Hare Krsna,
Please accept my humble obeisance,
All Glories to Srila Prabhupad,
I am a beginner in KC. I have heard that one should not read newspapers daily as it spoils our consciousness. Then,If we are working in a company or want to progress in career front to extent to live a decent life, don't we require the help of newspapers, general knowledge magazines to update ourselves or else people can easily cheat us . We need to know what is happening around us, in order to remain alert and safe. In such situation how can we avoid talking about some events in newspapers or politics and talk only about Krishna.
Please someone clear this doubt of mine as how to handle it.
Haribol.
Replies
Hare Krsna
Impat of newspapers on our consciousness.
As a practitioner of KC we have to consider the impact any input has on our consciousness. In most cases the impact of news is - desire or hankering, aggression, fear, frustration etc. These are characteristics of mode of passion and ignorance.
Krsna says in BG that
The mode of passion is born of unlimited desires and longings, O son of Kunti, and because of this the embodied living entity is bound to material fruitive actions. BG 14.7
O son of Bharata, know that the mode of darkness, born of ignorance, is the delusion of all embodied living entities. The results of this mode are madness, indolence and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul. BG 14.8
How to stay updated in career without reading newspaper ?
As a part of profession one may be required to develop one's skill, knowledge about the field through which one is making a living. This skill development almost never happens through news. For the purpose of skill development one can subscribe to newsletters, science magazine relating to that field(say medical science/ construction / agriculture etc).These are much different from Times of India etc.
Don't we require the help of newspapers, general knowledge magazines to update ourselves or else people can easily cheat us . We need to know what is happening around us, in order to remain alert and safe.
No we don't require help of newspapers. If something is critical, most of the time social circle of devotees will themselves alert us. Point is no need to collect the garbage and bathe in it, if something is extremely essential it will be known. No need to hunt for it.
YAS Bharat
Have them reviewed/read to you, in that way you're not internalizing the irrelevant drool. Ask your self is this on point, is it about advancing my knowledge about something relevant to my success and fulfillment or is it nonsense. Like with a Tv- remote, we do want' to control what enters your ears! However, if you are a prolific reader' I can see how reading might be an important time in your life akin to or equal to meditation.
So (just be discriminating about which of the articles you read. A Good question & a complex dilemma!
Good luck always Shaktimana dasa!
na yad vacaś citra-padaṁ harer yaśo
jagat-pavitraṁ pragṛṇīta karhicit
tad vāyasaṁ tīrtham uśanti mānasā
na yatra haṁsā niramanty uśik-kṣayāḥ
(S.B. 1.5.10)
Those words which do not describe the glories of the Lord, who alone can sanctify the atmosphere of the whole universe, are considered by saintly persons to be like unto a place of pilgrimage for crows. Since the all-perfect persons are inhabitants of the transcendental abode, they do not derive any pleasure there.
So,the news papers are the place of garbage where only crows take interest to pick up filthy things,not swan.Instead, swan takes interest in clear water where nice lotus flowers with nice fragrance are found. Now, choice is yours.
If you are interested to improve your consciousness, please read only Srilla Prabhupad's book. This will make you more cleverer than ordinary news paper.
"Krishna bhakta bada catur"
Only Krishna's devotee are more cleverer than others.
Hare Krsna Rashmi Mataji,
Thanks for your valuable advice...will read more of spiritual books to improve my English and vocabulary..
Hare Krishna,
To improve English, please read Srila Prabhupad's books, Bach to Godhead in English, and so many western devotees have written Krishna Conscious books in English (for example, Srila Prabhupada Lilamrita, What is the Difficulty, Many Moons, The Seventh Goswami, books by Krishna Dharma prabhu, like Mahabharat in English, Krishna Dharma Prabhu himself is English born devotee, listen to lectures by Prabhupad's Western Disciples, but even Indian devotees' English is excellent (example, Bhakti Rasamrita Swami, Bhakti Charu Swami , Gauranga prabhu, Gaura Gopal prabhu and many more, please listen to their English lectures, amazing !!).
There is so much wide variety of choices to improve English language by reading or listening Krishna consciousness materials
Hare Krsna Mataji,
PAMHO.
Why do you need to read novels to improve English and stay updated? Meaning, whihc novel updates you? Novels are simply mental speculations and sense gratifications.
If you must read, read vaishanava literature. That way, english, grammer will be improved and spiritual knowledge attained and improved. The mind will not dwell on material subjects. It will think of Krsna consciousness related activities. Reading spiritual books is not only ok, it is recommended.
Please read beginners books like Chant and Be Happy, On the Way to Krsna, Perfect Questions Perfect Answers, Life Comes from Life, then go on to Bhagavad Gita and so on....
Haribol,
Your servant,
Rashmi
hari bol mata ji...
yes whatever u told is absolutely correct. my english improved more by reading srila prabhupad's books. reading spiritual books ones vocabulary gets better than reading any mundane novels.
Thank you Mataji and Prabhuji...This cleared my doubt...and one more thing....can we read books and novels to improve our English, grammar as well as spoken English in order to stay updated?
Mataji,
The Gaudiya Principle for the beginners is very very simple.
1.Do not imitate other devotees
2. with whatever you do in the material world just add Krishna especially chanting
3. Chant the Pancha tattva Mantra without fail; maybe atleast 3 rounds before you begin the Mahamantra Chant
4.Have faith in the system and surrender all of your attitudes and habits to the Lord; Guru and Gauranga
5. Do not get disturbed with failures and dont feel guilty.
6.The moment you feel guilty get going with the Pancha Tattva Mantra.
7. In a few weeks automatically all unwanted habits will wither away.
If you start picking at each individual unwanted habits you will be only busy counting them and sadhana will go for a toss.
Read More...
Hare Krsna Mataji,
PAMHO.
Reading newspapers is considered bad because it is all about happenings in the material world, that too, bad happenings. Or it is about some nonsense said by some politician. Wouldnt it be better to read what Srila Prabhupada has said rathar than what some politician has said?
When one is working, one needs to know about whats happening in the world to be updated. By all means, do that. Understand where to draw the line. If you are spending all your time on facebook, updating your status or commenting on others' status or photos or something, is taht productive work, to keep afloat in the competitive world? Thats what normally happens - we tend to lose direction and get entangled. We start by reading simply to know whats happening around us, and end up reading filmi gossip or nonsense talk more.
Its important to be focused on your goal. If you have to read to update yourself for career, then I am sure you dont need to read the Mumbai Mirror or Mumbai Times Section of TOI? I hope you are understanding what I am trying to say - do as much as required and dont waste your time. Other times read Prabhupada books or vaishnava literature.
I hope I have been able to answer your question.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Rashmi