European Sankirtan Newsletter

Dear Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

This month many countries increased with France doubling the previous month and Italy almost doubling it. Of course, the UK is way out in front of everyone led by the SriSri Radha Londonisvara temple. I think that Srila Prabhupada would be very pleased and proud that London, that once dominated India, is now being dominated by the massive distribution of Srila Prabhupadas books. Big surprises were Sweden and Slovenia greatly increasing from the previous month and with the special visit of Vaisesika prabhu, the International Sankirtan minister, to Bulgaria they increased by 3 times!! Also, the Dutch yatra and Spain both increased. There are no limits in spiritual life and book distribution is transcendental and can go on ever increasing that’s why Srila Prabhupada said to “go on making your lifetime plans for distributing my books”.

I would like to quote from Srila Prabhupada’s introduction to the first chapter of the 8th canto of the Srimad Bhagawatam.

“First of all, let me offer my humble obeisances, respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Goswami Prabhupada. Sometime in the year 1935 when His Divine Grace was staying at Radha kunda, I went to see him from Bombay. At that time, he gave me many important instructions in regard to constructing temples and publishing books. He personally told me that publishing books is more important than constructing temples. Of course, those same instructions remained within my mind for many years. In 1944 I began publishing my Back to Godhead, and when I retired from family life in 1958, I began publishing Srimad Bhagawatam in Delhi. When three parts of Srimad Bhagawatam had been published in India, I then started for the United States of America on the 13th of August 1965. I am continously trying to publish books, as suggested by my spiritual master. Now, in this year, 1976, I have completed the Seventh Canto of Srimad Bhagawatam, and a summary of the tenth canto has already been published as Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Still 8th canto, 9th canto, 10th canto, 11th canto and the 12th canto are yet to be published. On this occasion, therefore, I am praying to my spiritual master to give strength to finish this work. I am neither a great scholar nor a great devote; I am simply a humble servant of my spiritual master, and to the best of my ability I am trying to please him by publishing these books, with the cooperation of my disciples in America. Fortunately, scholars all over the world are appreciating these publications. Let us cooperatively publish more and more volumes of Srimad Bhagawatam just to please His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.”

We should always remember this that book publishing and distribution is more important than temple construction and that it is our most important mission in service to Srila Prabhupada.

In the same 8th canto of Srimad Bhagawatam in the first chapter verse 32.

Text: Any literature or narration in which the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Uttamasloka, is described and glorified is certainly great, pure, glorious, auspicious and all good.

Purport: The Krsna consciousness movement is spreading all over the world simply by describing Krsna (the books). We have published many books, including Sri Caitanya Caritamrta in 17 volumes, 400 pages each, as well as Bhagavad gita and The Nectar of Devotion. We are also publishing Srimad Bhagawatam in 60 volumes (now 18 volumes). Whenever a speaker holds discourses from these books and an audience hears him, this will create a good and auspicious situation. Therefore, the preaching of Krsna consciousness must be done very carefully by the members of the Krsna consciousness movement especially the sannyasis. This will create an auspicious atmosphere”.

So, if we really want to do something to help the suffering people of this world we should go on publishing and distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books more and more.

Srila Prabhupada Kijay!!

Your servant,

Trai Das

Sankirtan Meeting

FLASH!!!!

I just called H.H. Janananda Maharaja, and he has agreed to do our monthly Sankirtan meeting on Monday August the 11th at 19:00 CET and 18:00 UK time.

Sankirtan Yajna Kijaya!!

Sankirtan Scores Continental Europe

Sankirtan Scores United Kingdom

Sankirtan Charts

Sankirtan stories

Belgium

Just after H.H Bhakti Prabhava Swami started to sing in the beginning of the Antwerp Ratha Yatra procession I met this incredible kind soul.

Pablo who loves to learn about all kinds of religion and God consciousness books was very happy to receive a Science of Self-realisation and an English Bhagavad Gita. He directly gave a generous donation and was very happily receiving the mahamantra cart as well.

Italy

This evening Sebastiano's dad was very inspired to talk about Krishna Consciousness to this young Nicolò, 26 years old. He was very curious to know this philosophy! He took two books, the Maha Prasadam, and we sent them to the Temple. Jai Srila Prabhupadha! 🙏

Italy - Torino

I've finished my day of book distribution in Turin and am returning home on the subway. I sense it's not over yet, so I try to offer the books to everyone in the wagon. However, I sense a great deal of difficulty interacting with them, soul to soul. I feel a bit frustrated by my inability to arouse any kind of interest in them. I stop for a moment and begin to meditate, praying intensely that Krishna, the only one capable of doing so, may make me a sincere instrument of his mercy. I try to get back on wagon and offer the books to two ladies sitting there, who, smiling, decline. Standing next to them, however, a lady remains listening very attentively. She takes off her headphones and speaks to me very attentively. She tells me she was listening to a video of a meditation and that she is very drawn to these themes. She begins to look at the books and is very fascinated by them. In the end, she decides to take four books and make a fitting donation. After saying goodbye and getting off the tram, I begin to meditate pleasantly on how Krishna truly is in everyone's heart and bestows his inspiration and mercy the moment a devotee sincerely tries to pray to him for his satisfaction.

