European Sankirtan Newsletter

Dear prabhus,

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

I am writing this newsletter in Prabhupadadesh where the International BBT annual meeting is being held. So, I am in the most auspicious and inspiring association. Along with the devotees who publish and print Srila Prabhupada’s books I have the great fortune to have the association of Vaisesika prabhu, the world Sankirtan minister. He is giving many ideas and lot’s of inspiration on how to increase our book distribution here in Europe.

This month of course London and Cardiff, Wales are leading the way, and we hope that they can spread their enthusiasm and inspiration to the rest of Europe. In continental Europe the competition is getting closer and closer. The italian yatra is still in first place but Germany and Hungary are catching up fast. Germany this month had not only Simhacalam doing big but Harinam desh did much better than usual to bring Germany up to 2nd place, but the most inspiring of all this month is the Hungarian yatra almost catching up to Germany, a country 7 or 8 times bigger! Next was the Czech Republic beating France also a country 5 times bigger than them. Then Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands all did very well. The rest of the countries all maintained their steady distribution for the month.

I would like to quote some passages from Srila Prabhupada’s books first the Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya lila chapter 8 verse 39 purport. “One should also consider that those who engage in the missionary activities of the Krsna consciousness movement are under the guidance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They are not actually beggars; their real business is to deliver fallen souls. Therefore, they may go from door to door just to introduce a book about Krsna consciosness so that people can become enlightened by reading. Formerly brahmacaris and sannyasis used to beg from door to door. At the present moment, especially in the Western countries, begging is considered criminal. Members of the Krsna consciousness movement have no business begging. Instead, they work very hard to introduce some literatures about Krsna consciousness so that people can read them and be benefitted. But if one gives some contribution to a Krsna conscious man, he never refuses it.” This is one of the most clear and direct instructions about book distribution that Srila Prabhupada wrote in his books. We are distributing books on Srila Prabhupada’s instruction to please him by giving the highest eternal benefit to the fallen souls of this age.

Then another very direct quote about book distribution is there from the 6th canto of the Srimad Bhagawatam chapter 5 verse 18. “The Krsna consciousness movement is very eager to present Vedic literature in modern languages, especially Western languages such as English, French and German. The leaders of the Western world, the Americans and the Europeans, have become the idols of modern civilization because the Western people are very sophisticated in temporary activities for the advancement of material civilization. A sane man, however, can see that all such grand activities, although perhaps very important for temporary life, have nothing to do with eternal life. The entire world is imitating the materialistic civilazation of the West, and therefore the Krsna consciousness movement is very much interested in giving the Western people knowledge by translating the original Sanskrit Vedic literatures into Western languages.” Srila Prabhupada wanted his books distributed in the Western world because if they take it the rest of the world will follow.

Srila Prabhupada’s book distribution Kijaya!!!

Your servant,

Trai Das

Sankirtan Meeting

FLASH GREAT NEWS: We have the great fortune to have with us this month His grace Vaisesika prabhu, the world Sankirtan Minister. He will lead our monthly Sankirtan meeting online on Monday July 14th at 19:00 CET and 18:00 UK time.

Sankirtan Scores Continental Europe

Sankirtan Scores United Kingdom

Sankirtan Charts

Sankirtan stories

Germany

Our Nectar Tour takes us further to Eisfeld where my dear Godbrother Stucki Caitanya Prabhu invited us for an inauguration festival of his new Retreat Center / Think Gita happening / welcome Party of Sadbhuja Prabhu. It was quite ecstatic and emotional, very inspiring to see especially so many beginners in Krsna Consciousness gathering, who bring tremendous qualities, sources and treasures together for a transcendental transformation and Bhakti blossoming! And we distributed some books! Anton Prabhu even distributed a full set of Srīmad Bhagavatam - Haribol! We had a wonderful visit at friends place who extra special grow veggies and have bees! As we were taught about the secrets of cultivating bees and farming honey we realised to many similarities with book Distribution and we already felt like nectar bees, collecting the nectar for Krsna in the temple. On our way we stopped in Würzburg and had great encounters as well! Just stopped in the middle of the night one Prabhu on the bicycle at the Train station and he took 4 books

Vedasāra Dāsa

Italy

💖🙏TODAY OUR HEART IS FULL OF JOY! 🙏💖

Today is a Very Special and Transcend day. A bus of 50 people came to the Restaurant.

