European Sankirtan Newsletter

Dear Prabhus,

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

We had another fantastic month with a last big push for the Bhadra campaign with many countries like France, Germany, Czech Republic, Spain, Benelux, Italy, Sweden and Norway all doing very well for the campaign. But of course, the amazing and inspiring news for the Bhadra campaign comes from the UK with Bhaktivedanta Manor distributing an incredible 430 sets and Radha Krsna temple Soho st. with an equally amazing 240 sets. So, Lord Caitanya’s and Srila Prabhupada’s mercy is flowing out in the form of the Srimad Bhagawatam in ever increasing numbers, this way there is hope for the residents of this material world.

We are very happy to welcome the Iceland yatra to our newsletter for the first time. Srila Prabhupada’s books are going out everywhere, even on this remote island. Another first are the scores from 6 temples and Namahattas in Poland that’s now fully on the map of book distribution. Of course always the most inspiring the Ukraine yatra with Kyiv doing almost 1400 book points and Kharkiv close behind with almost 1000 book points. This month of September saw 93 temples and Namahatta groups reporting book scores between continental Europe and the UK, the most so far.

Srila Prabhupada’s book distribution kijaya!! Bhadra campaign kijaya!!!

Remember that next we will be starting the Live to Give campaign for the mass distribution of the Bhagavad Gita, so we should all gear up for it making sure we have all the books we need also in different languages, and we invite all countries to make their pledges.

I would like to, as always, cite some passages from Srila Prabhupada’s books which is our real source of inspiration.

CC Madhya lila Chap. 23 verse 104 these are Lord Caitanya’s instructions to Srila Sanatana Goswami.

“Establish devotional service to Lord Krsna and Radharani in Vrndavana. You should also compile bhakti scriptures and preach the bhakti cult from Vrndavana.”

Purport: “Sanatana Goswami was enjoined to broadcast the revealed scriptures on devotional and establish the conclusions of devotional service.”

So, it is Lord Caitanya’s order to broadcast widely the revealed scriptures and Srila Prabhupada has given that order a real form by writing and printing these revealed scriptures in all the languages of the world and engaging us in their distribution.

Also, in the CC Madhya lila chap. 15 verse 41 purport “Now is the time for the members of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness to distribute Krsna bhakti all over the world and thus follow the orders of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Lord has ordered everyone to become a guru. Everyone in every town and village should be enlightened by the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Krsna consciousness should be distributed to everyone indiscriminately. In this way, the entire world will be peaceful and happy, and everyone will glorify Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as He desires.”

So, we can see that by distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books we can solve all the problems of the world and make everyone peaceful and happy.

This is from the Srimad Bhagawatam 5th canto chap. Purport of verse 19 “A sincere devotee who engages in the service of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu by preaching His cult all over the world will never be affected by visaya-taranga, material influences. On the contrary, in due course of time he will return to the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and will thus have perpetual association with Him.” Remember that Srila Prabhupada said that the best preaching is book distribution.

The last is also from the SB 5th canto chap. 5 purport of verse 24.

“A brahmana should take pity on the people and preach Krsna consciousness in order to elevate them. Sri Krsna Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, personally descends into this universe from the spiritual kingdom to teach conditioned souls about the values of spiritual life. He tries to induce them to surrender unto Him.”

Our next online SK meeting will be on the 25th of November with His Holiness Kesava Swami at 19:00 CET and 18:00 UK time please take advantage and be present.

Your servant,

Trai Das

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Sankirtan stories

Being so absorbed into book distribution we were hesitant to return to the temple even for the weekends. To stay on Sunday out provided a special challenge as until today Sunday is a day where hardly any shops are open, everything freezes to the sounds of bells being rung in empty churches and the Germans retreat to their flats and gardens to cut once again their loans so precisely that no blade of grass can grow without the permission of its well organized owner. Competing with the neighbors who has the latest gardening machinery and who has the best polished car, they cannot wait until they again pile up on the highways on Monday, heading for their assigned places, eagerly to work hard for the increase of the German national product. The signs above the entrances of the concentration camps heralded to the incoming Jews "Arbeit Macht Frei". "The work liberates you".

And so on such days, looking at the empty streets, we decided with my godbrother Haraka das to park our car in front of the concrete block living area and go door to door. Being well trained, we started our distribution at the top level, knowing that the house keeper of the facility usually lives at the bottom, ready to throw us out. To get into such a living complex wasn’t easy, as all the doors were locked and guarded by intercom. My godbrother developed for this purpose amazing "mantras". He was expert to get in by any means.

(When asked at the loudspeaker that he is, he boldly replied: "Post", meaning that the postman arrived. People opened instantly and when catching the sight of him, he introduced himself with a big smile: "Hello, my name is "Post". By that time the surprised residents couldn’t help but laugh and they forgot how he made his way to their flat.)

And so we went door to door, giving out quite some number of books. When we arrived at the exit door again, we suddenly saw a police car parking in front of the entrance. There was no way to escape, they spotted us already. And so we went out, just to be stopped by them instantly. "What are you doing here", they asked. "Oh, we just visited a friend, "was our answer. They didn’t believe us at all. To our amazement suddenly many of the windows of the large building went open and the local inhabitant waved at the police with the same books in their hands we distributed to them few minutes ago while calling in a vicious manner: "Yes, they were here! They were here!"

The police officer looked at us and said calmly: "Get into the car". We knew that from now on it’s going to be complicated. To be driven to a police station always meant lots of paperwork, followed up possibly by some court case. This wasn’t After all just a routine ID-card control.

We drove for quite a while. We started to wonder where the police is taking us as it was not customary to be driven for such a long distance. Nobody spoke to us one word. Finally we arrived at the small police station and we walked in. As soon the three police men closed the door, they turned to us and said: "Show us all the books". We emptied our sankirtan bags and they started to go through one book after another. Then the chief turned to us and asked: "How much do you want for all this".

We relaxed. We sold to them practically all the books we had. Finally they told us that they heard on the police scanner that some people called, complaining about our Sunday sales. Pretending to be close by and "go there and check it out", they drove all that distance just to get to the house we distributed in, take us in custody and get to the books. They were very happy to get them all, drove us back and wished us the best for further book distribution. The only advice they gave us on the way was: "don’t go to the same building again". We surely followed that instruction :-)

By Manidhara Das