European Sankirtan Newsletter

Dear Prabhus,

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

The month of March saw the celebration of Gaura Purnima. The main emphasis was on the Be a Gardener campaign or the distribution of the Caitanya Caritamrta set. It was primarily pushed in the UK with Bhaktivedanta manor, under the leadership of Divya nam prabhu, leading with 109 CC sets followed by Wales with 63 and Soho st with 55. We will try to do better next year but now we are in the middle of the Bhadra campaign or distribution of Srimad Bhagawatam sets. This was Srila Prabhupada’s most dear life’s work and devotees who distribute it and those who recieve it gets the greatest blessings and fortune. If you want to get really inspired to distribute SB sets, please listen to the recording of the talk by Vaisesika prabhu that I just sent to everyone.

In the rest of Europe some yatras stood out. Budapest in Hungary, the Dutch yatra and Sankirtan dham in Italy all did exceptional scores. All the big yatras like Germany, Italy, France and Spain were all very steady.

Ukraine has always amazed everyone by their determination to go on distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books despite all difficulties. I asked H.H. Niranjana Maharaja if their books were subsidized, and he said no all sold directly on the street. This makes it even more inspiring!!

I would like to share with you some quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s books about preaching.

SB-7-9-44 “The members of the Krsna consciousness movement are not at all interested in so-called meditation in the Himalayas or the forest, where one will only make a show of meditation, nor are they interested in opening many schools for yoga and meditation in the cities. Rather, every member of the Krsna consciousness movement is interested in going door to door to try to convince people about the teachings of Bhagavad-gita as it is, the teachings of Lord Caitanya. This is the purpose of the Hare Krsna movement. The members of the Krsna consciousness movement must be fully convinced that without Krsna one cannot be happy.” So, this makes it very clear what our mission is as members of the Krsna consciousness movement to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books everywhere and that is the only thing that will make everyone, including ourselves, happy. Srila Prabhupada kijay!!

The next quote is from the Krsna book at the end of the 22nd chapter.” Thus, the Supreme Personality of Godhead walked on the bank of the Yamuna, touching the leaves of the trees and their fruits, flowers and twigs and praising their glorious welfare activities. Different people may accept certain welfare activities to be beneficial for human society, according to their own views, but the welfare activity that can be rendered to people in general, for eternal benefit, is the spreading of the Krsna consciousness movement. Everyone should be prepared to propagate this movement. “We should always be convinced that spreading Krsna consciousness, especially through the distribution of transcendental literature, is the highest and best welfare activity for the whole human society.

This month we also have some Sankirtan stories from devotees in a few countries, along with our enlivening photos, devotees in action.

FLASH great news , we will have His Holiness Janananda Maharaja back with us again on Monday May the 5th at 19:00 CET and 18:00 UK time.

Your servant,

Trai Das

Sankirtan Scores Continental Europe

Sankirtan Scores United Kingdom

Sankirtan Charts

Sankirtan stories

Germany #1

It felt like organizing a book distribution seminar again!

This time Krpā-Sindhu Prabhu and myself decided for cooperation, so he took up the service of the theoretical part and I went for the practical and organisational part.

After a time of promotion, encouragement, inspiration and a lot of communication we had a group of 18 Devotees together.

Every day we drove to Passau for Book Distribution and the Devotees loved it.

Gambhira Mataji: “I never feel so happy like on Sankirtan.”

It felt like we are on a mission and that our combined effort has made a difference, and the glory spread throughout the temple community.

In the morning, we heard the results spoken to the Deity and all were very happy and proud.

Every evening, we had a meeting in the Gaura Nitai Kutir in presence and in Zoom simultaneously and heard from Krpā-Sindhu Prabhu the essence of the book distribution preaching mission. He combined and melted the experience, presentations and documents of our past Sankirtan Acaryas in Germany to a wonderful presentation.

The shoreless ocean of nectar seemed to grow as the week progressed and culminated in an online role game, where we practiced the practical exchange, which was very hilarious and full of possibilities to learn the art of distributing books.

