Mayavada Leanings
BY: PRAYAGTIRTHA DAS
Oct 13, AUSTRALIA (SUN) — In regards to Gauragopala's conviction that we have all fallen from Vaikuntha, I would humbly submit that we should regard what is written in Srila Prabhupada's books as primary evidence, as letters and conversations are all subject to time, place and circumstances.
In that regard, Srila Prabhupada made it quite emphatic in Canto 3 and Canto 7 of the Srimad Bhagavatam that no one falls from the abode of the Lord. I would also beg Sripad Narsimha Maharaja to forgive me if I did not ask his permission to post his own statement on this issue in part, as this directly puts Gauragopala and any who subscribe to his convictions in a very dangerous position. I now quote the Maharaja, from his website, www.Gosai.com.
"The theory that one can become illusioned and fall introduces imperfection in the [infallible] spiritual world—this is Mayavada philosophy. It derides the concept of the Lord's perfect abode. It is stated explicitly that the spiritual world is a manifestation of the Lord's internal pleasure potency, svarupa-sakti, the Lord's most powerful potency. [cf section 6f]
Srila Prabhupada states, "It is a most ludicrous argument to say that the Supreme Lord is overpowered by His own material energy." (Bhag. 3.7.9, purp.) This is the conception of the impersonalists who think that a portion of the Lord's svarupa sakti, the Lord's most powerful sakti, can be covered by maya—that maya can cover brahman. Actually, the fall theory is worse than Mayavada for it suggests that not only brahman but Parabrahman may be covered by maya.
It is stated in Bhag. 2.5.13 that mayanever appears in front of the Lord, therefore it is apparent that those who are situated on the front side of the Lord, the pure devotees, are never effected by maya. Are we to suggest that the Lord's internal potency is fallible and imperfect? Many references attest to the invincibility of the Lord's internal potency. That the superior energy of the Lord (svarupa-sakti) can be overwhelmed by the inferior energy of the Lord (maya-sakti) is not supported anywhere by sastra or by any acaryas. Yet, even disregarding the direct statement of the Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.10, that mayacannot enter the spiritual world, this theory [that all jivas in the material world come by falldown from the spiritual world] requires that the eternal associates of Krsna be influenced by mayawhile in the spiritual world, in order for them to become illusioned. For "the living entity cannot be forgetful of his real identity unless influenced by the avidya potency." (Bhag. 3.7.5, purport) Certainly it is considered an imperfection of the spiritual world that one firmly situated under the personal protection of the divine internal potency of the Lord and ecstatically engaged in the Lord's loving transcendental service in "the highest perfectional stage of living conditions," (Bhag. 2.9.10, purport), can fall from that to repeated hellish and degraded lives of birth and death.
Are we to accept that uncountable formerly self-realized living entities, billions is just an acre of countryside, all became envious and fell from the bliss of the Lord's personal association? Perhaps Vaikuntha should then be named Sakuntha, the abode of anxiety.
evam vadanti rajarsersayah ke ca nanvitahyat sva-vaco
virudhyetanunam te na smaranty uta
Such is the account given by some sages, O wise King, but those who speak in this illogical way are contradicting themselves, having forgotten their own previous statements. (Bhag. 10.77.30)"
Humble as grass,
Prayagtirtha das
