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A Mayavadi is someone who sticks to the principle that the form of God is maya or an illusion. The Mayavadis use very sophisticated world jugglery to try to establish their false conclusion. Those who are not learned in the Vedic wisdom can easily be razzle-dazzled or misled by Mayavadi philosophy. Here is a classic example of their philosophy as stated by a popular Mayavadi guru:

I am that Brahman which is bliss, which is eternal, effulgent, all-pervasive, the substratum of names and forms, which is not cognized by the impure intellect, but is cognized by the pure intellect, stainless and boundless. That is to say, when one discards the jiva (individual being) of the form of ahamkara (ego-sense), which is the apparent meaning of the word 'I', what remains merely as the effulgent and conscious Atman (Self), which is the implied meaning of the word 'I', is Brahman. This can also be understood from the following words of Arunagiriar's experience: "After swallowing me who had the form of 'I' (ego), that supreme Being remained as mere Self."

In so many words, in a very sophisticated way, the Mayavadi guru is saying that the individual self is actually God, the Supreme Self, although he may be presently in an illusioned covered state of consciousness in which he thinks himself separate from God. He is saying that the individual sense of I-ness or identity is false, that the only reality is the nameless, formless Supreme Self, the impersonal Brahman. So in a roundabout way he is saying that he is God. This is directly contradicts the words the supreme authority, Lord Sri Krishna, as spoken in the Bhagavad-gita. Krishna clearly states in Chapter 2 that He and all the living entities are eternally existing as individuals in the past, present, and future. The Mayavadi philosophy is that individual identity is false, that the only reality is the impersonal, formless oneness, which they call the Self. By denying Krishna's existence as a person the Mayavadis are the greatest offenders against the Lord. Therefore any gurus who teach this Mayavadi philosophy should be avoided. We should only accept as our guru a Vaisnava, someone who knows and teaches that the Supreme Absolute Truth possesses form and personality. Lord Caitanya said that if we hear from the Mayavadis our spiritual life is doomed. We would do well to carefully follow His Caitanya's advice .



Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Smashing Mayavadi Philosophy
Copenhagen, Denmark--25 September 2011

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Question: Spiritual Perfection Before Initiation?

Even before initiation can a person become a pure devotee of Lord Krishna by sincere chanting, proper listening, reading Vedic scriptures, and loving service to devotees and the spiritual master?

Sunil
 

Answer: All Steps Must Be Completed for Perfection.

The process of becoming a pure devotee consists of nine steps as described by Srila Prabhupada and Srila Rupa Goswami:

1. Faith in the self-realization process
2. Association with devotees
3. Initiation from the bona fide spiritual master
4. Becoming free from bad habits
5. Becoming solidly fixed in Krishna consciousness
6. Developing a taste for the holy name
7. Becoming completely attached to Krishna
8. Awakening spiritual emotions
9. Awakening of pure devotional service.

You are asking me if one can become a pure devotee without taking all the steps required to become a pure devotee. The answer is obviously "no". One must execute the process properly according the guidelines of the great acharyas if he wants to awaken the pure love of God within his heart. Before initiation one can advance to step 2. But if he wants to go all the way to step 9, he cannot avoid taking step 3.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari
 

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