European Sankirtan Newsletter

This month without the magic Arabic Srimad Bhagawatam “sets” the positions changed. Germany showed that even without that special concession they are becoming stronger and stronger in book distribution and came in number one in continental Europe. They were followed by Hungary, also a yatra that is becoming a very powerful force in book distribution. Then came Italy that is going to have to really get serious to get back up to the number one position. After Italy came another country that is coming up very strongly even despite not really having full-time SK devotees but the enthusiastic participation of many devotees from all walks of life and that was the Nederlands. Then in fifth place was a yatra that we should watch out for, the Czech Republic. I just saw that their best Sankirtan devotee, Sankirtan das, is in America with Mahotsaha prabhu, the biggest distributor in the world, getting trained by him. I think that when he comes back that he will bring the Czech yatra up to a new level. I think France in sixth place is just resting a moment before the Prabhupada marathon and will surprise us by appearing near or on the top again. I hope that all the yatras are very busy making their plans for bringing their book distribution up to greater heights during the Srila Prabhupada marathon. The world is in a very precarious position and there is such a great need for it to receive massive numbers of Srila Prabhupadas books as it is the only solution for all its problems.

I would like to quote a couple of passages from the Krsna book as it was the first book that we distributed in mass. This is from chapter 31 Songs by the Gopis “Dear Lord, words spoken by You or words describing Your activities are full of nectar, and simply by speaking or hearing Your words one can be saved from the blazing fire of material existence. Great demigods like Lord Brahma and Lord Siva are always engaged in chanting the glories of Your words. They do so to eradicate the sinful activities of all living entities in the material world. If one simply tries to hear Your transcendental words, he can very quickly be elevated to the platform of pious activities. For the Vaisnavas, Your words give transcendental pleasure, and saintly persons who are engaged in distributing Your transcendental message all over the world are first-class charitable persons.” So, the book distributors are the real first-class charitable persons distributing the message of the Lord to save the world.

The second quote is from the chapter “Prayers by the Personified Vedas” “This prayer of the Vedas personified illustrates that the Vedas are meant for helping the conditioned souls to understand Krsna. All the Srutis, or personified Vedas, offered glories to the Lord again and again, singing, “Jaya! Jaya! This indicates that the Lord is the most glorious. Of all His glories, the most important is His causeless mercy upon the conditioned souls in reclaiming them from the clutches of maya.”

Our monthly Sankirtan meeting will be announced soon, but tentatively we should have H.H. SB Kesava Maharaja with us for the beginning of December.

Your servant,

Trai Das

Sankirtan Scores Continental Europe

Sankirtan Scores United Kingdom

Sankirtan Charts

Sankirtan stories

Denmark

Hare Krishna.
Recently I had an intense work experience while I have been trying to find a way to be in this world balancing work and bhakti.
I went to work and it was so intense, when I came back I was thinking why to work so hard just to make people eat, drink etc
Instead of using my arms to serve in the restaurant, use them to play mrdanga for Krishna. Instead of dressing for work, dress for Krishna, thinking of the verse of ambarish maharaj, how he used everything in krishnas service.
And eventually instead of carrying stacks of plates, carry bhagavad gitas!
Instead of going to use my limbs for someone's pointless sense gratification, use it for Krishna.
I should go out for book distribution.
Also i was thinking the other day right now i dont have a regular service.
Some cleaning here and there, I was thinking, everyone can do that, is there something special that I can do that really makes a difference?
A senior devotee asked me today, what am I doing as I dont have a regular service and I said I'm cleaning, washing dishes etc . He said this anyone can do. So I asked what he would like me to do.
He said go for book distribution.
So I did.
In the beginning it was tough.
Everyone seemed completely uninterested and just cared for shopping and nothing else.
Maybe I was standing in the wrong spot but I said to myself I should stay and pray.
And that I'm doing this for Krishna and the devotees.
Long time later someone stopped.
Two people gave a donation without taking a book.
It would balance out later as someone gave less.
One very annoying incident with a gypsy lady selling magazine begging came to interrupt while I was talking to someone. She played very sad and needy and that person felt sorry for her and gave her most of his coins and less for me.
He has been to a temple a few times from his city.
Eventually I invited him to join me and he also tried to distribute books with me.
Later a devotee passed by that I haven't seen in 4 years.
I had some maha with me and she was very happy to receive it.
In that moment I felt my presence and endeavour had meaning as this devotee had not been to the temple in a long time and she could have Krishna's mercy.
Later a few more people stopped.
Had interesting conversations.
Gave two more small books.
Some people who were quite spiritual.
Two ladies that have seen the devotees and are very favorable.
And many more interactions.
Came back tired as it's getting cold already but felt more fresh and purified than in the beginning of the day.
Sankirtan yagya ki jai

