Material subjects
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 5
In an assembly of pure devotees, there is no question of discussing material subjects like politics and sociology.
SB 5.12.13, Translation: Who are the pure devotees mentioned here? In an assembly of pure devotees, there is no question of discussing material subjects like politics and sociology. In an assembly of pure devotees, there is discussion only of the qualities, forms and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is praised and worshiped with full attention. In the association of pure devotees, by constantly hearing such topics respectfully, even a person who wants to merge into the existence of the Absolute Truth abandons this idea and gradually becomes attached to the service of Vāsudeva.
SB Canto 7
One must conquer lusty desires, anger, greed, fear, lamentation, illusion, fright, unnecessary talks on material subjects, violence, the four miseries of material existence, and the three material qualities.
SB 7.15 Summary: One who is not satisfied with the mind must fall to degradation. One must conquer lusty desires, anger, greed, fear, lamentation, illusion, fright, unnecessary talks on material subjects, violence, the four miseries of material existence, and the three material qualities. That is the objective of human life. One who has no faith in the spiritual master, who is identical with Śrī Kṛṣṇa, cannot get any benefit from reading śāstra. One should never consider the spiritual master an ordinary human being, even though the members of the spiritual master's family may think of him as such. Meditation and other processes of austerity are useful only if they help in advancement toward Kṛṣṇa consciousness; otherwise, they are simply a waste of time and labor. For those who are not devotees, such meditation and austerity cause falldown.
SB Canto 8
During the period of observing the vow of Payo-vrata, one should not unnecessarily talk of material subjects or topics of sense gratification, one should be completely free from envy of all living entities, and one should be a pure and simple devotee of Lord Vāsudeva.
SB 8.16.49, Translation: During this period, one should not unnecessarily talk of material subjects or topics of sense gratification, one should be completely free from envy of all living entities, and one should be a pure and simple devotee of Lord Vāsudeva.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
That is the significance of transcendental subject matter in contrast to material subject matter. Material subject matter becomes stale, and one cannot hear a certain subject for a long time; he wants change.
Krsna Book, Chapter 13: It is said that it is the nature of a devotee to constantly apply his mind, energy, words, ears, etc., in hearing and chanting about Kṛṣṇa. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and for one who is rapt in hearing and chanting about Kṛṣṇa, the subject matter never becomes hackneyed or old. That is the significance of transcendental subject matter in contrast to material subject matter. Material subject matter becomes stale, and one cannot hear a certain subject for a long time; he wants change. But as far as transcendental subject matter is concerned, it is called nitya-nava-navāyamāna. This means that one can go on chanting and hearing about the Lord and never feel tired but remain fresh and eager to hear more and more.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So human life is meant for understanding this. Athāto brahma-jijñā... These are all Brahman subject. They are not material subject matter.
Lecture on BG 13.18 -- Bombay, October 12, 1973: Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart. Actually He is knowledge, and He is the object of knowledge, jñeyam, and one should try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ jñāna-gamyam. And He is in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. Simply we have to know the process how to know Him. That is explained already, We have discussed. Amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam [Bg. 13.8], ācāryopāsanam, indriya, vinigrahaḥ, bhakti-yoga... Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena... [Bg. 14.26]. These things are already discussed. So human life is meant for understanding this. Athāto brahma-jijñā... These are all Brahman subject. They are not material subject matter.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Viṣaya means material subject matter for sense gratification. So one cannot be attached to Kṛṣṇa as long as he is attached to viṣaya.
Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Mayapura, October 22, 1974: Here only business is how Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied. That is the only business. That is perfection. To become perfect means to learn how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. It doesn't require education and doesn't require big, big titles or... Nothing. You try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam [SB 1.2.13].
Therefore here Kuntīdevī... Tvayi me ananya-viṣayā. Viṣaya means sense gratification. This is viṣaya: āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. These are called viṣaya. Viṣaya means material subject matter for sense gratification. So one cannot be attached to Kṛṣṇa as long as he is attached to viṣaya. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura or Locana dāsa Ṭhākura, he says, viṣaya chāṛiyā, se rase majiyā, mukhe bolo hari hari. Viṣaya chāṛiyā. So long you are attached to sense gratification, there is no question of chanting "Hari Hari." That is not possible.
