The Māyāvādīs Are Trying to Become God, But That is Impossible
Śrīla Prabhupāda exposes the core defect of the Māyāvādī philosophy: the envious and impossible desire to become the Supreme Lord. Although they may perform severe penances and engage in rigorous philosophical speculation, their ultimate goal is tainted by the deepest material disease—the desire to usurp the position of the supreme enjoyer. Because they deny the eternal, transcendental form of the Lord and misunderstand His multifarious energies, their attempts at spiritual realization ultimately fail, keeping them bound by the very illusion they seek to escape.
The Illusion of Becoming God
The ultimate goal of the Māyāvādīs is an impossible fantasy born of material contamination. Śrīla Prabhupāda makes the reality very simple: the Māyāvādīs are trying to become God, but that is impossible. Let them try to become godly. Godly means "servant of God." That will make them perfect. Instead of adopting this humble position, they remain infected by the desire to dominate. Although the Māyāvādīs have undergone penances, austerities—very strictly they follow the principles of spiritual life—but because they are under māyā, at the end they are thinking that "I am God, Puruṣa," the same disease, puruṣa. This false prestige blinds them to their actual subordinate position; even the Māyāvādī impersonalists who flatter themselves and believe that they have become the Lord themselves are not abhijñaḥ or svarāṭ, fully cognizant or fully independent. The Māyāvādī monists undergo a severe process of austerity and penance, yet completely miss the actual goal of self-realization.
- The Mayavadis are trying to become God, but that is impossible. Let them try to become godly. Godly means "servant of God." That will make them perfect.
- Although the Mayavadis have undergone penances, austerities - very strictly they follow the principles of spiritual life - but because they are under maya, at the end they are thinking that "I am God, Purusa," the same disease, purusa.
- Even the Mayavadi impersonalists who flatter themselves and believe that they have become the Lord themselves are not abhijnah or svarat, fully cognizant or fully independent. The Mayavadi monists undergo a severe process of austerity and penance.
Denying the Lord's Form and Energies
Unable to comprehend the Absolute Truth beyond their limited experience, Māyāvādī philosophers reject the Lord's personal form and energies. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Māyāvādīs do not actually believe in the form of the Lord, but for the sake of worship they imagine some form to be God. Generally they imagine a form of Viṣṇu, a form of Śiva, and forms of Gaṇeśa, the sun-god and Durgā. This is called pañcopāsanā. By rejecting the absolute nature of the Lord's form, their philosophy becomes shallow. In their philosophical discussions the Māyāvādīs deny the existence of the Supreme Lord's multifarious energies. Such sub-standard debates are indeed on the kindergarten level. Because they rely on mundane speculation, Māyāvāda philosophy cannot trace the energy of the Supreme Lord back to its source, but all Vedic literatures give evidence of the Supreme Lord's various energetic manifestations. Ultimately, the Māyāvādī cannot think beyond this material experience, and thus he denies the Lord's ability to sleep within the water.
- The Mayavadis do not actually believe in the form of the Lord, but for the sake of worship they imagine some form to be God. Generally they imagine a form of Visnu, a form of Siva, and forms of Ganesa, the sun-god and Durga. This is called pancopasana.
- In their philosophical discussions the Mayavadis deny the existence of the Supreme Lord's multifarious energies. Such sub-standard debates are indeed on the kindergarten level.
- Mayavada philosophy cannot trace the energy of the Supreme Lord back to its source, but all Vedic literatures give evidence of the Supreme Lord's various energetic manifestations.
- The Mayavadi cannot think beyond this material experience, and thus he denies the Lord's ability to sleep within the water.
Misunderstanding the Lord's Appearance
Due to their envy, Māyāvādīs mistakenly conclude that when the Supreme Lord descends, He is forced by material nature. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that the Māyāvādī philosophers accept the all-pervading feature of Parabrahman, but when Parabrahman, or the Supreme Lord, appears, they think that He appears under the control of material nature. This offensive mentality extends to the Deity worship and the scriptures: Māyāvādīs and atheists accept the forms of the Deities in the temple of the Lord as idols, but devotees do not worship idols. They directly worship the Personality of Godhead in His arcā incarnation. Similarly, the Māyāvādīs accept the description of the pastimes of the Lord as stories, but actually they are not stories; they are historical facts. Because they continuously minimize the Supreme Lord, although the Lord is described and accepted by great personalities, ācāryas and sages, the Māyāvādīs still do not appreciate Him.
- The Mayavadi philosophers accept the all-pervading feature of Parabrahman, but when Parabrahman, or the Supreme Lord, appears, they think that He appears under the control of material nature.
- Mayavadis and atheists accept the forms of the Deities in the temple of the Lord as idols, but devotees do not worship idols. They directly worship the Personality of Godhead in His arca incarnation.
- The Mayavadis accept the description of the pastimes of the Lord as stories, but actually they are not stories; they are historical facts.
- Although the Lord is described and accepted by great personalities, acaryas and sages, the Mayavadis still do not appreciate Him.
Envy and Selective Reading
To support their concocted theories, Māyāvādīs avoid authentic Vaiṣṇava literatures and selectively study texts that flatter their false ego. They completely avoid the pure devotional commentaries; the reason (the Māyāvādī Vedāntists read only one commentary named Śarīraka-bhāṣya but not Vaiṣṇava Vedānta-bhāṣyas) is that they want to read something that will confirm their illusion that they are God. This deep-seated jealousy bars them from the highest truths. The envious Māyāvādī cannot have access to the Bhāgavatam, but those who are really anxious to get out of this material existence may take shelter of this Bhāgavatam because it is uttered by the liberated Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Ultimately, the Māyāvādīs are envious of the Personality of Godhead despite Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya's admission that Nārāyaṇa, the Personality of Godhead, is above the material creation.
- The reason (the Mayavadi Vedantists read only one commentary named Sariraka-bhasya but not Vaisnava Vedanta-bhasyas) is that they want to read something that will confirm their illusion that they are God.
- The envious Mayavadi cannot have access to the Bhagavatam, but those who are really anxious to get out of this material existence may take shelter of this Bhagavatam because it is uttered by the liberated Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.
- The Mayavadis are envious of the Personality of Godhead despite Sripada Sankaracarya's admission that Narayana, the Personality of Godhead, is above the material creation.
- The Mayavadis, who are not in agreement with the existence of the Lord, can be classified in two groups, exemplified by the impersonalist Sankarites of Varanasi and the Buddhists of Saranatha.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda thoroughly defeats the illusion of the Māyāvādī philosophy, exposing it as a thinly veiled attempt by the conditioned soul to usurp the position of God. Because their foundational motive is rooted in envy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, their severe austerities and philosophical speculations ultimately yield no spiritual fruit. By denying the Lord's eternal, transcendental form, His multifarious energies, and His divine pastimes, the Māyāvādīs trap themselves in a kindergarten-level understanding of the Absolute Truth. True liberation is never achieved by trying to merge into the Lord's existence or by imagining oneself to be the Supreme. Instead, as Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes, the only path to genuine perfection is to abandon the false prestige of becoming God, and to humbly accept one's eternal position as His loving servant.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category God and Mayavadis. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.