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We all have a very big false ego. In one way or another it comes out. This is actually the biggest obstacle for going back home to Godhead: our big fat false ego. And it sits on top of us. It say, I am not moving from here. So what is the medicine against this ego? That is the main question, because with that false ego we won’t get into the spiritual world. You know, there are different coverings of the universe. And each covering is ten times wider than the previous one. So that means the false ego is ten times bigger than the covering of the intelligence, which is ten times more than the covering of the mind, which is ten times bigger than the covering of ether, which is ten times bigger than the covering of air, and like that. So it is even difficult to calculate how big this false ego is. It is so big. And you cannot go to the spiritual world if you cannot cross beyond it. That is the point.
And the false ego takes any shape. You may say, I’m a man. I’m better than the women. And the women will go: “Who is this man anyway? They all come from our womb.” You may have a male false ego or a female false ego. But it is all false ego. As long as you think, I’m a man or I’m a woman, that is false ego. This is very big. The male-female false ego, one of the major problems of this world. And what’s the solution? The “I am the servant” idea. If I understand myself to be a servant: no problem.
Then you have the other false ego. I’m rich. Or you think: “I’m poor”. But both are false ego. You are not rich and you are not poor. This is only temporary, external appearance. As soon as you say, I am, you can be sure it is some false ego coming. Unless you say, I am an eternal servant of Krsna, and you only act that way.
But in the beginning, even the devotees, they have a false ego. I’m a devotee. I am better than everybody else. That’s also false ego. The false ego can come into you because I’m brahmacari. Oh, I am practicing celibacy. So I am very high. That is another false ego. Another person say, I’m a temple president. Wow, everybody comes to me and says: “Jay, Maharaja!” Now my ego can really fly. Before long nobody can say anything to me. Now I’m trying to practice spiritual life, I’m getting so much honor. And that honor is driving me mad. Even physically you can see that. When you are in this material world, nobody looks at you. You are very timid. Fearful. If you want to relate to some member of the opposite sex, you can hardly talk. You start stuttering. And like this everything is so complicated. But then, when you’re a temple president, and you are doing nice preaching, then the matajis are coming: “Prabhu, can I serve you?” Before that they don’t look at you, and now they are asking “Can I serve you?”
So when you want to leave this material world, many mayas come to tie you down. Maya will put so many tests to you to see if you are really interested in devotion. Maya will send money, the opposite sex, and fame. And if you become puffed up, then you will have big problems. The big false ego. What is the medicine against that? Let’s hear your opinion, What is the medicine against the big, fat false ego?
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