European Sankirtan Newsletter

Dear prabhus, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The new year is still taking off and we have scores from most of the countries. I would like to thank everyone for their cooperation in sending their scores. We need more stories and photos please!!! These are inspiring for all the devotees so please send them in.

We want to highlight the Slovenian yatra this month. Ananta prabhu the president and Mukunda Madhava prabhu the Sankirtan leader made a calculation how many books per capita were distributed. By this calculation they came in second place. They are literally flooding their country with Srila Prabhupada’s books. Slovenia Panca-tattva yatra kijaya!! We also include some photos from Slovenia also with Prahladanandana Maharaja distributing 30 books in 1 hour!! Also, the Norwegian yatra with Mahabhavi prabhu leading the distribution often alone is very inspiring going on in the dead of winter pushing through the snow. All glories to the Sankirtan devotees fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s desire to carry his books to every town and village.

I would like to share with everyone some words from Srila Prabhupada.

Caitanya Caritamrta Adi lila chapter 7 verse 92 “My dear child, continue dancing, chanting and performing sankirtan in association with devotees.Furthermore, go out and preach the value of chanting Krsna nama, for by this process You will be able to deliver all fallen souls.” Purport: It is another ambition of the spiritual master to see his disciples not only chant, dance and follow the regulative principles but also preach the sankirtan movement to others in order to deliver them, for the Krsna consciousness movement is based on the principle that one should become as perfect as possible in devotional service oneself and also preach the cult for others benefit.” As we know book distribution is the best preaching and is most pleasing to Srila Prabhupada.

Caitanya Caritamrta Purport Madhya lila chapter 19 verse 114 “One cannot spread the holy name of Krsna without being specifically empowered by Lord Krsna" A devotee who receives this power from the Lord must be considered very fortunate. The Krsna consciousness movement is spreading to enlighten people about their real position, their original relationship with Krsna. One requires Krsna’s special power in order to be able to do this. People forget their relationship with Krsna and work under the spell of maya life after life, transmigrating from one body to another. This is the process of material existence. The Supreme Lord Sri Krsna personally descends to teach people that their position in the material world is a mistaken one. The Lord again comes as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to induce people to take to Krsna consciousness. The Lord also empowers a special devotee to teach people their constitutional position.”

Krsna empowered the special devotee, Srila Prabhupada, to write his books and we have this great fortune to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books and thus we are extremely fortunate. Let’s expand this fortune to the whole world but first we have to make ourselves fortunate by seriously reading and studying Srila Prabhupada’s books in order to be inspired to share them with others.

Fortunately, Simhesvara Gauranga prabhu has sent us a couple of Sankirtan stories. Everyone is invited to send in their Sankirtan stories.

Your servant,

Trai Das

Sankirtan Meeting

Saturday April 6th at 10am CET 9 am UK time with Visvambhara prabhu.

Continental European Sankirtan Scores

Sankirtan Scores United Kindom

Scores By Country

Sankirtan stories

Cuneo - Italy

I show the books to a girl who works in a bar in a shopping center, but she doesn't seem very interested. At one point a lady comes to me and says: “Show me the books”. She looks at the books and takes one. Then speaking to me she reveals a state of uneasiness due to the fact that her granddaughter is going through some difficult times. So, she takes her cell phone and shows me the photo of her with her granddaughter, pointing out what a kind look she has. “She's a different, special little girl” she tells me. Then we say goodbye and after 5 minutes I meet her again with her husband. Talking a little more she explains better her situation with her granddaughter and her parents (of which the father is the lady's son) to the point that she is moved. Then she asks me a question: “How old are you”. I reply: “Almost 34”. Her: “when is your birthday?” Me: “In March”. Her: “What day?”. Me: “19th”. At that point, without saying anything, she takes her cell phone and shows me the photo of her with the little girl: "She too, Ginevra, has her birthday on the same day."From this meeting I deduced how sometimes we have meetings that are already destined. We have relationships with other souls from previous lives and in one way or another they recur when the time is right. We pray for Ginevra that this small service that her grandmother has done can help her find her serenity and meet her Krishna in her life, the one who provides supreme peace.

Cuneo - Italy

Afternoon. In a holistic center I meet a boy who greets me but at that moment I was busy talking to other people and I couldn't give him the right attention. The afternoon continues. I finish the town and it's already evening and it's time to leave for the apartment. I'm about to leave with the car, first loading the trolley of books inside, and at that point I see this boy who also got into the car and left, passing right in front of me. So, I stop him, and he stops and we start talking. He explains to me that he is taking courses on the Bhagavad Gita, Uddhava Gita, the Vedas. At that point I tell him: “Come here, I'll show you something”. He gets out and I show him the Srimad Bhagavatam from my car. As soon as he sees it he makes a gesture of gratitude by placing his palms together. So, conquered by this vision, he decides to take it! Later, talking again, he reveals something to me: “I'll tell you that a few days ago I had a vision in which I visualized an orange monk like you. I know it's not a coincidence, it's as if this meeting had to happen now." Krishna always knows how to inspire and direct souls in the right way when they start taking steps towards him. Sankirtan is magical!