ego, false
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Imported quote 14239 It is herein described that King Puranjana once went to the forest to kill animals. This means that he, the living entity, came under the influence of the mode of ignorance. The forest in which King Puranjana engaged in hunting was named Panca-prastha. The word panca means five, and this indicates the objects of the five senses. The body has five working senses, namely, the hands, the legs, the tongue, the rectum and the genitals. By taking full advantage of these working senses, the body enjoys material life. The chariot is driven by five horses, which represent the five sense organs-namely the eyes, ears, nose, skin and tongue. These sense organs are very easily attracted by the sense objects. Consequently the horses are described as moving swiftly. On the chariot King Puranjana kept two explosive weapons, which may be compared to ahahkara, or false ego. This false ego is typified by two attitudes: "I am this body" (ahanta), and "Everything in my bodily relationships belongs to me" (mamata).
(More...) My dear King, the false ego of a human being is so strong that it keeps him in material existence as if tied up by a strong rope. There is another evidence in the Fourth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, 22nd Chapter, 37th verse, wherein Sanat-kumara says, "My dear King, the false ego of a human being is so strong that it keeps him in material existence as if tied up by a strong rope. Only the devotees can cut off the knot of this strong rope very easily, by engaging themselves in Krsna consciousness. Others, who are not in Krsna consciousness but are trying to become great mystics or great ritual-performers, cannot advance like the devotees. Therefore, it is the duty of everyone to engage himself in the activities of Krsna consciousness in order to be freed from the tight knot of false ego and engagement in material activities."
(More...) This tight knot of false ego is due to ignorance. As long as one is ignorant about his identification, he is sure to act wrongly and thereby become entangled in material contamination. This ignorance of factual knowledge can also be dissipated by Krsna consciousness, as is confirmed in the Padma Purana as follows: "Pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness is the highest enlightenment, and when such enlightenment is there, it is just like a blazing forest fire, killing all the inauspicious snakes of desire." The example is being given in this connection that when there is a forest fire the extensive blazing automatically kills all the snakes in the forest. There are many, many snakes on the ground of the forest, and when a fire takes place, it burns the dried foliage, and the snakes are immediately attacked. Animals who have four legs can flee from the fire or can at least try to flee, but the snakes are immediately killed. Similarly, the blazing fire of Krsna consciousness is so strong that the snakes of ignorance are immediately killed.
(More...) When a living entity forgets the constitutional nature of his relationship with God, he is at once overwhelmed by the external energy. This is the cause of his false ego In this connection the Lord recites a nice verse from Srimad Bhagwatam [11.2.37], taken from the instruction of Narada Muni to Vasudeva, the father of Krishna. In this quotation from the nine sages who were instructing Maharaj Nemi, it is stated that forgetfulness of the relationship with Krishna is called Maya. Actually, Maya means "that which is not." It has no existence. Therefore, that the living entity has no connection with the Supreme Lord is a false conception. He may not believe in the existence of God, or he may think he has no relationship with God, but these are all "illusions," or Maya. Due to his absorption in this false conception of life, man is always fearful and full of anxieties. In other words, a Godless concept of life is Maya; and, therefore, one who is actually learned in the Vedic literature surrenders unto the Supreme Lord with great devotion, and accepts Him as the Supreme Goal. When a living entity becomes forgetful of the constitutional nature of his relationship with God, then he is at once overwhelmed by the external energy, and this is the cause of his false ego, identifying his body as himself His whole conception of the material Universe is due to this false conception of the body. He becomes attached to this body, and to the by-products of this body. To escape this entanglement he has simply to perform his duty-to surrender unto the Supreme Lord with intelligence, with devotion, and with sincere Krishna Consciousness.
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