Philosophy of Mayavadis or Impersonalists: Advaita or Kewaladvaita. Advaita is derived from two words ‘A’ (not) and ‘Dwaita’ (two). So, it means not two. They say that there is nothing but only spiritual effulgence (brahman or impersonal formless feature). They follow principle of ‘aham brahasmi’ or I am Brahman, and ‘sarvavam khalvidam brahman’ or all made by Brahman is Brahman. Their object of meditation is effulgence (basically light).
Srila Prabhupada clearly tells that if you meditate on nothing, how can you say something about that nothing!!! So as he says, it is a bogus philosophy.
Srila Prabhupada and all our predecessor acharyas in Gaudiya Sampradaya preached very strongly against Mayavada and Shunyavada, and they very clearly declared that anybody desiring to read Mayavada philosophy or appreciating it is nothing but insane.
The Mayavadis believe God to be (maya) imaginary and Krishna’s activities to be nothing but sentimental and speculative. These are such view points that a devotee won’t even want to hear remotely.
Sri Adi Shankarachaya who is Lord Shiva (as mentioned in Padma Purana), appeared on earth to bring Buddhism (who were meditating on shunya or zero or voidism) into the purview of Vedas as people then were being attracted by shunyavadi or voidism thoughts of Buddhism (where they meditate on nothing).
So, he appeared to bring them under Vedas by aligning subtly with their thoughts and meditating on Krishna’s spiritual effulgence (brahman). All this was eventually to bring them to point that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that you were worshipping in wrong way! It is evident in the fact how Shankaracharya glorifies Krishna in his Jagannathastakam prayers!
kadacit kalindi tata vipina sangita ta ralo
mudabhiri nari vadana kamalasvada madhupah
(First two sentences of first verse of Jagannathastakam prayers by Adi Shankaracharya)Meaning: Lord Jagganath, the Lord of Universe or Krishna, in a great ecstasy & bliss, plays a melodious tune on his flute in the groves of Vrindavan right beside banks of Yamuna. Like a bumblebee, He enjoys the face of cowherd girls of Vrindavan!
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The above verse is composed by Adi Shankaracharya. He glorifies Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as well as describes to the fullest extent about the sweet relish of Krishna’s Vrindavan pastimes! Srila Prabhupada tells that Shankaracharya is actually a covered personalist who taught impersonalism just to bring Buddhist’s to Vedic scope, and eventually guide them to Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada says that even Mahabhagavat (pure) devotees can fall down by listening to siddhanta (philosophy) of Mayavadis as they present it with jugglery and trickery of words, and hence opposed it fiercely and violently. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada was termed ‘Lion Guru’ as he preached fiercely against Mayavada.
Uddhav Gopi Sanvad is a very important pastime arranged by Krishna to bring Uddhav Ji, his cousin who was an impersonalist, back to unalloyed bhakti, as taught to Uddhav Ji by the Gopis. Read the beautiful pastime of Uddhav Gopi Sanvad here.
Jai Jai Shri Radhe!
Hare Krishna!