Madhya 18.109

This is the viewpoint of Mayavada philosophy. Mayavada philosophy supports the impersonalist view that Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has no form. One can imagine impersonal Brahman in any form-as Visnu, Lord Siva, Vivasvan, Ganesa or Devi Durga. According to the Mayavada philosophy, when one becomes a sannyasi, he is to be considered a moving Narayana. Mayavada philosophy holds that the real Narayana does not move because, being impersonal, He has no legs. Thus according to Mayavada philosophy, whoever becomes a sannyasi declares himself Narayana. Foolish people accept such ordinary human beings as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called vivarta-vada.

In this regard, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments that jaṅgama-narayana means that the impersonal Brahman takes a shape and moves here and there in the form of a Mayavadi sannyasi. The Mayavada philosophy confirms this. Danda-grahana-matrena naro narayano bhavet: "Simply by accepting the danda of the order of sannyasa, one is immediately transformed into Narayana." Therefore Mayavadi sannyasis address themselves by saying, om namo narayanaya. In this way one Narayana worships another Narayana.

Actually an ordinary human being cannot become Narayana. Even the chief Mayavadi sannyasi, Sri Saṅkaracarya, says, narayanah paro 'vyaktat: "Narayana is not a creation of this material world. Narayana is above the material creation." Due to their poor fund of knowledge, Mayavadi sannyasis think that Narayana, the Absolute Truth, takes birth as a human being and that when He realizes this, He becomes Narayana again. They never consider why Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, accepts an inferior position as a human being and then again becomes Narayana when He is perfect. Why should Narayana be imperfect? Why should He appear as a human being? Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu very nicely explained these points while at Vrndavana.