THE NATURE OF THE EGO-SELF, Ramana Maharshi

Ego is non-existent, otherwise you would be two instead of one – you the ego and you the Self. You are a single, indivisible whole. (Ramana Maharshi, Guru Ramana.)

The ego or separate soul is a concept. God, the world, the mind, desires, action, sorrow and all other things are all concepts. - Ramana Maharshi

The ego and the mind are the same. The ego is the root-thought from which all other thoughts arise. (Ramana Maharshi, Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi.)

Between spirit and matter, the self and the body, there is born something which is called the Ahamkara , the ego-self, Jiva , the living being. Now what you call your self is this ego-self which is different from the ever-conscious Self and from unconscious matter, but which at the same time partakes of the character of both spirit and matter, Chetana and Jada . (Ramana Maharshi, Sad Darshana Bhashya)

It comes into being equipped with a form, and as long as it retains a form it endures. Having a form, it feeds and grows big. But if you investigate it, this evil spirit, which has no form of its own, relinquishes its grip on form and takes to flight. (Ramana Maharshi, Forty Verses of Reality)

The ego is described as having three bodies, the gross, the subtle and the casual, but that is only for the purposes of analytical exposition. If the method of enquiry were to depend on the ego’s form, you may take it that any enquiry would become altogether impossible, because the forms the ego may assume are legion. Therefore, for purposes of Jnana-vichara, you have to proceed on the basis that the ego has but one form, namely that of Aham-vritti. (Ramana Maharshi, Maharshi's Gospel)

This inert body does not say “I.” Reality-Consciousness does not emerge. Between the two, and limited to the measure of the body, something emerges as “I.” It is this that is known as Chit-Jada-granthi (the knot between the Conscious and the inert), and also as bondage, soul, subtle-body, ego, samsara , mind, and so forth. (Ramana Maharshi, Forty Verses of Reality)

For Him who is immersed in the bliss of the Self, arising from the extinction of the ego, what remains to be accomplished? He is not aware of anything (as) other than the Self. Who can apprehend his State? (Ramana Maharshi, Forty Verses of Reality)

Bhagavad Gita on Anger

1. One develops attachment to sense objects by thinking about sense objects. Desire for sense objects comes from attachment to sense objects, and anger comes from unfulfilled desires. (2.62)
2. Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down (from the right path) when reasoning is destroyed. (2.63)
3. The Supreme Lord said: It is Kaama and anger born of Rajo Guna. Kaama is insatiable and is a great devil. Know this as the enemy. (3.37)
4. Kaama, the passionate desire for all sensual and material pleasures, becomes anger if it is unfulfilled. As the fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror by dust, and as an embryo by the amnion, similarly the Self-knowledge gets obscured by Kaama. (3.38)
5. Freed from attachment, fear, and anger; fully absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, and purified by the fire of Self-knowledge, many have attained Me. (4.10)
6. One who is able to withstand the impulse of lust and anger before death is a yogi, and a happy person. (5.23)
7. A Self-realized person who is free from lust and anger, and who has subdued the mind and senses easily attains nirvana. (5.26)
8. With senses, mind, and intellect under control; having liberation as the prime goal; free from lust, anger, and fear; such a sage is verily liberated. (5.28)
9. Nonviolence, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, equanimity, abstaining from malicious talk, compassion for all creatures, freedom from greed, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness; (16.02)
10. Hypocrisy, arrogance, pride, anger, harshness, and ignorance; these are the marks of those who are born with demonic qualities, O Arjuna. (16.04)
11. Bound by hundreds of ties of desire and enslaved by lust and anger; they strive to obtain wealth by unlawful means for the fulfillment of desires. They think: (16.12)
12. Clinging to egoism, power, arrogance, lust, and anger; these malicious people hate Me (who dwells) in their own body and others' bodies. (16.18)
13. Lust, anger, and greed are the three gates of hell leading to the downfall (or bondage) of Jeeva. Therefore, one must (learn to) give up these three. (16.21)
14. Relinquishing egotism, violence, pride, lust, anger, and desire for possession; free from the notion of "my", and peaceful; one becomes fit for attaining oneness with Brahman. (18.53)

Mother Meditation

Bhakthi

In Bhagavat Purana, in the story of Ambarisha and Durvasa, is this famous statement:

sadhavo hridayam mahyam

sadhunam hridayam tv aham

mad-anyat te na jananti

naham tebhyo manag api

“The pure devotee is always within the core of My heart, and I am always in the heart of the pure devotee. My devotees do not know anything else but Me, and I do not know anyone else but them.” (Bhag. 9.4.68)

Narada Bhakti Sutra says

Saatwasmin parama premaroopA,

Amrutaswaroopa cha

Unconditional intense love devotion to the unborn/undying nature (self) in everyone, everything and everywhere

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto

mad-yaji mam namaskuru

mam evaisyasi satyam te

pratijane priyo 'si me

Anvaya:

man-mana bhava..absorb your mind and heart in Me, mad-bhakto..become My devotee, mad-yaji..offer propitiation to Me, mam namaskuru..give humble obeisance unto Me, eva..surely, esyasi..you will come, mam..to Me, satyam pratijane..I promise this in truth, te..to you, asi..being, priyan..very dear, me..to Me.

Translation:

Absorb your mind and heart in Me, become My devotee, offer propitiation to Me, just give humble obeisance unto Me, and surely you will come to Me. I promise this in truth to you, being very dear to Me.

