Prajalpa

The following is an article by Daivi Sakti Devi Dasi from a previous issue of the Matchless Gift Magazine. If you're interested, you can see the latest edition of the magazine here!

The 22nd edition of the Matchless Gift magazine

Hare Krishna,

Whether you have been with us for a long time or have only just discovered the Matchless Gift magazine—either through a devotee who handed it to you or via our social media channels—I sincerely hope you will enjoy this new series of articles, which will cover “the enemies of bhakti”. If you are a devotee, you may already have some understanding of what bhakti is, but if you’re unfamiliar with the term, this article will be very beneficial to you, regardless of your background.

First and foremost, please know that you are very special. If you have purchased a Matchless Gift magazine—whether in the street or via our social media, if you’ve taken the time to talk to the devotees, or if you’ve contributed a portion of the fruits of your daily hard work—I urge you to stay with us. You are truly special. Indeed, the transcendental literature you are holding is no ordinary publication. The information you have read and will continue to read transcends human and material understanding. As mentioned earlier, if someone takes the time to read, obtain, or discuss with Krishna’s devotees, it means their devotional service to God and transcendence has either begun or is continuing. Krishna is God, the one who contains and is the Absolute Truth, and we, as infinitely subordinate eternal beings, are connected to Him by an eternal, strong, and transcendental bond known as Bhakti. Let’s begin exploring the most important subject of our spiritual life—I continuously declare that every topic in our spiritual life is the most important—and it’s true; everything is important when it comes to finally knowing the Truth: who we are, who God is, and how to love Him purely.

All topics are absolute, and the more energy we invest in understanding these transcendental and eternal subjects, the more their depth will be revealed to us, and the more attractive they will become to our minds, which are otherwise contaminated and drawn only to sense gratification. Before we begin analyzing the first enemy of bhakti, let’s briefly touch upon and explain this essential term in our yoga practice—bhakti yoga, or the yoga of devotion. First of all, bhakti is not merely a feeling or emotion but involves actively engaging in service to Krishna with love and devotion. We share a personal and loving relationship with Him. Krishna is a person—He is never abstract or impersonal; He always reciprocates with His devotees, whether we are aware of it or not. In the material world, there are only two types of actions: either we act materially or we act spiritually. Actions are considered spiritual or pure, or marked by bhakti, if they are directed toward the desire of the Supreme Controller, Isvara, Krishna. This is, in fact, our only means of achieving true happiness. I’ve decided to write this first article on one of the greatest enemies to our bhakti, our spiritual evolution, the development of our love for God, and the realization of our identity as Krishna’s eternal servants. We should avoid it as much as possible, for it is indeed one of the greatest enemies of our bhakti or devotion.

In fact, Shrila Prabhupada often expressed that our devotional service begins when we control the tongue. The tongue desires to taste delicious foods in restaurants or to devour corpses (disgusting!). This is why one is considered a devotee only when they offer their food to Krishna, as a sacrifice, recognizing that Krishna is the possessor of all energies, both material and spiritual. It is the least we can do to remember Him every time we nourish this temporary material body. The perfect realization would be to offer every part of our body—our mind, our intelligence, our speech—to Krishna. We arrive here with nothing, and for a limited time, we borrow a vehicle that will either elevate or degrade us into different bodies. But who provides this body?

It is Krishna who gives us the opportunity, either to gratify our senses, leading to infernal lives in lower species, or, if we decide to use our intelligence and human consciousness, to engage every organ and sense in Krishna’s devotional service. The conditioned soul desires to gratify its senses as much as possible, and the tongue is part of this. We desire to express ourselves, to be heard, to impose our opinions, and to contribute our ideas to the world. Some people love to tell fictional stories, while others are passionate about current events. But note this: all of it is useless. Every living entity in this material world desires to be God. What does it mean to be God? God is the supreme controller and the supreme enjoyer. These are two qualities we deeply desire, but thankfully, we are neither the controller nor the enjoyer. We are always subordinate. Even if you manage to express yourself as eloquently as Molière, you are still subordinate to Krishna. In fact, He is the perfect speaker. Srila Prabhupada expressed this in a lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.6 on 18th August: “Krishna is speaking. He does not speak any nonsense. He does not speak anything which is not possible to be carried out. That is the difference between Krishna’s speech and others’ speech.”