Copenhagen 13/10/2026

Italy

Torino

I am on Corso Giulio Cesare.
I enter a spacious room with many chairs and a table at the far end.
It looks like the hall of a modern church.
A woman is sitting on one of the chairs.
A man, around 45 years old, approaches me from the back of the room.
He greets me warmly; his voice reveals his Brazilian origin.
He introduces himself as an evangelical pastor.
Complimenting him on the path he has chosen, I offer him a copy of the Bhagavad Gita as a gesture of spiritual communion and sharing.
After a bit of gentle prompting, he kindly declines the offer.
Realizing the situation, I mentally prepare to leave, but the woman who had been sitting stands up and says to me, "I’ll take it."
I am surprised by this interest shown by an evangelical believer in a book from an Eastern tradition.
She confides that she is already familiar with the book, having purchased it some time ago—back when she was still searching.
She wants to tell me more, but glances toward the altar at the far end and decides it might be better not to share it—at least, not there.
Driven by a desire to finish telling her story, she asks me to step outside.
Once we are out of the church, she explains that, many years ago, some devotees had passed through while on vacation and offered her a Bhagavad Gita; intrigued, she had accepted it.
She began reading it and felt very good.
But then, she tells me, she started having peculiar, mystical, spiritual visions—something indefinable—which frightened her.
Shortly thereafter, she decided to burn that copy of the Bhagavad Gita.
Her life’s journey eventually led her to become an evangelical Christian, yet, deep down, she has always kept that book in her heart. And when he saw me with the Bhagavad Gita, he took it as a sign—a sign that the time had finally come, that he was now more mature, and that it was time to have it back in his life.
He also mentioned that he had only stepped into the church for a moment while waiting for his turn at the doctor’s office.
He said goodbye and thanked me profusely.
Krishna is incredibly tolerant and patient; no matter what we do in our lives, He waits for us, always ready to welcome us back into His paternal embrace.

Your servant,
Simhesvara Gauranga das

Slovenia

I met Davud in the temple few weeks ago. He told me that I distributed a Veda to him 4 years ago. He tried reading it 1 year ago and didn't really connect but few months ago he had some difficulties and he started reading again and this time he actually connected. He is chanting, following the principles and hopefully he will become a nice devotee. Sankirtan works and there are many more out there who are reading Srila Prabhupada's books and slowly getting transformed.

United Kingdom

Today was amazing mercy! 😳🎉
We went out for book distribution and at the station we saw hundreds of people in cosplay, all dressed as anime characters. We had to follow them.

They led us to Festival Palace and it was completely packed. I've never seen so many people. Thousands!

We tried to distribute just outside the building but security kicked us out and escorted us out of the whole area.

So we went around to the back side. Then heavy rain started! But Krishna made a perfect arrangement, we found and stayed under a shelter the whole day and so many people came and took books.

Where there is a will, Krishna gives the mercy.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Lilesvari Mataji Ki Jai!

Mother distributes a Chant and be Happy!

We were in the middle of bringing a delivery of books into our book room when Lilesvari Mataji and I stopped a couple passing by.

Lilesvari Mataji began speaking to them about mantra meditation, spirituality, and how the teachings in the book can help us find genuine happiness.

Interestingly, at the beginning of the conversation, they told us they weren’t interested in meditation. But after hearing her explanations, their attitude completely changed! They happily took the book, gave a donation, and seemed genuinely excited to read it.

Just goes to show how the association of a wonderful Vaishnavi like Lilesvari Mataji can change someone’s heart, even in a short conversation!

Lilesvari Mataji Ki Jai!!! 🤩

It was a truly ecstatic day out on Sankirtan today!

Lucas and I started the day distributing books together and met some wonderful people, one of whom was Toren.

Toren is going through a difficult time in his life, particularly with his job and his relationship. We had a nice conversation about the Bhagavad Gita, following the approach that Vaisesika Prabhu teaches.

Throughout the conversation, Toren kept repeating, “You guys have made my day. I needed this. You guys have made my day.”

It was such a sweet reminder that we never know who we’re going to meet when we step out onto the streets. Someone might be going through the most difficult period of their life, and a conversation with a devotee or the gift of a Bhagavad Gita could be the beginning of a profound change in their life.

We never know who Krishna might put in front of us, or how much that one interaction might mean to them. All we have to do is go out and give people that opportunity!

We also had Aanya come out and touch the pavement today, and she was soon distributing a book to this legend!

From the very beginning, this lady made it clear that she didn’t want to give a donation. But Aanya spoke about the book with such conviction and enthusiasm that, by the end of their conversation, she not only happily took the book but was also grateful for the opportunity to give a donation!

Just goes to show how much difference a little enthusiasm and conviction can make when sharing these books with others!