Spiritual ego.

[Eastern Mind]

Namaste;

lol ... You got to another point I was eventually going to make, but you have made before I did.

Yes, what about the great souls? They have come in many shapes, languages, ways of teaching, and sizes.

Each one that has entered this plane of existence one last time has had the observer or listener be of two varieties: those that think He/She is realised divinity manifest, and those that think He/She is on one huge ego trip. lol Perhaps 3 varieties, those that don't care either way.

And it is my opinion that there are indeed both kinds as well, which makes it even more confusing.

All Gurus have their detractors. Some more than others. My understanding is that each has a svadharma within that realm. Some are here to teach and share, others come to help as silent seers in unseen psychic ways.

Then there are ceremonies to the Gurus, the prostrating to, the carrying in pallaquins, the fear of. All these seem ironic when the Soul is said to be ego-free. So yes, dear Yajvan, its quite the dance.

My own Guru instructed to respect all Gurus within Hinduism you might encounter, and not delve into any questions of authenticity. This is what I try to do, although I admit with this ego-bound mind of mine, at times it is difficult.

Aum Namasivaya

[atanu]

Namaste EM and Yajvan Ji,

The story about Yajnvalkya is close to heart. When, I relate it to my friends, they infer from my animated actions etc. "You must be a Yajnavalkya fan?".

I believe that Ego only sees Ego. From this perspective, I cited the verses of Katha Upanishad to indicate that what we call ego is ignorance only. One who is above the ignorance will not see ego.

Below the stage or experience of Self-realisation, we all have ego. But my question had to do with how we can understand (in practical ways, simple words, not through reading complicated scripture) when we ourselves are acting out of ego rather than a true commitment to seva. This within the realms of character development to further ourselves along the true path.

The following talk between a devotee and guru may clarify:

Devotee: Bhagwan, what is the way out of ignorance?
Guru: Self Realisation
D: What is the greatest impediment to Self Realisation?
Guru: Ignorance of Self.
D: Well, that seems to me to be an endless loop.
-----
About the practical aspect of knowing/judging when one has acted while being in the grip of ignorance, I can say that fear, irritation, anger, restlessness, jealousy and guilt are all symptoms. Also, it must be futile to see ego elsewhere and not see it in oneself. This itself may be the biggest ego trip.

All Gurus have their detractors. Some more than others. My understanding is that each has a svadharma within that realm. Some are here to teach and share, others come to help as silent seers in unseen psychic ways.

Dear EM,

I can only hope that this note is not the result of my questioning 'Spiritual Ego' term? It was not questioning the guru but it was to subject the term to a bit of analysis to get the true meaning and also to highlight that Ego is also spirit like.

Then there are ceremonies to the Gurus, the prostrating to, the carrying in pallaquins, the fear of. All these seem ironic when the Soul is said to be ego-free. So yes, dear Yajvan, its quite the dance.

The individual soul is not free. Its awareness is restricted. If it was same as the Atman, then it would be either of continous awareness or of continuous darkness (as in sleep).

It is just a wave on the ocean, awareness waxing and waning. But the crux is that the awareness is centered in Atman and not in the individual soul. The awareness of "I" is of that which is aware. Soul (called Pradhana in scripture) is not aware on its own. How easy it is to live without the falsity of the "I", conceit, knowing that existence is one big ocean, wherein the "I" is in the heart of it.


Om Namah Shivaya

[bhaktajan]

An accompaning fact to "Intelligence in the mode of Sattva-guna" is "High Self-Esteem".

Let me remind everyone, "Raja-yoga" is taught by Yoga-Teachers of Rajas.

Humility is part of sacrifice ---sacrifice means denying the interest of the senses (and thus, ego too).

Spiritual ego is a subject matter beyond Advaitist by dint of the apex of their philosophical maxims [Conceit is a petty mundane behavior] ---Spiritual ego is the recognition that all material ambitions are not worthy of investing your personal time and energy to. This will alienate superfulous acquaintances and relatives and mates.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté

bhaktajan offers the following:

Humility is part of sacrifice ---sacrifice means denying the interest of the senses (and thus, ego too).

If I may, I'd like to offer a different point of view on this matter, let me share it with the HDF reader.
Yes, I agree humility is part of sacrifice - this comes quite naturally, but let me take it one step further.

Sacrifice = yajña

• yajña is an act of worship or devotion , offering , oblation;
• At times, yajña as a noun is a form of viṣṇu .
• yajña is rooted in yaj यज्. This yaj is to offer, grant

We also find this yaj in one's meditational sādhana. When one transcends all of the relative field of existence then one experiences silence, balance, perfect rest, some wish to call this samādhi ( others may wish to call this samāveśa समावेश ) or absorption into the original position.

This word yajña as found in the act of meditation is without effort to deny but returning (parivṛtti परिवृत्ति); some call this pratiprasava,
to one's natual state. This is called out in Patañjali’s yogadarśana, in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad , and in the great work of Parā-trīśikā Vivaraṇa , authored by Abhinavagupti-ji.