Indeed, this material world functions by one thing, and that is sound. Sound can be spiritual or material. When the world follows the sound of the Shrutis, the Vedic scriptures, everything unfolds for the best. The more we surrender to Vedic instructions, the more Krishna helps us serve Him and thus love Him. However, if we follow material sounds and, ultimately, material authorities, a life of misery and suffering awaits us. Whatever you find attractive in this material world is merely a temporary illusion, including philosophy, worldly news, and literature. When we are conditioned in this material body, we want everything immediately. And this is particularly true when the mode of material nature dominating us is passion. Thus, these temporary teachings and flowery literature are very pleasing because they bring immediate pleasure, but just as this pleasure is immediate, it is also fleeting. The pleasure derived from these temporary sounds is swift and unsatisfying. Do I really need to explain this? If we observe our existence even a little, we are simply rushing about like madmen in pursuit of illusory and temporary pleasures. None of your senses will ever be satisfied by anything material. We are spiritual beings, and Krishna is the reservoir of spirituality—only Krishna will satisfy your senses. However, if they are contaminated by countless material desires, only material things will attract you. But if you manage to purify them by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra—Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare—and by tasting delicious prasadam (food offered as a sacrifice to Krishna), your senses will gradually be drawn more and more to spiritual subjects and sounds. We have a terrible disease in the material world. The first is that we want to take Krishna’s place as God by becoming the controller and the enjoyer. And since the person closest to Krishna is the spiritual master, the guru, we have an intense desire to take his place too, to give instructions or our mental speculations. But this will not help us free ourselves from the cycle of birth and death.

We will never be God, and we will never be the guru. However, each of us can become a representative of Shrila Prabhupada and Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by simply repeating their pure and transcendental message. It is unnecessary to address any topic other than Krishna, His service, and His pure devotee. By adopting this simple process, we purify the sense of hearing and the person we are speaking to. What a benefit! Both our elevation and that of the person with us. Krishna is very kind, and so is Prabhupada, as he is the one who delivered this pure message. Artificially, it is very difficult to control the tongue. In reality, whatever we do artificially will not last. In Krishna consciousness, we don’t give up anything artificially, but instead, we replace it with something purer, more spiritual, and higher. So, if you want to reduce your quantity of prajalpa—useless talk that degrades more than it elevates—you must absorb your mind (which is the center of all the senses) in literature that refers to Krishna. For billions of lives, we have been hearing the croaking of frogs and worldly news. So naturally, when we begin Krishna consciousness, it may feel like austerity to only discuss things related to Krishna. But with purified senses and sufficient knowledge of Krishna, His pure devotees, and their devotional service, it is the prajalpa—this useless talk—that becomes less pleasing. Krishna and everything related to Him is all-attractive. The only thing we need to develop is our attraction to Him. Then, an ocean of unceasing pleasure awaits. So, what are you waiting for? Start chanting Hare Krishna! Here, I would like to include quotes I have found in the various books of Shrila Prabhupada. In fact, Shrila Prabhupada instructed his disciples to write every day. It is an excellent way to meditate on the philosophy, as smaranam (remembrance) is essential for progressing in Krishna consciousness. However, it is always advised to support the philosophical points we make with scriptural evidence.

“One should avoid prajalpa, or whimsical conversations unrelated to devotional service. Merely restraining the senses artificially without chanting and hearing the glories of the Supreme Lord cannot be considered spiritual perfection. The example is given that although many domestic animals in the barnyard are sometimes forced to practice celibacy when isolated from one another, such animals cannot be considered brahmacaris, or spiritual students. Similarly, one is not considered spiritually advanced simply because of dry speculative arguments or temporary austerities. One must submissively hear the message of the Vedic sound vibration, especially as it is summarized in Bhagavad-gita by the Lord Himself. Vedaish cha sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15].”

Shrila Prabhupada uses an analogy here that is remarkably fitting to explain this point: indeed, anything done artificially will not yield the desired results. For some time, we may control our senses—avoiding speech, as many pseudo-spiritualists do; abstaining from eating, as is recommended in certain dubious yogic practices; not sleeping; or refraining from sexual activity. Of course, this last point can indeed benefit one’s advancement, whether spiritual or material. However, these austerities should not be performed artificially. If you stop speaking, it may seem beneficial, but if your mind remains absorbed in trivial matters unrelated to your spiritual evolution, you are still in illusion. The same applies to the restriction of food, sleep, or sex. If you completely cease these activities, one might say, “Wonderful! You have attained perfection in this human life.” The soul requires neither sex, nor sleep, nor food, nor defense. However, you cannot stop these activities artificially. You need a higher, spiritual engagement that will gradually lead you to not only think but also feel that these activities are of a lower class and that they will never satisfy the eternal soul. Only Krishna and His devotional service can provide true satisfaction.

“Another impediment is prajalpa, unnecessary talking. When we mix with a few friends, we immediately begin unnecessary talking, sounding just like croaking toads. If we must talk, we should talk about the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Those outside of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are interested in reading heaps of newspapers, magazines, and novels, solving crossword puzzles, and doing many other nonsensical things. In this fashion, people simply waste their valuable time and energy. In the Western countries, old men, retired from active life, play cards, fish, watch television, and debate about useless socio-political schemes. All these and other frivolous activities are included in the prajalpa category. Intelligent persons interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should never take part in such activities.”

