How does letting go of the ego help one on the spiritual path, according to Sai's teachings?

The provided text illustrates a core principle of the spiritual path through the story of Pundalikrao. As explained in Chapter 51, his distress melted away after heeding Sai's words, which helped him overcome his ego. The essence of this story is that the more non-egoistic a person's state is, the more authority they gain in their spiritual journey. This allows them to more easily cross the ocean of existence. Essentially, by shedding pride and ego, one becomes guiltless and progresses more smoothly on the path.