Do we get bad karma by visual sexual stimulation?

From: Amit

Do we get bad karma just by watching pornography? If we masturbate to it, is it equivalent to losing our good karma account also, which could be used to progress in one’s career?

Transcription: (By Sahil Shuban Khushu P)

Answer: Yes we do get Bad Karma. Because illicit sex is one of the primary activities of bad Karma. When we are indulging in these sorts of activities then we are mentally doing those sinful activities by watching others engaged in those sinful acts.

Certainly, mental bad Karma is not as severe in its reaction as physical bad Karma. But with respect to the visual stimulation of the sexual faculty in males, the action is not just mental .In fact with respect to the male body; the eyes are the primary way through which sensual pleasure is got. In that sense, visual gratification of the eyes through watching obscene images is akin to sexual foreplay. In that sense it is illicit.

When Srila prabhupad was asked about this (not specifically about these ways of engaging in sex) but about the general principal. Srila Prabhupad said wastage of semen in any form is sinful. On another occasion one of the senior leaders of ISKCON HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj was asked this question he said that this sort of activity is as bad as eating beef which involves the principle of no meat eating and breaking that principle in the most grievous and anti-devotional.

Therefore if we wish not to drain our Karmic account by indulging in bad Karma it is best to avoid these things entirely.

Thank You