Don’t associate with Mayavadis – what does this mean practically?
How do we properly understand this issue?
First of all, many of the people we might label as Mayavadis don’t actually know what Mayavada truly is. A more accurate way of describing their stance is that they are under the influence of Mayavada philosophy—they are not necessarily Mayavadis themselves.
Often, spiritual seekers come across books or talks that present the idea that the ultimate reality is a kind of impersonal light, and merging into that light is the highest goal. To them, this feels universal, non-sectarian, and appealing—especially when contrasted with worshiping a particular deity or form. But I wouldn’t even call such people impersonalists in the strict sense. A more precise term would be non-personalists. They are not rejecting the personality of Krishna; rather, they simply don’t understand how His personality is transcendental.
Mayavada is actually a very specific and nuanced philosophy, and even people who are formally affiliated with a Mayavada organization—or have taken initiation from a Mayavadi teacher—often do not fully embrace or even understand its philosophy. Most people don’t join spiritual organizations primarily because of their philosophy. They join due to various practical or social reasons:
- “The temple was close to my house.”
- “They conduct nice cultural programs for children.”
- “The priest from that group did a puja in our home and seemed respectful.”
So when we speak of avoiding Mayavadi association, we must clarify what that means. It refers to avoiding those who actively denigrate the personality of Krishna and who are likely to undermine our faith and devotion. That kind of association can be harmful.
But the reality is, how often do most people—even those labeled Mayavadis—do that? In many cases, they are simply influenced by cultural surroundings and philosophical generalities rather than harboring any antagonism toward Krishna’s personal form.
Be Careful When Using the Label “Mayavadi”
We must be very careful in labeling someone a Mayavadi. Doing so without discernment can create unnecessary division and misunderstanding.
And what exactly is association? Srila Prabhupada himself interacted closely with Dr. Mishra, a known impersonalist. Does that mean he disobeyed Lord Chaitanya’s instruction to avoid Mayavadis? Someone might argue that Prabhupada was a pure devotee, and yes, that is true. But Prabhupada also set examples for us to follow. For instance, even when young female disciples came to his room, he would always ensure someone else was present—he was very careful and exemplary in his conduct.
Yet, he didn’t avoid engaging with Dr. Mishra. Why? Because association is not simply physical proximity.
The essence of association is the transfer of desires and conceptions—especially desires. We truly associate with someone when their desires start to become our desires.
An Example from Book Distribution
Take book distribution during major sports events. In America or the UK, devotees sometimes go to massive sports gatherings—baseball, football, soccer—where there’s total fan frenzy. Are those devotees “associating” with sports fans? Not really—they’re not imbibing their desires. They are there to give spiritual knowledge, not to adopt materialistic values.
Similarly, if we’re interacting with someone who has Mayavadi leanings, but we’re not absorbing or accepting those ideas, then that’s not real association in the harmful sense.
Key Takeaways
- Don’t loosely label people as Mayavadis simply because they are connected to a Mayavadi organization or philosophy.
- Don’t equate physical interaction or respectful conversation with harmful association.
If someone with impersonal leanings attends our program, or if we have social or family ties with them, we can still interact courteously and appropriately—without compromising our own devotion.