Finally, most of the participants and our community in Simhachalam united in Passau for a Sankirtan Festival right in the city center.

We all practiced and shared, danced and sung, laughed and shared compassion, tried on and on, gave and realized and it was super enlivening and blissful.

It found its peak in a Gaura Arati to Krpā-Sindhu Prabhus Gaura-Nitai Deities sung by himself and when he started to dance in a circle ⭕️ we all went nuts. A group of drunkards joined. Three devotee children accidentally dressed the same (white top, pink skirt), dancing in the middle of the churning kunda and loads of passengers stood in great wonder at the side to understand what is going on. Golokera Prema Dhana Harinama Sankirtana!

The spiritual world was downloaded, and it was a huge festival.

At the end one of the drunkards wanted to have my Hoodie with Haribol in front and Gaura Nitai with Skysrcapers and “Jiv Jago” on the back and gave me 100€ for it 😂. I immediately understood this is a great deal and the Hoodie will continue to serve and preach with this person 😇🙏🏼.

We returned happy, satisfied and stuck in wonder back to the farm for our weekly Nrsimha Homa and celebrated the weeks success!

We ordered 12 new Sankirtan ID cards for our new Sankirtan Heroes!

Sankirtan Yajña Ki Jaya!

Germany #2

Hare Krishna, dear devotees,

I would like to share a story that recently happened to me.

I was walking home from my German courses, and, on the way, I was giving cookies from Simhachalam to the homeless and those who were asking for food. I also had two books with me. I offered one to a guy from Greenpeace on the street, and he said he was actually interested in all of this.

When I was left with just one book, I found myself at the main train station (since it’s the most convenient way for me to get home through the underpass). Suddenly, I felt a voice in my heart saying, “Turn around and go the other way.” So, I did.

In the crowd, I saw a very confused man. He was holding a Bhagavad Gita in his hand, and around his neck, he wore a Narasimha Kavacha. I was surprised, but following the voice inside, I caught up with him. Honestly, I wasn’t thinking at all at that moment—I was just walking.

He was almost crying, looking completely lost. And he only spoke German—but thankfully, I understood him. He looked at me and said, “I saw God,” and tears filled his eyes. “That man over there… he gave me food and a book.”

He looked like someone who had finally woken up, who realized where he was and where he needed to return. And apparently, he needed to get something off his chest. So, I looked into his eyes, listened attentively, not understanding most of the words, but understanding him with my heart.

I spoke with him in my terrible German—about Krishna, about Bhagavad Gita and Prabhupada, about Kavacha. We chanted the mantra together, and he calmed down a little. Then I decided to give him another book as a gift. He was deeply moved.

I had no thoughts after meeting that man, no emotions. There was a peaceful emptiness, like after meditation. But the loud voice inside led me home—to leave my things, take all the books I had, and grab more cookies. I returned to the street with thoughts of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Chaitanya.

This was how my first day went when I went out on the street to distribute books.

Thank you, Heidi for inspiring me to share this story here 🙇🏻

Thank you to everyone who read until the end 🙏🏻

Anastasia Mataji (Nürnberg)

United Kindom

One of my siksha disciples sent me a sankirtan Lila. So, I thought to share it with all of you.

Sankirtan lila from Gurushakti Dasi (Coventry, England):

I stopped Karl on the street and handed him a Bhagavad Gita. I explained that it is a book of ancient wisdom that provides a comprehensive understanding of life’s true meaning and purpose. Karl replied by saying that he did not want to read any book about the purpose of life other than a book written by Prabhupada. His pronunciation wasn’t wholly accurate, yet I immediately understood his reference, and I was quite simply stunned.

I turned the Bhagavad Gita over and showed him the picture of Srila Prabhupada. His eyes lit up, and his expression said it all: He was Astonished. He excitedly told me that he had been released from prison four and a half weeks ago. Whilst he was in prison, he read “Chant & Be Happy,” and he also began chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

He said that the first time he chanted the mantra he felt “a strong sensation on the inside of his stomach, a surreal feeling which was inexplicable.” He later realised that it had completely cleared away a drug addiction he had battled with. Now he knew that he was never going to revert to drugs again.

