Never mind even if actions are criticised by people or earn the wrath of society. In the end, such actions always cause beneficial results to people as it is aimed at the welfare of the world. Such actions also lead to our salvation as they are based on values. Those who are characterised by true knowledge never believe in what ignorant people tell them.
But even if he is criticised, an enlightened person is rarely provoked. Hence, it is crisis situations that ultimately lead a man to spiritual progress. But on the other hand, a common man is always dominated by mundane affairs. “Shall I do this?” “What if I don’t do it?” and other questions torment him. Karma also unfolds itself through crisis situations. But to grasp this, a man should be enlightened. Truth and righteousness are the laws of God. There is no place for self-centredness here.
Ego is a reflection of a state of mind. Since it is all powerful and commands total adherence, it reigns supreme and controls life. Anybody who comes under the spell of the ego loses his peace and the opportunity to enjoy the divine happiness that can be experienced in the presence of God. He is stepped in grief and sorrow and diseases slowly take a toll on him, and he accumulates more Karma. But someone who revels in his ego pampers it by short-lived victories and by living in a state of illusion. Such a person, though engulfed by sorrows, miseries, and grief, remains adamant and arrogant, which isolates him from others. But nevertheless, he is consumed by the passion to accomplish a particular task, which is the sure sign of an insatiable ego. In other words, ego is an illusion in which a man lives under the false impressions of power and superiority. It is the equivalent of evil and anybody who is possessed by it veer away from sanity. Enlightenment has to dawn upon such a person for him to free himself from the shackles of ego.
A person characterised by an inflated ego tries to stop whatever he is doing and seeks refuge in escapism. This is another sign that testifies that someone is indeed consumed by his ego. For, a wise person never abandons whatever he is doing halfway. Since enlightenment has dawned on him, his mind accepts wisdom and he never abandons work.
Ego often goads a man towards falsehood. Such a man makes comparisons between himself, his work, and his state of mind. He stops whatever he is doing midway and engages in things that go against established principles. This is another sign of being possessed by the ego.
The article has been taken from the book ‘Touch Stone’ by Gurumatha Amma