What then is my point? This yajña & jaj - one is giving up freely, there is no 'denying' no effort. There is no strain. Strain in fact stops one from freely giving up (yaj) and therefore makes it contrived.

praṇām

[vcindiana]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~


Sacrifice = yaj�a

• yaj�a is an act of worship or devotion , offering , oblation;
• At times, yaj�a as a noun is a form of viṣṇu .
• yaj�a is rooted in yaj यज्. This yaj is to offer, grant

Hello Yaj: Now I know how your name is derived.

Does "na" mean the study of Yaj ?

What is the concept behind Sacrifice? It appears it is common in all religions. In Jewish way of thinking, it is temple theology where Jews offered animal sacrifice to rid their sins. A while ago I was in Central America and I found Mayan culture was full of sacrifice including Humans. Why the real act of sacrificying oneself ( time and energy ) to a cause became just a symbolic ?

Love...............VC

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté VC

you ask of this ña - when sounded comes from the nasal+palatal ( the palate). How is this applied to yajña? Via this construction yaj+ ña.

yaj यज् is to offer, grant + ña is a singer (masculine form) , a praiser in this application. Hence we can see one form of yajña as a singer of praise.
We find this with the ritvik-s ऋत्विक् or ṛtvij; the priests that officiate at the sacrifice. The yajña-māna is the human performing the sacrifice (hava).

A beautiful word ṛtvij which means sacrificing at the proper time , sacrificing regularly. There are 'classically' 4 ritvik-s hotṛ , adhvaryu , brahman , and udgātṛ . Yet to go further requires much more explanation and typing!

But why did I say this word has beauty? for a few reasons:

• ṛtvij which means sacrificing at the proper time - clearly informs of the proper method, timeliness, skill 'know how' of the ṛtvij, and ;
• ṛtvij is rooted in yaj यज् to offer, grant. So we are once again retun back to the yaj+ña that they officiate over and many times are singing and praising with the mantra-s that are offered.
• Also ṛtu is any settled point of time , fixed time , time appointed for any action. We use this to define the season of the year. Yet within ṛtvij it suggests the yaj+ña is done at the proper time and place (muhurta, place, proper direction , etc)

Last, ( and very important ) it must be said that yajña is the external symbolism ; the agni-hoti is what is to occur internally within the yajña-māna, or person performing the sacrifice (hava).


praṇām

[vcindiana]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namast� VC


praṇām

Thank you .

Do you think sacrifice and Yagna are same ? To me the Yagna you describe is more of ritualistic, it needs proper time, place , person etc.. If some one finds comfort in performing these rituals that is OK.

But the real sacrifice does not wait for proper time, place etc.. By the time it finds it could be too late. If I do not actively go out and console/help a sick person based on my excuse of inauspicious time and place, what good it is, he may be dead then.

Love...VC

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namast�

Do you think sacrifice and Yagna are same ? To me the Yagna you describe is more of ritualistic, it needs proper time, place , person etc.. If some one finds comfort in performing these rituals that is OK.

But the real sacrifice does not wait for proper time, place etc.. By the time it finds it could be too late. If I do not actively go out and console/help a sick person based on my excuse of inauspicious time and place, what good it is, he may be dead then.

Love...VC

As written above

Sacrifice = yaj�a

VC, What doesn't need proper time, place? If given in the proper time it is never too late!

you mention

If I do not actively go out and console/help a sick person based on my excuse of inauspicious time and place, what good it is, he may be dead then

A hypothetical condition where this example mixes other points, conditions - yet it is not a ~sacrifice~. Do not confuse good stewardship for yaj�a.


The wise see this whole universe as the act of yaj�a. You may see giving up one's time to help another as sacrifice, a noble cause.

That is why this subject matter is so subtle, many miss the point.

It cannot be viewed from standard supply and demand thinking. That is, if I 'give' I am 'less' in some way - this is not the case.

Perhaps another time, another post , when the time is right, this will resonate clearly for you.

praṇām

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté

I read this today and thought to post it.
There are ego-s and ego-s. The social ego , that is to say, the ego of social status, authority, etc. is most easily patent and therefore the easiest to eradicate. The intellectual ego is subtler and it requires a great effort to shed it. But the spiritual ego is most difficult to spot for it does not allow itself to be seized; and also most difficult to remove. It is the most dangerous ego leading to a precipitous fall.


but one asks what is ego?
What is called individuality is largely a euphemism for ego. The formation and growth of the ego are inevitable in the development of consciousness. Only the wise man knows how to keep it in bounds.

If one has too much ego he generally receives enough puncturing blows from the surroundings and finds his level. Where that has not been possible, the Divine Himself send the necessary correctives.
This ego is a temporary formation necessary in the course of the Cosmic Labor. Once its utility for the centralization of the various elements of the Being is served, it is mere scaffolding which is to be cast away.


source: Collected works of TV Kapali Śāstri ( śiṣya of Śrī Aurobindo-ji) Volume 2 - The Book of Lights.


praṇām