Of course, we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness amongst the people who are interested in material subject matter. But we are not associating with them. We are associating with Kṛṣṇa, because we don't talk anything except Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974: Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, asat-saṅga-tyāga, ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra [Cc. Madhya 22.87]. Asat-saṅga-tyāga, ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra. He, in one line, He said that "First of all, Vaiṣṇava, his business is to avoid the company of asat." Asat means those who are materialistic interest. Asataḥ. Asato mā sad gama. This is very important thing. We have established this Kṛṣṇa consciousness society—means that to avoid the asat-saṅga, to avoid the... Of course, we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness amongst the people who are interested in material subject matter. But we are not associating with them. We are associating with Kṛṣṇa, because we don't talk anything except Kṛṣṇa. We are not interested with their business. Everyone is interested with his own business. Similarly, we are interested with our own business, Kṛṣṇa consciousness business.
Don't talk material subject matters.
Lecture on SB 7.9.46 -- Vrndavana, April 1, 1976: The real fact is that you cannot stop the tongue working. Engage the tongue in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanted. Don't talk material subject matters. In big, big meetings the politicians, the United Nation, they talking—but talking all nonsense, simply going there for passing resolution that "Now we have to do this. Then the world will change." No, it will never change. By such kind of foolish talking, it will never change.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
One may understand that he is spirit soul and he may try his best to merge into the spiritual effulgence, Brahman—ahaṁ brahmāsmi, and because he has no personal view of the supreme spirit—he cannot surrender to Kṛṣṇa—naturally he again comes back to this material world and surrenders to the material subject matter.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.106 -- New York, July 12, 1976: With great endeavor, with much expenditure you may go eighty thousand miles per hour, but unless you get shelter, you have to again come back to this, either in America or Russia. They tried, but they could not get shelter. Similarly, the one may understand that he is spirit soul and he may try his best to merge into the spiritual effulgence, Brahman—ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I shall remain in Brahman"—but because he is person, the impersonalism condition will not be helpful to him, and because he has no personal view of the supreme spirit—he cannot surrender to Kṛṣṇa—naturally he again comes back to this material world and surrenders to the material subject matter. Sometimes he is engaged in philanthropic work or altruistic work. He thought, "This is the best service. instead of serving myself, let me serve the whole humanity, whole community, whole nation," so on, so on, so on. But they are all asad-dharma. They are not sad-dharma.
So when one is actually in sad-dharma or he is hankering after sad-dharma, then Kṛṣṇa helps him.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Yes. some material subject mattermatters should be taught in the gurukula, kṣatriya, or the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya, as they are described in the Bhagavad-gītā, what are the symptoms of brāhmaṇa, what is the symptoms of kṣatriya.
Morning Walk "Varnasrama College" -- March 14, 1974, Vrndavana:
Hṛdayānanda: And there should... Should there be any material subject matters taught like in gurukula?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like material subject matter, kṣatriya, or the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya, as they are described in the Bhagavad-gītā, what are the symptoms of brāhmaṇa, what is the symptoms of kṣatriya. The kṣatriyas should be taught how to fight also. There will be military training. There will be training how to kill.
Hṛdayānanda: Oh.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And vaiśyas should be trained how to give protection to the cows, how to till the field and grow food. Practical.
Nitāi: Not business also?
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Nitāi: The vaiśyas?
Prabhupāda: Business, this rascal business, no.1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Those who are not searching after self-realization, they have got many subject matter for hearing and deliberate. That means material subject matter.
Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: Those who are not searching after self-realization, they have got many subject matter for hearing and deliberate. That means material subject matter. We have in the newspaper different subject matters for different public interest, but those who are searching after spiritual realization, athāto brahma jijñāsā. As it is stated in the Vedānta-sūtra, also in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Human life means tattva-jijñāsā, inquiry about the Absolute Truth. That is now stopped. People are not interested, self-realization, tattva-jijñāsā. So this is an attempt to revive their spiritual consciousness, and it is authorized on the basis of Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without misinterpretation, and people are taking to it. So it is India's culture, and if we distribute this knowledge systematically, there are departments, cultural departments. So the things are there. If we cooperate, government and the public, then we can give to the whole world something which is very substantial. And there is no difficulty. The things are there, Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and this is our movement.