# The danger of impersonalism *Impersonalism—the philosophy that denies the personal nature of the Absolute Truth—is considered māyā's final trap for the spiritually inclined. Śrīla Prabhupāda repeatedly warned that this philosophy, while appearing elevated, ultimately leads one away from devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.* ## The Troublesome Path **For those attracted to the impersonal Brahman, spiritual advancement is exceedingly difficult:** ![[bg/12/5#purport]] ## Māyā's Last Snare **Impersonalism is the final illusion for those escaping material entanglement:** ![[sb/3/27/15#purport]] ## Impersonalism as Spiritual Suicide **Merging into the impersonal effulgence means losing one's individual spiritual identity:** ![[bg/4/11#purport]] ## The Inferiority of Impersonal Realization **Personal devotional service is far superior to impersonal speculation:** ![[sb/3/25/33#purport]] ![[sb/3/25/34#purport]] ## Śaṅkarācārya's Mission **Lord Śiva, in the form of Śaṅkara, was ordered to spread impersonalism for a specific purpose:** ![[sb/4/2/28#purport]] ## Lord Caitanya's Defeat of Impersonalism **Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu strongly condemned the impersonalist interpretation of the Vedas:** ![[cc/adi/7/72#purport]] ## The Personal Nature of the Absolute Truth **The impersonalist misunderstands the Supreme as formless, but Krishna reveals His transcendental form:** ![[bg/7/24#purport]] ## Devotional Service vs. Impersonal Speculation **The path of bhakti is direct, while impersonalism leads to unnecessary struggle:** ![[bg/12/1#purport]] ![[bg/12/3-4#purport]] ## From the Index - [[index/entries/impersonalism|Impersonalism]] — Comprehensive references on this philosophy - [[index/entries/mayavada-philosophy|Māyāvāda Philosophy]] — The doctrine of illusion - [[index/entries/brahman|Brahman]] — Impersonal aspect of the Absolute - [[index/entries/brahmajyoti|Brahmajyoti]] — The spiritual effulgence - [[index/entries/sankaracarya|Śaṅkarācārya]] — The great impersonalist teacher - [[index/entries/devotional-service-to-lord|Devotional Service]] — The personal path to God