European Sankirtan Newsletter

Dear devotees,

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Your servant,

Trai Das

Sankirtan Meeting

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Sankirtan Scores Continental Europe

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Sankirtan Scores United Kindom

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Sankirtan Charts

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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