He chanted for several months in prison and recommended to many of his fellow inmates that they read the book about chanting, because the maha-mantra gave him an indescribable feeling he had never experienced.

He even called his mother from prison and told her he was “Krishna consciousness” although he didn’t quite understand the meaning. This made me laugh.

He admitted he had stopped chanting in the last three months, as the weight of his problems had gotten the better of him, especially now that he has to restart his life, which is a “mess.”

I told him the importance of staying fixed in faith and emphasised that the Bhagavad Gita will teach him to be a warrior, not a worrier. It will release him from the prison of his mind.

Along with the Gita, I gave him a copy of “Veda” and a new, personal copy of “Chant and Be Happy.” I explained that Srila Prabhupada’s books will mould his character into one of excellence, and consequently the weight of his problems will seem minor and insignificant.

I confirmed that our character determines how high God elevates us and that he shows special favor to those who chant His holy names.

I feel so overjoyed by these encounters, which illustrate the potency of Srila Prabhupada’s books. They are life transforming and leave an everlasting impression.

Gurushakti Dasi

Torino - Italia

Alpignano

It’s evening, the day of book distribution is over. So I reach the train station to go home. While I try to buy a ticket at the machine, I hear a man cursing, complaining, getting angry, at the world and at himself. He’s pacing back and forth on the platform, with a very restless gait. He was obviously under the influence of drugs. For some reason I can’t finish printing the ticket, and, worried by the sinister presence of this man, I leave that platform, taking an underpass that leads me to the platform number two, from where I manage, this time, to print the ticket. But the train was leaving from platform one! I find myself forced to go back to the other platform, where the man is continuing his gloomy monologue. Among the many, I hear a statement that is nothing short of chilling: “My hand hurts! Enough with the fists, from now on only more guns and knives.” My worry intensifies. I couldn’t leave, the train was coming in a few minutes. I had to be patient. So I read the Sastras on my cell phone. In the meantime, he paces back and forth in front of me several times. At a certain point, he stops. Right in front of me. For at least two minutes I don’t find the courage to raise my head. I begin to pray inside myself. I ask Krishna for help, not only to protect me, but to be able to better manage this complex situation. After a few moments of suspense, he asks, with a sneer: “Do you read all those books?” I still had the books in my hand, as if holding them in my hand provided protection and support. At this point I raise my head and, smiling at him, very naturally, I say: “Yes, all of them, and you, do you like reading?”. He approaches me, confident.

His face is disfigured by amphetamine, or something similar. His body is emaciated, as if he had performed so many austerities and suffered so much pain. It seems as if he had found a person in me who finally considered him. He immediately notices the book on karma. He tells me, his eyes swaying here and there: “When I was in prison I had a cellmate who followed these things and prayed every day”. At that point, with an awkward manner, he mimes what should represent a greeting with clasped hands, a “namaskara”. He feels proud of being able to manifest, to a religious person, one of his, certainly, rare spiritual aspects of his personality. I then decide to open the tap of compassion: “I leave you this book on karma, it's yours!”. His hands grab the book, and at that moment I see how his face suddenly lights up with unexpected joy. The train has arrived. Noticing this, he frantically heads towards the platform a few meters away to retrieve his bike and get on the train. As he heads for his bike, he turns his gaze toward me for a moment, saying, with a smile, a few teeth but not unpleasant, and with eyes genuinely full of gratitude: “You have given me a wonderful gift”. We board the train from two different doors. After 10 minutes, I arrive at my destination and get off the train. As the train starts to move, I look inside the train, through its windows. I see this man sitting. He is completely absorbed in reading the book. It seems that nothing else interested him at that moment.

Every complaint, anxiety, frustration, that had gripped him so much before, seemed completely dissipated in that moment. This man is called Michele.

Michele is one of the many living proofs of the boundless mercy of the love of Sri Caitanya and Sri Nityananda!