Why are trivial talks and gossip, gramya-katha unfavorable for devotion and harmful ?

[krsna]

 

 

HARM TO ONESELF AND HARM TO OTHERS

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada

In the following discussion, Srila Saraswati Thakur answers a question by referring to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s instruction to Srila Raghunath Das Goswami (Cc. antya 6.236):

 

 

 

Don’t listen to mundane talks and don’t speak on mundane topics. Don’t eat opulently and don’t dress luxuriantly.

 

Question: Why are trivial talks and gossip, gramya-katha, unfavorable for devotion and harmful for us?

 

Srila Prabhupada: Sriman Mahaprabhu has said, “Do not hear gramya-katha and do not speak gramya-katha .Do not eat sumptuous food and do not wear fancy clothes.” He said these words for those who are very attached to devotional service. If one eats sumptuous food one only harms oneself. This does not create any problem for others; it does not cause any disturbance in anyone else’s devotional life. But it is much more harmful to wear fancy clothes. People wear fancy clothes only for the sake of others. How for the sake of others? The only purpose behind wearing fancy clothes is to distract others’ eyes and mind from devotional service to the Supreme Lord. It is also not beneficial to indulge the tongue. Mahaprabhu also said, “If one runs here and there to satisfy his tongue, then such a tongue-indulgent person does not attain Krishna.” (Cc. antya 6.227) If one hears gramya-katha,one hurts oneself more than by eating sumptuous food, and if one speaks gramya-katha, one hurts others more than by wearing fancy clothes. Srila Raghunath Das Goswami said that to hear or speak harmful things (things which are untrue, gossip, things which are distasteful or things which are very trivial) is the same as associating with a prostitute. Such talk distracts the mind and contaminates the consciousness, and thus creates a great obstacle to devotional service. You should know that those who are attached to such talk will automatically be uninterested in hari-katha.

If five ordinary people get together, then invariably they will talk about trivial things. This is why devotees constantly talk about the Supreme Lord. Where there is hari-katha, no one gets a chance to gossip or talk about trivial things.

 

— Excerpted from Prabhupada Saraswati Thakur. Mandala Publishing Group. Eugene, Oregon. 1997. Pages 94-