Answer
No. The idea that ego itself is bad comes from Mayavada philosophy. According to Vaishnava philosophy, the soul possesses an eternal ego or identity. The soul's real ego is: "I am an eternal servant of Krishna."
At present, that pure ego is covered. The same sense of "I" that belongs to the soul is now empowering a false identity: "I am independent. I am this body." This is called false ego.
In Vaishnava philosophy, pure ego, pure love, and pure individuality all eternally exist. In conditioned life, they appear only as distorted reflections.
Krishna Himself possesses the supreme and perfect ego. If one accepts Krishna's teachings in the Bhagavad-gita as perfect knowledge, then one must also accept that Krishna speaks as the Supreme Person. His statements are not expressions of false ego but of supreme truth.
Impersonalists have difficulty explaining this. Therefore, when Krishna says, "Surrender unto Me," they interpret it to mean surrender not to the personal form standing before Arjuna, but to some impersonal, formless reality behind Krishna.
According to them, Krishna's form is temporary or material. But Vaishnavas understand that Krishna's form is eternal and under the influence of Yoga-maya. Therefore, when Krishna says, "Surrender unto Me," He literally means surrender unto His eternal personal form.
This is one of the major philosophical differences between Vaishnavism and impersonalism. Both agree that spirit exists, but they differ completely regarding the nature of the soul, God, individuality, and love.
Maha-maya covers the soul's real ego and causes the living entity to identify with a false ego. Consider the example of a bright white light shining through a lion-shaped colored mask. The light itself is pure, but when it passes through the mask, it appears as a lion.
Similarly, false ego is like a mask created from subtle material energy. The soul's real sense of identity shines through that mask and becomes distorted.
Suppose you are the torch and stand before a mirror while the lion mask covers the light. Looking at the reflection, you may say, "I am a lion." In the same way, the soul presently says, "I am this body."
The "I" is real, but the identification is mistaken.
Self-realization means removing the false covering and rediscovering one's true identity:
"I am the eternal servant of Krishna."
Ultimately, the soul realizes:
"I am a lover of Krishna, and Krishna is my eternal Lord."