It's a hot June afternoon. I set off for the Susa Valley to distribute books in the smaller villages. I pass from village to village, but I struggle to find people interested in spirituality. Occasionally, a few people give me small donations by taking a book, without much enthusiasm. I land in the fourth and final village of my afternoon, San Giorio di Susa.

I pray intensely to find people with whom I can talk about Krishna consciousness and have a deeper exchange. From the first people I meet, I notice that the atmosphere is different! Then I reach the central square where I find a bar. Several people are sitting outside, sipping their aperitifs and ending the day in the company of friends. Initially, I speak with a girl who sarcastically disparages the books, saying they're not suitable for someone like her. Later, I turn to another group of three girls sitting there, and they all seem very interested. One girl in particular is happy to see me and says how incredible it is to see a Hare Krishna in San Giorio di Susa! She explains that she teaches mindfulness and five years ago had Darshan of Vishvananda, which changed her life. She tells me that a regular practice she does is chanting the Maha Mantra. She also reveals that for 10 years, for some reason, she's had a picture of Srila Prabhupada at home, and has always been very curious to read his biography, but has never had the chance. So I show her "A Saint Walks Among Us," the only copy I've brought with me. She receives it with eyes full of joy and gratitude, and, like a child eager to unwrap a Christmas present, she energetically unwraps the plastic wrap to finally leaf through it. We talk about various topics, both with her and with another girl, who, also very interested, picks up a book. A lovely friendly exchange develops between us and among their group itself. As I say goodbye to everyone and walk towards my car, I think how kind Krishna is to fulfill the spiritual desires of the devotees of Sankirtan!

Simhesvara Gauranga Prabhu

Spain - Alicante

Vamos a la playa, oh oh oh… You might remember this cheerful, catchy tune by Righeira — a flash of pop from another era. But listen more closely, and it’s anything but lighthearted. The lyrics actually speak about the aftermath of a nuclear explosion: “The radiation burns, and tints everything blue.” Maya, too, dresses in dazzling clothes — always ready to drown us in the deep blue ocean of material suffering. That’s why the only devotee you’ll find at the beach is the one chanting japa at dawn, when the witch of sense gratification still sleeps.

So, we went for a japa walk by the sea, watching the beauty of the sunrise unfold. Still, even that light couldn’t come close to what Mother Yasoda felt when she beheld her blue lotus child, Krishna, opening His eyes. After finishing my rounds, an hour passed. Then two. Then three. I felt eager to return to the temple, but didn’t want to rush the devotees. So, I waited. And surrendered.

I asked only one thing: “Krishna, why have You brought me here?” At that very moment, the man doing asanas beside me played a kirtan on his phone: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare…Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

The Holy Name spoke. And I got my answer: I have to speak to this man. When he finished his practice, he came over to greet me. His name was Alexander, from Ukraine. He had escaped the war and now lived in Alicante with his family — a son and a daughter. Though divorced, he remained close friends with their mother. He told me that after an ayahuasca retreat and some experiences with psychedelics, he had become more open to spiritual life. Then he said — casually, but with strange sincerity:

“Half an hour before you arrived, I was thinking about the devotees… I don’t know why.” I smiled. The smile of someone who has just discovered the key to a mystery. Krishna has a plan for Alexander. We walked back to the car together. He received a Bhagavad-gita and a small book for his daughter. Later that same day, he came to the temple and honored prasadam. The most beautiful part of that old song? It ends with: “Vamos a la playa — at last, the sea is clean.” So even in a world clouded by radioactive impurity… Krishna consciousness purifies everything.

Hare Krishna 🙏🏿🪷

Rasananda Dasa

During the Iraq War

I'm usually on mission for about 12 hours a day, so finding the motivation to distribute books is difficult. I dragged myself out and went to my usual spots. At first, no one wanted to take a book. I started to feel sad and thought, "Better to sit down and read, clear my head, and then try again." As I was reading, someone shouted, "Hey, Partha!" Startled, I turned around, and a soldier approached me. I thought maybe he was the son of a devotee, but how did he know what I looked like? As he got closer, I could see other people with him. I couldn't remember his face. He asked me if I remembered, and I apologized, saying no. He laughed and told me we'd met in 2003 in An Nasariya, in southern Iraq. My memory began to return, but it was still a little hazy. So, he started telling everyone how we'd met. We were preparing for a convoy, and I was sitting in my truck reading a book. After seeing the cover, he became interested. So, I gave him another copy of the Bhagavad-gita.

Apparently, he was the first person I distributed a book to in Iraq! Amazing. He went on to say that he had been seriously injured during that service and that, during his recovery, he had read the Gita. As the days passed, he found comfort in the words that came from the lotus mouth of Lord Sri Krishna. He said he was certain he had overcome that difficult period only by reading Srila Prabhupada's books. I didn't know what to say; I was just shocked, but he took my box of books and distributed some to his friends. We exchanged email addresses, and as he was walking to his truck, I heard him say, "You should read these books; they will save you in the end."

Your servant,

Partha Sarathi Dasa

(February 2016)