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Prajalpa (gossip).
\nRadhanath Swami: People like to hear about other people\u2019s problems. It\u2019s fun for some. That\u2019s the reason why some of the most popular magazines in the world just focus on scandals. Recently, a champion golfer got into some scandal. It\u2019s like a rule in this world\u2014that such news must be known to everyone, that such news must be the event on every television and news channel. That scandal was all that the people were talking about, for weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks. Ironically, nobody cared that much when he won a golf game. But when he did something really scandalous, all of a sudden everybody becomes really \u2018concerned.\u2019 Now, is it necessary to bother about all these things? But we have this inclination to gossip, which the scriptures call Prajalpa.<\/p>\n
Prajalpa is one of the six most dangerous things that are detrimental to Bhakti Yoga. Rupa Goswami, a prominent saint of the 16th century wrote, \u201cOne\u2019s devotional service is spoiled when he becomes too entangled in the following six activities: (1) eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than required; (2) over-endeavoring for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain; (3) talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matters(or prajalpa); (4) practicing the scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically; (5) associating with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Krishna consciousness; and (6) being greedy for mundane achievements.<\/p>\n
Why is it that people tend to gossip? It\u2019s because there is a vacancy in the heart, a lack of spiritual fulfillment. So they look for fulfillment in sensual quests, in hearing and speaking of the faults of others, in accumulating more and more and more. To fill that vacancy, they need power, they need fame, they need money, and they need sex. They are never satisfied because nothing material can satisfy the needs of the soul. The soul needs to love God. The soul needs to love everyone connected to God, and that includes every living being. That\u2019s the nature of the soul. But without that love, people do so many things, just to try and forget that emptiness within.
\n\u2014-
\nSrila Prabhupada: Prajalpa means talking nonsense. We assemble and go on talking for nothing, neither for this life, neither for that life. We should not talk\u2026 Suppose if we are gaining something materially, we may go on talking. Or if you are gaining some spiritually, we may talk. But if there is no gain, simply wasting time, that should not be done.
\nLecture on BG 2.46-47 \u2013 New York, March 28, 1966: Pra\u1e47a\u015byati means \u201cIt is lost.\u201d \u201cThe spiritual path is lost by the second six principles.\u201d And what are these? Now, aty\u0101h\u0101ra. Aty\u0101h\u0101ra means to eat more than what you need or to accumulate more than what you need. \u0100h\u0101ra means eating, and \u0101h\u0101ra means accumulation. So, of course, any householder, he requires some deposit in the bank for emergency. That is, of course, allowed for householders. But just for us, we are sanny\u0101s\u012b; we are renounced order of\u2026 We haven\u2019t got to accumulate any money. You see? That is the system of Indian philosophy. But those who are householder, family men, they may have some deposit for emergency. Otherwise, those who are renounced order, those who are brahmac\u0101r\u012b, for them to keep money separately for his maintenance or for accumulating bank balance is not allowed. Aty\u0101h\u0101ra. Similarly, \u0101h\u0101ra, eating. You have to eat only things which can maintain your body properly. Now, say, for human being. Say, human being, the eating things are grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and so many things which are given by God for human eating. So we should be satisfied with those things which are meant for humanity. We should not simply\u2026 For the pleasure of the tongue we should not eat anything. That is called aty\u0101h\u0101ra. So aty\u0101h\u0101ra and then pray\u0101sa. Pray\u0101sa means to labor very hard to achieve a thing. Life should be conducted in such a way that our necessities of life may come not with great effort, easily, easily. We should not encumber ourself, our life, living policy, in an encumbered way. Then our spiritual progress will be hampered. The modern society has practically encumbered the whole human activities, and therefore they have no time for spiritual culture. You see? But the conception of Vedic civilization was that people used to be satisfied on agricultural produce and for three months working during rainy season. So they get some agriculture produce and they used to eat the whole year. So nine months they were free to advance in spiritual culture and only three months they used to work for accumulating their foodstuff. You see? So aty\u0101h\u0101ra\u1e25 pray\u0101sa\u015b ca prajalpa (NOI 2). Prajalpa means talking nonsense. We assemble and go on talking for nothing, neither for this life, neither for that life. We should not talk\u2026 Suppose if we are gaining something materially, we may go on talking. Or if you are gaining some spiritually, we may talk. But if there is no gain, simply wasting time, that should not be done. Aty\u0101h\u0101ra\u1e25 pray\u0101sa\u015b ca prajalpo niyam\u0101graha\u1e25. Niyam\u0101graha means simply to stick up to the rituals. Just like people\u2026 In every religion there are some rituals that\u2026 In our Hindu religion the people are advised to observe some ceremonies. In every religion the same system is there. They go to temple, you go to church, and the Mohammedans, they go to mosque, and similarly, there are different systems. But if one is simply sticking up to the system without seeing \u201cHow much progress I am making in my life?\u201d then that is waste of time. That is called niyam\u0101graha, simply observing the rules. And niyam\u0101graha also means that you should not neglect also the rules. You should not neglect the rules and regulation; at the same time you should not stick up to the rules and regulation. So aty\u0101h\u0101ra\u1e25 pray\u0101sa\u015b ca prajalpo niyam\u0101graha\u1e25 laulyam (NOI 2). Laulyam means to be, to be greedy, to be greedy. You should not be greedy, that \u201cI want so much. I want so much. I want so much.\u201d No, not like that. Aty\u0101h\u0101ra\u1e25 pray\u0101sa\u015b ca prajalpo niyam\u0101graha\u1e25 laulyam and jana-sa\u1e45ga\u015b ca. Jana-sa\u1e45ga\u015b ca means the persons who are not interested in spiritual matter, we should not associate with them. This should be\u2026 These are the, these six things, which retrograde the progress of spiritual life, and the other six things which I previously, just moment, I described, they will help us in our progressive life to the spiritual path.
