One Problem, Many Solutions

Problems are many and varied, but the person who has the problem is one. What you perceive as ‘i’ is the subject and the experiencer of problems. Vedanta says you have no problems; you are the problem! When we go to sleep, we have no problems. It is only when ‘i’ am there that there are problems.
This 'i' thought is called the ego. In Sanskrit, it is referred to as ‘ahankara’. The word is generally used to denote arrogance or a superiority complex. But the ego has many expressions. The moment a person says ‘I am so-and- so,’ it is the ego that is speaking. ‘i am depressed’, ‘i am elated’, ‘i am brilliant’ -- these are all expressions of the ego.

Ego is a sense of individuality rising from one's identification with something or other. It expresses itself as 'i am a human being,' identification with the species; 'i am fat', identification with the body; 'i am restless’, identification with the mind; 'i am his wife', identification with relationships and so on. This identification is called aham, the sense of ‘i am’.

Because of this sense of limitation, we want to acquire and enjoy more. If i think i have less than others, i feel jealous. If i think i have more than others, arrogance rises. Jealousy, arrogance and depression are all indications of limitedness, and give sorrow.  Thus all our problems boil down to one problem, the problem of our ego.

Ramana Maharshi asks us to enquire, 'Who am I?' Am i the body or the mind? If i am not these, then there is nothing to limit me. On inquiry, when i realise that i am not the limited upadhis or instruments, there is no sorrow. A person who has realised the Self is without ego, without sorrow – totally peaceful. Wrong identification with all these has given me an ego. For example, an actor is given the role of a king. At home, he is not a king, but in the studio, he is ready to play the role. He can remain without his role, but the role cannot be without him.

Karma means action. Actions done without a sense of 'i' help to remove the ego. Ego is of two kinds: the technical ego -- 'i am Ram', 'i am an Indian', or 'i am a man' -- and the problematic ego with the sense of 'i-ness' or individuality. The technical ego is necessary for transacting in the world. The problematic ego is the one that gives us sorrow.

It is important to cultivate the attitude: "You, God, are the doer. I am only your instrument. You are the Lord. I am your servant. I accept everything you give me as prasada." Bondage comes only from the feeling: 'I am the doer', not from the feeling: 'I am an instrument'. If the musician's performance is not good, people blame the musician, not the instrument.

Devotion to God is called bhakti. Total love of God purges our negativities and purifies our mind.  In bhakti, I lose my identity and become a zero before Him. When one becomes the total, there is no sense of duality, no ego, and no sense of limitation. The devotee feels: 'I do not exist. Only God is everywhere.' The sense of individuality gets dissolved. The ego disappears.

Thus our one problem – the ego — can be overcome through karma, bhakti and jnana yogas.