Is indulging in worldly talks harmful to devotional service?
Sriman Mahaprabhu told us to neither hear wordly topics nor discuss them. We should neither eat palatable foods nor wear opulent clothing. He gave those instructions for those who had developed faith in and taste for worshiping Lord Hari. Eating palatable foods is harmful, but it does not inconvenience others or create obstacles in their worship of Hari. Wearing opulent clothing, however, is more harmful to others. When we dress attractively, we draw other’s eyes to ourselves. The purpose of gorgeous dress is to distract people’s minds and eyes from Lord Hari’s worship.
The tongue’s greed, its urges, harm our devotional service. Sri Mahaprabhu said, “One who is subservient to the tongue and who thus goes here and there, devoted to the genitals and the belly, cannot attain Krsna.” (CC Antya 6.227)
Hearing worldly topics is more harmful to us than eating palatable foods. Similarily, speaking prajalpa is more harmful to others than our dressing opulently. When we gossip or indulge in worldly topics, we become like prostitues. Gossip contaminates and disturbs people’s hearts. The more taste one has for useless talks, the less natural taste one has for Hari-katha. Srila Raghunatha das goswami said, “Worldly topics are like prostitues. They contaminate and disturb one’s mind.” Whenever a few people gather, there is bound to be idle talk. That is why devotees always glorify Hari-katha. If we discuss krsna-katha no one will have the opportunity to gossip. Those who are serious about worshiping Hari should neither hear nor speak worldly topics, nor should they pay attention to palatable foods or opulent dress. The desire to eat and dress opulently will certainly take us away from our worship of Hari. We cannot worship Hari as long as we desire to eat voraciously and dress attractively. Moreover, if we maintain a taste for hearing and speaking worldly topics, we will become distracted from the path of worshipping Hari. Such talks will misguide us and force us to forever relinguish our worship. Therefore, persons who are interested in Lord Hari’s service must be careful about such things. Otherwise, they will inevitably fall down.