\nPrajalpa means for nothing talking nonsense.
\nLecture on BG 4.19-22 \u2013 New York, August 8, 1966: And pray\u0101sa. Pray\u0101sa means we have to acquire something, but if it requires a heavy work, heavy, I mean to say, endeavor, we should avoid it. We should avoid it.
\nAty\u0101h\u0101ra\u1e25 pray\u0101sa\u015b ca prajalpa\u1e25 (NOI 2). Prajalpa means for nothing talking nonsense. People are accustomed to talk so many things unnecessarily just in clubs, amongst friends\u2019 circle, which has no benefit either spiritually or materially. So that sort of talking should be avoided.
\nAty\u0101h\u0101ra\u1e25 pray\u0101sa\u015b ca prajalpo niyam\u0101graha\u1e25. Niyam\u0101graha means to stick to the rules regulation. Suppose in your faith or in my faith there are certain rules and regulations to be observed. But if I go to some other place where the rules and regulations cannot be strictly observed, and if I want to observe such rules and regulations, then my main business is suffering. So we should not stick to the rules and regulations. We should see to the business.
\n\u2014\u2014\u2013
\nSrimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
\n\u2014\u2014\u2013
\nPrajalpa means talking all nonsense.
\nLecture on SB 1.16.6 \u2013 Los Angeles, January 3, 1974: By six kinds of activities, you will lose your holding in K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a consciousness. What is that? Aty\u0101h\u0101ra\u1e25, too much eating. \u0100h\u0101ra means collection or eating. So either too much collection. Our society, international society, we must collect thousands and thousands of dollars, but for spending it for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, not for keeping in the bank. That is not our business. We must collect as much. Suppose for doing some business\u2026 We are constructing our temple in V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana. We require fifty lakhs. That is required. But I shall not collect more than fifty lakhs even one cent. This is aty\u0101h\u0101ra. Similarly, if your body can consume foodstuff one kilo or half kilo, you can eat. But not even an ounce or even a, what is called, grain more than that. That is aty\u0101h\u0101ra. You eat. It is not forbidden to eating. But you must eat as much as you can digest very nicely, not more than that. This is against bhakti principle. Eating too much or collecting too much. Aty\u0101h\u0101ra. And pray\u0101sa. Pray\u0101sa means do something with extraordinary endeavor. So, of course, we have to do sometime, but it is the general principle. We shall accept\u2026 Suppose you are constructing a temple. If it is\u2026, suppose two millions of dollars required, or, say, five millions of dollars. If we cannot do that, we shall not attempt. That is pray\u0101sa, unnecessarily endeavor. Which is within your control, you should act. Aty\u0101h\u0101ra\u1e25 pray\u0101sa\u1e25. And prajalpa. Prajalpa means talking all nonsense. Suppose politics. \u201cWhat Mr. Nixon did yesterday, or what did he say?\u201d So what interest we have got in Mr. Nixon? We shall not waste our time talking this politics, that politics, this sociology, this cinema, this affair, no. We have nothing to do with that. That is called prajalpa, unnecessary talking. Talking means decreasing your duration of life. Talking. So why should you decrease your life unnecessarily? Every moment you have to utilize, \u201cWhether it is used for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a?\u201d This is s\u0101dhana. This is s\u0101dhana, practice. Unnecessary talking, unnecessary making enemies. Unnecessarily, \u201cYou are my subordinate; I am your master.\u201d Who is master? Everyone is subordinate to K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. Nobody is master. Why you talk unnecessarily?
\nPrajalpa means talking nonsense.
\nLecture on SB 2.3.17 \u2013 Los Angeles, June 12, 1972: We should not take great risk so that we have to work for it very seriously. We must accept something which can be easily done. Aty\u0101h\u0101ra\u1e25 pray\u0101sa\u1e25, prajalpa. And prajalpa means talking nonsense. As soon as \u2026 This is the nature of the living entity in conditioned state. Just like as soon as the crows, they gather together, caw caw caw caw \u2026 (Laughter) The frogs \u2026 Any living entity, as soon as they will gather, they will talk all nonsense. Don\u2019t do that. We have got great assembly, we have got facility for mixing, but if you take advantage of this assembly and talk all nonsense\u2014what is politics, what is this, what is that \u2026 Prajalpa. That is called prajalpa. So aty\u0101h\u0101ra\u1e25 pray\u0101sa\u015b ca prajalpo niyam\u0101graha\u1e25 (NOI 2). Niyam\u0101graha means not accepting the rules and regulation. Another meaning of niyam\u0101graha means simply blindly following the rules and regulations, but he does not know for what he is doing that. Gardalika-prav\u0101ha (?). It is called gardalika-prav\u0101ha. Everyone is doing this, but he does not understand why he is doing it. There are many stories of this gardalika-prav\u0101ha. Sometimes I will tell you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
Prajalpa (gossip).<\/p>\n
\nRadhanath Swami: People like to hear about other people’s problems. It’s fun for some. That’s the reason why some of the most popular magazines in the world just focus on scandals. Recently, a champion golfer got into some scandal. It’s like a rule in this world—that such news must be known to everyone, that such news must be the event on every television and news channel. That scandal was all that the people were talking about, for weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks. Ironically, nobody cared that much when he won a golf game. But when he did something really scandalous, all of a sudden everybody becomes really ‘concerned.’ Now, is it necessary to bother about all these things? But we have this inclination to gossip, which the scriptures call Prajalpa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10650,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[118],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-recent-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10650"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=51586"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51586\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109190,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51586\/revisions\/109190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=51586"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=51586"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=51586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}