Are you one of those who tell devotees to stop watching TV and movies, not to do any sports, and not to have a fun time on holidays?
Certainly, devotees could get by without these things. But for how long? Do we realise that ISKCON history teaches us that most of us are shooting stars? I mean this in a nice way.
Most of us can sustain a purist existence for a short while in the fluctuation of the ups and downs of spiritual practice? The ‘fired-up’ expectancy of brahmacaris is a few years. And of those who sustain a purist lifestyle, personal challenges are met.
The point here is that a purist lifestyle is short-lived for most of us. Then why do we persist with a purist ideology if so few can maintain it over the longer term? Sure, books go out. People see examples of purist ideology in action, but again, not for very long. It is out of these pockets of temporary purist elation where we get the requests for devotees to stop watching TV and the rest. There is also anxiety about whether devotees are following the four regulative principles or not. It can be miserable.
It is out of these purist-pockets where the word sense-gratification holds a special significance and a dread. Watching TV and other activities are definitely sense-gratificatory diversions for the purists. The danger is that admonishing devotees for engaging in sense-gratification could be a sign of sense-gratification as well. We all know that aversion is another form of sense-gratification.
Does it also occur to us that many of those who watch TV and movies, play sport and have rollicking fun holidays were previously within this purist bubble? In this context, isn’t it irresponsible to persuade people to give up everything to live a purist lifestyle that probably won’t last very long?
The fact that devotees watch TV and do other ‘anti-purist’ activities and are still around to serve the Lord and His devotees should be celebrated, not mourned. All glories to those who remain on the Bhakti-path whether going slow or quickly. After all, Bhakti is for making people happy at least.
Ys Kesava Krsna Dasa.