My husband and I could not help but sing the Hare Krishna Mantra with them! 🎤🎶 🤗 We shared our spiritual story and that of our son Bhakta Sebastiano. 😍 So only by the grace of our wonderful Spiritual Master we distributed the MAHA PRASADAM to them, 🍱 sang the Mantra together 🎵 🎶 , and distributed the books. 📕 They thanked us very much, they were so happy and satisfied to have come to the Restaurant and listen to the transcendental philosophy and our life experiences! We are happy to share and serve at the Lotus Feet of Srila Prabhupadha! 🙏🪷 Jai Srila Prabhupadha. SanKirtan Ki jai! Thanks 🙏

Today already given Bhagavad Gita to a famous opera musician. THANKS KRISHNA!🙏🪷 He also wanted to visit the temple “Prabhupada Desh “ in Vicenza Italy. He had his first contact as a customer in our Restaurant! we talked to him about the Bhagavad Gita. 🙏🪷💖

BHAKTIN CATERINA & BHAKTA RENATO

Italy, Turin

I enter a shop that sells pods and coffee. Behind the counter is a Romanian lady who initially says she is not interested in taking a book. She tells me that she is actually very spiritual but cannot reveal everything to me. As I remained to talk and try to listen to her properly, she begins to open up and tell me about various spiritual episodes and experiences in her life. From not wanting to reveal anything to me, she quickly goes on to cascade down the many realizations she has had in life, and she no longer wants to let me go! At a certain point in the conversation she asks me to see the books, and very willingly chooses “The Secrets of the Vedas”. Afterwards, I leave her a note from our center in Turin, where there is an image of Gauranga and Nityananda dancing. When she sees the note, she remains almost petrified for several seconds. Then she turns to me, showing me goosebumps on her arm. She says that seeing this image she felt a strong sensation for which she could not explain the reason. We continue talking for a long time, and before I left she asks me to see the books again. Among all of them, she focuses on “A Saint Walks Among Us”. She puts a hand on the book, and still remains as if petrified! She points out to me again the goosebumps on her arms and emits moans of strong emotion from her voice. She then reveals to me that seeing this master on the book she felt a very strong spiritual emotion. I was extremely happy and pleased to see such a reaction from an “ordinary” person of this material world towards Gaura Nitai and Srila Prabhupada, inexhaustible sources of joy and inspiration for us devotees. After a final exchange the lady hugs me, very happy to have had such a special meeting. I saw how her eyes were shining with transcendental joy.

All glories to Sankirtan!

Portugal

Joyanta prabhu (photo below) worked as an optician in his home country - Bangladesh. His spiritual master named his shop "Divya Drishty"= Divine vision.

He had to give it up to come to Portugal and now he's giving the Divine vision to the people in Portugal by distributing books of Srila Prabhupada

United Kingdom

“𝐀 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬.” 𝐒𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐡𝐮𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐚

Today, outside Tottenham Court Road Station, I met Carl, originally from Paris. I asked him what his proudest achievement in life was. He smiled & said it was arriving in London some years ago, learning English from scratch, completing his MBA & now serving as Head of Sales at a Finance Technology company near the London Bridge Monument.

I offered him a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, however, Carl declined to take it. He explained that he had already read Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch & that book had answered all his life’s questions. He then emphasised that he never stops for street vendors & would never give money on London’s pavements.

Carl then handed me his phone & asked me to read a few of his favourite transcripts from Conversations with God. As I spoke the words aloud, I simultaneously cross-referenced them with verses from the Bhagavad Gita, offering Srila Prabhupada’s deeper & transcendental insights on duty, consciousness, love, surrender, selfless action & divine devotion. Carl’s posture shifted. The rush of commuters blurred around us as we spoke for 15 minutes, discussing Srila Prabhupada’s powerful words.

To my astonishment, Carl not only accepted the Bhagavad Gita with genuine enthusiasm but also donated double the amount I had jokingly suggested.

This morning, in HG Govind Krishna Prabhu’s Srimad Bhagavatam class & in the Soho Brahmacaris’ MSF presentation we were reaffirmed of Srila Prabhupada’s teaching that genuine enthusiasm is all we need. Both classes were supercharged with ecstatic enthusiasm & fired our spirits for service on the streets.

In that instant, I witnessed Srila Prabhupada’s teaching come to life…genuine enthusiasm opens the door to mercy. Carl’s unexpected receptivity & generosity proved that when the heart is truly open & enthused, miracles unfold.

Flabbergasted that he had not only accepted the book but donated double what he had originally intended, Carl immediately offered me a position in his sales team. I politely declined & instead presented him with an even more compelling opportunity…to join us on the streets, distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books!

In a matter of minutes outside Tottenham Court Road Station, a single conversation introducing Srila Prabhupada had transformed a passerby’s mind, touched his heart & even redirected his career ambitions. Srila Prabhupada, you continue to enthuse & blow us away moment by moment!

Geeta Bhandari