Ice Cream is Maya: Fanaticism or Pure Devotion?

The below video is a “song” I made by taking a clip from one of Srila Prabhupada’s lectures in which an ice cream truck drives by while he's speaking. Srila Prabhupada instructs the devotees that they shouldn’t take such ice cream and then half-jokingly states that the canvassing of the ice cream truck with its music is similar to how maya works. Maya entices us with some sort of sensory stimulation, promising pleasure and happiness, only to leave us once again empty handed and feeling unhappy.



My video can be taken in different ways. Some devotees may see it as offensive, as if I am making light of Prabhupada’s instruction to not eat unoffered/un-offerable ice cream. It could be as if I am saying, “Yeah, right…if I eat ice cream I’m going to go to hell! Puh-leeeze!” Someone even wrote me and said it is offensive to the devotees that regularly offer ice cream to Krishna, indirectly implying that they are in maya.

I should clarify that my intention is not to mock or make a joke of this instruction, nor to call out devotees as being in maya. What I’m more interested in is bringing attention to our reactions to this video and Srila Prabhupada’s words.

Some of us may in fact take it to be out-dated and out of context for today’s devotional climate. We, as a devotional society, seem to have moved to the opposite end of those early days in ISKCON. There seems to be more laxity in following the regs, cynicism, doubt and lack of respect for authority. After all, how could we not feel that way after seeing so many exemplary devotees fall down or become entrapped by the false ego and prestige?

This move towards rejecting/doubting authority and picking and choosing what instructions to follow has pushed us to the brink of becoming mundane religionists: we are basically materialistic people that sometimes go to the temple or sometimes do something spiritual or devotional. We drink our coffee and watch our TV shows, because we think that NOT doing these things would simply be fanatical and only for the sannyasis. In the name of avoiding fanaticism we have become “watered down” devotionally; our devotion has become mixed with all kinds of other desires for personal sense gratification.

Many of us may think, “What’s the big deal if I get a fudge pop from an ice cream truck? What’s the big deal if I drink a latte from Starbucks? What’s the big deal if I go to the movies? What’s the big deal if I watch a TV show? What’s the big deal if I look at pornography? What’s the big deal if I eat at a vegetarian restaurant? What’s the big deal if I play videogames? What’s the big deal if I listen to non-devotional music? What’s the big deal if I go to concerts?” We think it’s too extreme and fanatical to follow the devotional path so strictly. But is it really fanaticism? Or is it just following the process strictly and properly? We know in the Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu that there are many things we should do and should not do in order to make spiritual advancement on the path of bhakti. There are certain things to be avoided and one of those is not eating things that are not first offered to Krishna. But so many devotees nowadays eat so-called “karmi grains” and even eat out at restaurants on a regular basis, eating only for the pleasure of the tongue.

Does offering up our store-bought Breyers ice cream to Krishna make it okay? Does it make it okay because “a lot of devotees do it”? Not necessarily. We have to look at the intention behind it. Do we offer things to Krishna with the intention that we simply want to enjoy it? If so, the offering becomes a meaningless, empty ritual. As we know God is not in need of anything. He wants our devotion. Lusting after ice cream, buying it from the store and then “offering” it doesn’t really purify it. Krishna doesn’t accept such offerings. We’re still doing it for our personal sense gratification, which is not bhakti, it’s maya.

I don’t claim to be a saint. I eat tons of bhoga, never chant my rounds, watch TV and movies and engage in all other sorts of mundane activities devoid of Krishna Consciousness. The trend I’m seeing is that many devotees outside of the temples are adopting this sort of lifestyle and view. We have to be constantly aware that this is not bhakti, this is not pure devotional service. Strictly following the process leads to pure devotion. It leads to becoming detached from sense gratification/selfish pursuits and ultimately leads to Krishna prema and direct experience/relationship with God. Strictly following means we follow everything that Srila Prabhupada and the previous acaryas have instructed. That means on top of the 4 regulative principles no eating at restaurants, no bhoga, no “karmi grains”, no coffee, no tea, no television, no movies, no prajalpa, etc. (Sure, some devotees may say they watch TV and movies in order for “preaching” purposes and to stay current, which I don’t deny is possible, but unless one is on the transcendental platform those things can still affect one’s consciousness, even if only on a subtle level).

Many of us would look at a devotee who is following that strictly as being “fanatical” and “out of touch”. In reality they are simply following the process as it ought to be followed with 100% dedication and surrender! (As Srila Prabhupada would say “cent percent”.) It’s a lofty ideal indeed. I know at this point in my life and in my consciousness I would not be able to live such a devoted and strict lifestyle. It’s not a cheap and easy thing to do. And because I am not 100% strictly following the process I am in a very precarious situation. It opens the door to doubts, lack of faith, lack of taste, lack of enthusiasm and lack of interest in the process of devotional service. If we are not taking full shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Guru then we are open and susceptible to the allurements of maya (like an ice cream cone from an ice cream truck!). It’s like only half standing under an umbrella in a rainstorm.

So how do you react when you hear Srila Prabhupada say that eating ice cream from an ice cream truck is maya? Do you become defensive? Do you think it’s fanatical? Do you think it’s impractical? Do you think it’s only for sannyasis? Do you think, “I don’t eat that stuff anyway”? Do you realize you’re simply in maya and that you have a lot of material attachments (one of which includes eating a lot of ice cream!)? Our reactions (or lack thereof) say a lot about the state of our consciousness.