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Ego (Ahankaar)

Posted by DIVYANSHU SHARMA on May 8, 2016 at 8:05pm in Krishna

Hare Krishna,

How to control ego? Many times I have thoughts that represent ego in me. Though I know that these are egoistic yet I don't know how to destroy these egoistic thoughts. As far are know we can control lust (kaam), anger (krodh), attachment (moha), greed (lobh) and jealousy (irshya) by self control (aatm-sanyam), silence (maun), knowledge (gyan), satisfaction (santosh) and love (prem) respectively. What is for ego (ahankaar/ghamand)?

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Replies

  • Volunteer
    kŗşņa dasa May 11, 2016 at 4:51am

    Hare Krsna,

    My obeisances to all devotees, guru and gauranga.

     

    Ego is an essential part of a soul. It’s the level of consciousness. Ego is the one of the subtle feature of the inferior energy and hence cannot be crushed or eliminated all-together (as pointed out by Rashmi mataji).

     

    Ego is a reference to the sense of individuality. This sense of individuality can be understood to be two things.

    One: Sense of individuality belonging to the Supreme also called TRUE EGO (which we call part and parcel of the Supreme) or

    Two: Sense of individuality being separate to the Supreme also called FALSE EGO.

     

    Ego is the point of contact between the spirit and matter and keeps us tied to repeated births and deaths if not handled properly. The ego makes us believe that we are the doers of our actions and responsible for them. Because of that we engage in desire-ridden actions and desire for their fruit, whereby we incur karma and remain bound to the mortal world.

     

    True ego points towards spiritual consciousness. False ego points towards I am this body, this is mine, I am everything concept. Just like how we try to control the mind, we also have to try to control our ego.

     

    Chant and be happy.

     

    Srila prabhupada ki jai..

     

    Hare krsna

     

  • E-Counselor
    Radha Rasamayi DD May 10, 2016 at 11:20am

    Hare KRsna Prabhuji,

    PAMHO.

    You have asked a very important question. Unlike the others you mentioned, ego is one of the elements whihc constitute the body - therefore it cannot be eliminated at all. What has to be done is to develop the true ego to put down the false ego. The true ego is - I am soul, part and parcel of spirit soul. The false ego is - I am so and so, son of so and so, degree, address, designation, pay packet, husband of so and so, father of so and so.

    Whenever false ego is cropping up, esp if it is related to seva, think - will it please my guru if I behave this way? Then correct your response in line with what will please your guru and what will further the mission of Srila Prabhupada.

    When someone is praising you for any service you did or generally for being a nice person, pls transfer all the good words to your guru and Srila Prabhupada. Do not keep anything for yourself. Keep reminding yourself that you have a BIG ego and it needs to be crushed, not nourished.

    This is the way I manage prabhu. We will see if there are any other responses and learn from them.

    Haribol,

    Your servant,

    Radha Rasamayi DD 

  • 3ruf705dlznca May 9, 2016 at 3:30pm

    Without ego this material universe would not exist.

    SB 11.24.1 — Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Now I shall describe to you the science of Sāṅkhya, which has been perfectly established by ancient authorities. By understanding this science a person can immediately give up the illusion of material duality.
    SB 11.24.2 — Originally, during the Kṛta-yuga, when all men were very expert in spiritual discrimination, and also previous to that, during the period of annihilation, the seer existed alone, nondifferent from the seen object.
    SB 11.24.3 — That one Absolute Truth, remaining free from material dualities and inaccessible to ordinary speech and mind, divided Himself into two categories — the material nature and the living entities who are trying to enjoy the manifestations of that nature.
    SB 11.24.4 — Of these two categories of manifestation, one is material nature, which embodies both the subtle causes and manifest products of matter. The other is the conscious living entity, designated as the enjoyer.
    SB 11.24.5 — When material nature was agitated by My glance, the three material modes — goodness, passion and ignorance — became manifest to fulfill the pending desires of the conditioned souls.
    SB 11.24.6 — From these modes arose the primeval sūtra, along with the mahat-tattva. By the transformation of the mahat-tattva was generated the false ego, the cause of the living entities’ bewilderment.
    SB 11.24.7 — False ego, which is the cause of physical sensation, the senses and the mind, encompasses both spirit and matter and manifests in three varieties: in the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance.
    SB 11.24.8 — From false ego in the mode of ignorance came the subtle physical perceptions, from which the gross elements were generated. From false ego in the mode of passion came the senses, and from false ego in the mode of goodness arose the eleven demigods.
    SB 11.24.9 — Impelled by Me, all these elements combined to function in an orderly fashion and together gave birth to the universal egg, which is My excellent place of residence.
    SB 11.24.10 — I Myself appeared within that egg, which was floating on the causal water, and from My navel arose the universal lotus, the birthplace of self-born Brahmā.
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    Egoistic behavior can be controlled by being humble, soft, tolerant, non offensive and respectful toward everyone.

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