Sacrificing ego is a tool for attaining Yoga. It is the means to attain Yoga siddhi (enlightenment). How is this possible?
Once, Vishnu called Sudarshana chakra and told him that it is only because of him that he is able to win over the demons. It is a wonderful story which is being told to you subtly. By listening to the words of Vishnu, we may feel that he is saying so jovially. But, Sudarshana did not feel so. He instead felt very happy listening to Vishnu. He felt greatly rewarded. He felt happy internally because of his ego. The result of that is that he was curse-stricken and had to be born on Earth. The moment Sudrashana thought he was great, he got the curse.
We get a doubt here. How come Sudarshana did not have the intelligence that we have? Why did he become so? If he did not possess that intelligence, how could he serve Vishnu in Vaikuntha? In fact, Sudarshana was very great. He is superior to everyone else in both muscle power and brain power. He is such a great saint. He is utmost devoted to Sree Hari. He is one of the greatest devotees of Sree Hari. But at that moment, succumbing to ego, he made a mistake.
Sometimes, ego comes to us unknowingly. Why should we get such ego only at that moment? We get such doubt. To understand that, we must know how ego is born. In this world, it seems as if many works are done because of you. When all such great deeds go on successfully, your belief that you are the reason behind it will become stronger. It might happen sometimes too. But, you are becoming egoistic.
In fact, all the works happen automatically as part of God’s divine and magnificent plan. You are just a tool in his hands for getting the works done. This is God’s miracle and not your greatness. Even though we study about these things from the scriptures, we forget at the moment and get the feeling of ‘I’ ness which is nothing but ego. As a result, you are attaching the unnecessary doership which you do not need. Hence, the good and bad associated with such works bind you. Your journey will go downwards.
Hence, it is said that egoism will accrue sin and it will ruin you. This ego will envelop you which will block your ability to think. That is why; the mistakes that others can identify clearly cannot be identified by you even slightly. The mind is covered with the fog called ego. Your bad traits do not appear to you even though they are like a big heap.
To come out of this danger, there is one and only one solution. You must come out of the feeling that all the works are done because of you. You must practice this and stabilize this feeling. Once it is attained, ego will never ever come to your mind at any moment. Let us remember this.