The following text is a compilation of different quotes by Srila Prabhupada on idle sports.
On football world cup Srila Prabhupada did not have very positive opinion.
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A)
Hamsaduta: This week is the big world football, soccer matches. So everyone goes to see that. They either stay at home and watch television or they go to the fields.
Prabhupada: Because they have been taught like that. What is their fault? They do not know the importance of human life. "Eat, drink, be merry, and enjoy." That's all. And then become a dog. That's all. They do not know. And They say ,"Never mind I shall become a dog. After all, I will forget everything.”
(Conversation June 22, 1972 Germany)
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B)
Sometimes all the boys played football with amalaki and bael fruits, and their ankle bells jingled as they ran. (SB 10.11.39) However, there is a difference between our’s and Krishna’s playing football.
Prabhupada explains: spiritual atmosphere, Krsna's friends, cowherd boys, they're playing with Krsna. That is also playing. And here in this material world the boys they also play football play. But these two plays are different. One is spiritual and another is material. (Lecture SB 1.7.16, Sep. 14, 1976)
As Krsna dances with the gopis, we also try to dance in the ball dance, the same imitation. But the ball dance does not endure. We become frustrated, because it is only shadow. The reality is there. A shadow... Suppose you love a boy or girl. But if it is a shadow, it does not give you actual pleasure. (Lecture, SB 6.1.25, July 9, 1975)
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C)
– standard practices for initiated devotees:
Must attend evening and morning classes
Should not extensively mix with non-devotees
Should not eat food cooked by non-devotees
Should not waste time in idle talks
Should not become engaged in frivolous sports ********
Should always chant and sing the Lord's Holy Names
(Letter to: Sacisuta, Allston, Mass 30 May, 1968)
note- idle means no real worth, importance, or purpose.
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D)
MY INITIATED STUDENTS ARE STRICTLY FORBIDDEN TO INDULGE in the following principles of degradation:
(1) All forms of intoxication, including coffee,tea,cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, etc.
(2) The eating of animal foods, such as meat,fish, and eggs. Rather, their diet consists of Prasadam, especially offered foodstuffs (vegetarian),
(3) Unmarried sex indulgence,
(4) Gambling, or idle sports of any sort. Their lives are dedicated to serving God, and as such, they have no time to squander on unbeneficial
activities or non-Godly activities.
– Guest: Do you watch TV yourself?
Prabhupada: No, we have no business. We don't wish to waste our time.
(Conversation April 23 1976)
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E)
Sravanananda: At the Ramakrishna Mission school in Madras near a football field,there is one slogan on the arch that says, "The playing of football will bring one closer to heaven than the study of the Gita." (Conversations,
Dec. 19,1975)
However, this is not so but rather a useless waste of time, as Srila Prabhupada explaines:
“This is advancement of civilization. Instead of utilizing the valuable form of human life, there is always wasting. And at night they are sleeping, and at noon they are playing football, you see, wasting in this time. So this will be explained next verse, mugdhasya balye kaisore kriòato yati vimsatih: [SB 7.6.7]
"By so-called sporting life, twenty years passed, fifty years by sleeping, and twenty years by football." (Lecture SB 7.6.6 Dec. 8, 1975)
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F)
Come before Radha Krsna and glorify the Lord. Try to understand our relationship. This is our real, real business, but nobody is interested in the real business. They are interested in superfluous engagement whole day work in the office, then come here, go to the club, go to the football club, tennis club. In this way they have invented simply how to waste valuable life of this human form. (Lectures, SB 1.14.43, April 7 1973)
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G)
The fourth regulative principle... no gambling or unnecessary sporting.
People are wasting time. So many sportings they have invented-sporting balls, this ball, that ball. You see? Human life is very short. We do not know when we shall die. Before that, we must prepare ourself for the next life. Next life means directly going back to Krsna, highest perfection.
(initiation Lecture LA 1968)
– 4 th regulative principle is that the inner member shall not indulge in unnecessary indoor or outdoor games, sporting or gambling habits (letter to brothers – Allahabad, 1th January 1955)
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H)
We are simply setting example that how we can execute our daily affairs in connection with Krsna. That is our propaganda. So every grhastha, every house,where is the difficulty? Everyone can install the Deity. All the family members can gather together, chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra, and read sastras, as we are doing in this temple. But the present tendency is that we have..., they have got sufficient time to smoke, they have got sufficient time for playing cards, they have sufficient time for drinking, going to the cinema, going to the sports.
(Lecture NOD January 25 1973)
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