, you become free from mental agitation. Ego manifests in three distinct ways: (a) I am supreme (b) I alone exist (c) I-am-the-doer.
In the first instance, a person develops an exaggerated opinion that he is supreme. He believes himself superior to one and all. He has no regard or respect for others’ knowledge and experience. He becomes intoxicated with an egoistic feeling that he excels everyone in everything. That none can equal, much less surpass him. Extreme pride and vanity consume any trace of mental peace within him. Such a person’s mind will ever be disturbed.
The second phase of ego manifests as one develops a feeling ‘I alone exist’. An aspect of ego which makes a person consider himself all-important and that everyone around is meant only to serve him. He lives selfishly centering every interest towards his own welfare. He scarce recognizes the existence of others around him. Could not care less as to what happens to them as long as his own interests are catered to. Such a gross, selfish and self-centered attitude produces mental agitation and suffering. In the entire world you will not find a selfish, self-centered person peaceful and happy. Conversely, you will never find an unselfish person mentally agitated and unhappy.
Ego also appears as the feeling ‘I-am-the-doer.’ A person with this egoistic concept takes his duties as a burden upon his shoulders. He slips into the feeling, ‘I have to do them all. They are my responsibilities.’ The I sticks out more than his work. He becomes attached and excited about his obligations to the world. He hurries and worries about his work. You must not fall prey to these surface emotions and excitements. Your foremost obligation in life should be to merely do whatever you ought to do. That is the beginning and end of all your obligations. You need not brood over or worry about your self-created duties and responsibilities. Your real duty in life is to keep yourself mentally self-sufficient, self-poised and self-pleased.
A Parthasarathy
Splendour, July 2009
