Later, as Srila Prabhupada sat in his quarters, he overheard Upendra gossiping in the adjoining room. Prabhupada called for Upendra, who entered, shamefaced.
"You were laughing?"
"Yes."
"Gossiping?"
Upendra responded coyly, "Is talking about other devotees gossiping, Srila Prabhupada?"
"Yes."
"Yes, I was gossiping."
Prabhupada was concerned for his disciple's well-being. Again he chastised Upendra. "This devotee, that devotee! Life is short. Do not waste your time uselessly!"
Prabhupada directed Upendra to get a copy of Srimad-Bhagavatam from the book shelf and read.
"When two devotees come together, they should discuss Srimad-Bhagavatam." Prabhupada was speaking more softly now. "Do you remember when you used to memorise the Bhagavatam verses -- 'om namo bhagavate vasudevaya .. '"?
Upendra offered an excuse. "Oh, Srila Prabhupada, my mind is so lazy."
Prabhupada didn't agree. "No, you're not lazy -- you're just misdirecting your energies."
Before Upendra left the room, Prabhupada spoke at length about the debilitating effects of prajalpa, mundane talk, on a devotee's spiritual progress. He asked that Upendra repeat the instructions to those devotees with whom he had just spoken so frivolously, and requested him to once again take up learning Sanskrit verses.
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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