Bhagavad-Gita, chapter 18, verse 65

 jnanam visuddham paramartham ekam
anantaram tv abahir brahma satyam
pratyak prasantam bhagavac-chabda-samjnam
yad vasudevam kavayo vadanti

Srimad Bhagavatam 5.12.11

TRANSLATION: What, then, is the ultimate truth? The answer is that nondual knowledge is the ultimate truth. It is devoid of the contamination of material qualities. It gives us liberation. It is the one without a second, all-pervading and beyond imagination. The first realization of that knowledge is Brahman. Then Paramatma, the Supersoul, is realized by the yogis who try to see Him without grievance. This is the second stage of realization. Finally, full realization of the same supreme knowledge is realized in the Supreme Person. All learned scholars describe the Supreme Person as Vasudeva, the cause of Brahman, Paramatma and others.

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvam yaj jnanam advayam
brahmeti paramatmeti
bhagavan iti sabdyate
(Bhag. 1.2.11)

From the very beginning, Srimad-Bhagavatam says, satyam param dhimahi: we meditate on the supreme truth. The supreme truth is explained here as jnanam visuddham satyam. The Absolute Truth is devoid of material contamination and is transcendental to the material qualities. It gives all spiritual success and liberation from this material world. That Supreme Absolute Truth is Krishna, Vasudeva. There is no difference between Krishna's inner self and outward body. Krishna is purna, the complete whole. There is no distinction between His body and soul as there is between ours.

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadekshyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
(Bg. 4.34)

TRANSLATION: Try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him respectfully, submissively and whole heartedly and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.

Bhaktha in Bagavad Geeta
Source: http://eawc.evansville.edu/anthology/gita.htm

1. Today I have described the same ancient science to you, because you are my sincere devotee and friend. Karma-yoga is a supreme secret indeed. (4.03)
2. Such (material) gains of these less intelligent human beings are temporary. The worshipers of Devas go to Devas, but My devotees come to Me. (7.23)
3. To those ever steadfast devotees, who always remember or worship Me with single-minded contemplation, I personally take responsibility for their welfare. (9.22)
4. Arjuna, even those devotees who worship demigods with faith, they too worship Me, but in an improper way. (9.23)
5. Worshippers of the demigods go to the demigods, the worshippers of the ancestors go to the ancestors, and the worshippers of the ghosts go to the ghosts, but My devotees come to Me (and are not born again). (See also 8.16) (9.25)
6. Such a person soon becomes righteous and attains everlasting peace. Be aware, O Arjuna, that My devotee never falls down. (9.31)
7. The one who does all works for Me, and to whom I am the supreme goal, who is my devotee, who has no attachment, and is free from enmity towards any being attains Me, O Arjuna. (See also 8.22) (11.55)
8. Arjuna said: Those ever-steadfast devotees (or Bhaktas) who thus worship You (as the manifest or personal God), and those who worship the eternal unmanifest (the formless or impersonal) Brahman (by developing Jnana), which of these has the best knowledge of yoga? (12.01)
9. The Supreme Lord said: Those ever steadfast devotees who worship with supreme faith by fixing their mind on Me as personal God, I consider them to be the best yogis. (See also 6.47) (12.02)
10. The yogi who is ever content, who has subdued the mind, whose resolve is firm, whose mind and intellect are engaged in dwelling upon Me; such a devotee is dear to Me. (12.14)
11. But those devotees who have faith and sincerely try to develop the above mentioned immortal virtues, and set Me as their supreme goal; are very dear to Me. (12.20)
12. Thus the creation as well as the knowledge and the object of knowledge have been briefly described. Understanding this, My devotee attains Me. (13.18)
13. The one who shall propagate this supreme secret philosophy (or the transcendental knowledge of the Gita) amongst My devotees, shall be performing the highest devotional service to Me and shall certainly attain (or come to) Me. (18.68)

Jesus Tested in the Wilderness

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 

6 “If you are the Son of God,”he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands,     so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.

9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.



The Spirit lives in us and guides us in this process. The Gospel of John reminds us that we are in God, "I am in the Father and you are in me and I in you" (John 14:20). The 13th-century Sufi mystic and poet Jelaluddin Rumi wrote: "I have lived on the lip of insanity, wanting to know reasons, knocking on a door. It opens. I've been knocking from the inside." We are already in the grace of God, yet we can be like the fish in the ocean who asks his mother to teach him about the ocean. The mother says, "Everything around you is the ocean." We, like that little fish, find God's presence around us hard to grasp. Sometimes we seek answers separate from ourselves not trusting the voice of God within our experiences and within our own hearts.
Source(s): http://www.vocationnetwork.org/articles/show/46

Jesus as one person with two natures
GOD	MAN
He is worshiped (Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33; 28:9) He is prayed to (Acts 7:59; 1 Cor. 1:1-2) He was called God (John 20:28; Heb. 1:8) He was called Son of God (Mark 1:1) He is sinless (1 Pet. 2:22; Heb. 4:15) He knew all things (John 21:17) He gives eternal life (John 10:28) The fullness of deity dwells in Him (Col. 2:9)	He worshiped the Father (John 17) He prayed to the Father (John 17:1) He was called man (Mark 15:39; John 19:5). He was called Son of Man (John 9:35-37) He was tempted (Matt. 4:1) He grew in wisdom (Luke 2:52) He died (Rom. 5:8) He has a body of flesh and bones (Luke 24:39)

http://carm.org/god-cannot-be-tempted-jesus-was-tempted