The Māyāvādīs, they directly say, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. So Māyāvādī, at least they say that "There is Brahman. He is truth. But this phenomenal world is not truth. Manifestation of material energy, that is not true." So according to our philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy, we don't say that this māyā, or the . . . māyā means this temporary manifestation. This material world is fact, but it is temporary, not false. We cannot say it is false. Just like I am sitting on the seat or you are sitting on the floor. We are sitting on something. It is not false; it is fact. I am not sitting on the air. You are not sitting on the air. So how we can say it is false? No. Therefore our philosophy is . . . that is fact. One may consider. One who is philosophically inclined, he can judge the statement of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpa Gosvāmī says,
- prāpañcikatayā buddhyā
- hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ
- mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo
- phalgu vairāgyaṁ kathyate
- (Brs. 1.2.256)
He says, "The material things . . ." Prapañcikā means material. So this house is material. It is made of wood, stone. So we are giving up all material connection. Then why shall we live in this house? This is material. So prapañcikata. Prapañcikā means considering something as material. Hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ. Vastu means substance or thing which has connection with Hari. This stone, wood, air, fire, water—five gross elements—it has connection with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vayuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). These eight kinds of material elements, five gross and three subtle, namely the earth, water, air, fire, sky—these are gross elements—and the subtle elements—mind, intelligence, and ego . . . so these are subtle elements.