(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 May 2018, Radhadesh, Belgium, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.19.25-32)
We have to be very careful when it comes to sense enjoyment. Even though it is allowed, it must be within the realm of devotional service. For example, many people go watch movies and there are some scenes in those movies that are a little bit inappropriate. They can be sinful. One may say, “Oh, I am not affected by this. I see these things but they do not do anything to me. Nothing at all! They just bounce straight off. It’s just some man and woman doing some things.”
When speaking about illicit sex, it is said: smaranam kirtanam kelih preksanam guhyam asanam sankalpo adhyavasaya. Remembering, hearing, speaking, performing, joking and playing around, looking and so on, all form part of illicit sex and therefore contribute to illicit sexual activity. So even preksanam (looking) comes into play, because when we are watching movies with illicit sex in them, it classifies as engaging in illicit sex. Therefore, one has to be careful. There are boundaries to watching movies. I also sometimes watch movies; however, they are Krsna conscious ones.
Just looking is basically santa rasa (neutrality). You notice that people who watch television or movies all the time eventually become totally passive. These people cannot do anything anymore. Therefore, this whole movie culture is just turning us into passive santa rasa vegetables. So instead, we must be active; actively do service. We have to use our own creativity and determine how we can serve Krsna and ask ourselves, “What can I do for Krsna?”