If we are even a little intelligent, we will understand that engaging the sense of hearing—so crucial to our evolution—should never be misused. Previously, I established that the tongue is the most important organ, but the ear is also essential for our purification. In truth, if we are serious, we should be fearful of hearing anything that is not related to Krishna. Furthermore, I find it hard to understand how some devotees, after reading about Krishna, the spiritual world, and devotional service, are still drawn to topics related to the temporary material body, which simply causes suffering in this existence. Why do we even derive pleasure from hearing such things? From magazines, mundane facts, or indulging in sinful activities? Seriously, compare that to the various symptoms of love one can feel for Krishna, the descriptions of His infinitely attractive and beautiful form, or the complexities of the creation of the material world. If you are still attracted to mundane subjects, this attraction should diminish as much as possible. And this will only happen when we become absorbed in Shrila Prabhupada’s books. There is no other solution, no other remedy.

“The next impediment to devotional service is prajalpa, talking of mundane subject matter. Many people unnecessarily talk of the daily happenings in the newspapers and pass the time without any profit. A devotee, however, does not indulge in unnecessary talks of politics or economics. Nor is a devotee very strict in following ritualistic rules and regulations mentioned in the Vedas. Becoming enamored of these rituals is the next impediment, called niyamāgraha. Because a devotee fully engages in the supreme service of the Lord, he automatically fulfills all other obligations and doesn't have to execute all the details of Vedic rituals.”

“Mundane talks are also known as prajalpa. In his Upadeshamṛta, Shrila Rupa Gosvami mentions prajalpa as one of the main impediments to devotional service. And Lord Chaitanya instructed Sanatana Gosvami, ‘A devotee should avoid reading or hearing newspapers or mundane books that contain stories of love affairs between men and women or subjects palatable to the senses’ (Cc. Madhya 22.120). In the modern age, these injunctions have become more difficult than ever to follow. The airwaves are filled with prajalpa, and by pressing a button, we can turn on a television set and plunge ourselves into a visual and aural phantasmagoria. While writing his purports on the Bhagavatam verses describing the life of Ajamila, Srila Prabhupada responded to our predicament. When we read Shrila Prabhupada’s teachings, it becomes very easy to understand the various bondages that trap us in material existence. There are many, but one force or attraction is stronger than the rest and is the primary cause of our fall from the spiritual world—lust, the greatest impediment to our spiritual elevation and our biggest enemy. Shrila Prabhupada explains on numerous occasions that the attraction between the sexes is not conducive to our spiritual growth. When men and women unite, they create more attachments to material existence, expanding their identification with the body, which grows stronger as the senses become increasingly aroused. Not only Shrila Prabhupada, but also many sages in our tradition, as well as Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself, have advised that close association with the opposite sex should be avoided. In this context, even hearing about romantic or “loving” affairs between men and women contaminates our consciousness, leading our minds far from steadiness and determination in the ultimate goal of this human life. When people are unable to enjoy gross sensual pleasures, they often turn to hearing or meditating on them, which further pollutes their senses. This indulgence is highly degrading, and it should be given up. Purujit Prabhu once told me that grihastha (householder) conversations are simply mundane, and he was right. Think of how much time and energy could be saved if we focused on how to please Krishna, instead of trying to solve the inevitable problems of temporary material relationships!

“Our weapons in the campaign against prajalpa and mind pollution may include novels, dramas, paintings, films, musical recordings, festivals, formal lectures, seminars, and casual meetings—all centered on Krishna. Why should the forces of illusion possess all the weapons, and not the devotees? Narada previously said that bhakti was easy. It is certainly not easy to avoid all mundane sound vibrations. But under the guidance of the pure devotee, we may create a pleasant, easy-to-take atmosphere of krishna-katha in the home and with friends—even when driving a car or at work—and this hearing will lead to vishnu-smaranam, or remembrance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

There is something incredibly pleasant and attractive in Krishna consciousness, and do you know what it is? It’s the voice and the vibration of Shrila Prabhupada. There may be many things we feel inclined to listen to that have no connection with Krishna consciousness. However, if we make the conscious decision to truly listen to his wonderful classes, we will no longer desire to hear anything else. Krishna is supremely sublime and attractive, and everything connected to Him shares that same quality. This means that we can and should spiritualize all forms of literature, films, and music. In this way, because Krishna is all-attractive, these vibrations will become transcendent and purifying.

“Prajalpa means for nothing talking nonsense. People are accustomed to talking so many things unnecessarily just in clubs, amongst friends' circles, which has no benefit either spiritually or materially. So that sort of talking should be avoided.” (From a letter Shrila Prabhupada wrote to Bhagavan Dasa on December 7, 1974)

“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. Atyaharah prayasah, prajalpa. And prajalpa means talking nonsense. As soon as ... 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 ... (Laughter) The frogs ... Any living entity, as soon as they will gather, they will talk all nonsense.”