Sankirtana Newsletter no. 3|Krishna Island, Hare Krishna Island, Govindadwipa,

Sankirtana News 3

The shining lamp of knowledge

As he pushes the door open the smell of dead flesh fills his nostrils. A few people give him a cautious and somewhat curious look. Dead bodies hang everywhere, skinned and limbs severed. Composing himself he holds his head high and wears a cheerful smile. He approaches a man wearing a bloodstained apron with a large knife in his hands. “ Hello! I am a monk from Inis Rath Island in Fermanagh” he says as he hands the man a book. Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 6, Prescribed Duties for Mankind. Despite his hard features and rather ghastly appearance, the butcher is quite cheerful. After a short exchange he decides to give a donation and take the book. They say their goodbyes and our Hare Krsna monk leaves the butcher shop, the pile of books in his arms just a little bit lighter now……

A strict devotee of Krsna avoids four pillars of sinful life, gambling, intoxication, illicit sex, and meat eating. By associating with saintly people and by following the path of krsna consciousness, one loses his taste for such activities. The more one engages in sinful activities then the more one distances oneself from true happiness which comes from developing a tangible loving relationship with Krsna and his pure devotees. Sinful life stems from the illusion that happiness can be found in matter and thus leads to frustration and suffering. In general devotees will only associate with saintly and like minded people and they will avoid those engaged in sinful activities and anything associated with that kind of lifestyle. However the devotee is known as Para Dukha Dukhi which means that they are unhappy upon seeing the suffering condition of others. This leads to the compassionate missionary spirit of the vaisnavas. Because they know that the real cure for all suffering is to become detangled from material activities and re-establish our forgotten relationship with Krsna, devotees will go out of their way to somehow or other connect the conditioned souls to Krsna. A devotee has no desire to enter a Pub or a butcher shop for their own pleasure, for to them these places are unattractive, swimming in the depths of ignorance. However for distributing Krsna Consciousness a devotee will go anywhere, even to the hellish planets. Out of duty and compassion a devotee will distribute Krsna consciousness to any one who will take it.

Practically speaking that mercy can be given out in many ways, such as Prasadam, sanctified food, or through hearing or chanting Krsna's holy names, and through authorised scriptures and books like Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.

By distributing Krsna literature one gives people transcendental knowledge. Krsna says in Bhagavad-Gita 5.16 “ When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime” So with this transcendental knowledge the darkness of ignorance can be removed from society. Each book that is distributed is eventually read by someone. By reading one can directly associate with the omnipotent Lord through his divine instructions. This in itself is the first step and it leads to further progress on the path back to godhead.

We are all covered by ignorance to some degree. We also should emerge ourselves in this knowledge and put it into practice in our daily lives. Prabhupada said that every devotee should have a full set of these books in their home. In fact there should be full sets of these books in every home as they are the law books for human society in this age. They contain the real prescribed duties for mankind. So we should study these books and share the knowledge contained in them with others, devotees and non devotees. Whether we go to a butcher shop, or on the streets or in the temple or our workplace, somehow just give the gift of these great literatures to somebody, anybody who will take it. Such activities are pleasing to the Lord and are the topmost display of human compassion. —Gaura Hari Dasa

Stories from around the World

Devotees are distributing books all around the world and they have many stories about their countless experiences and adventures while doing that service. To hear more about book distribution join the book distribution seminar (BDS) conference on PAMHO.NET

I want ONLY Krishna!

Tara dasa was once distributing books on the street when he was approached by a lady. She walked right up to him and said sharply “Do you have the Krsna book?” Tara pulled out a Krsna book volume 1 from his stack of books and handed it to the lady. She frowned and snapped “No not that one, I need the second volume” He quickly gave her the second Volume and she asked “How much?” He told her the price and she gave him the money without another word and walked off. Somewhat bewildered at her slightly grumpy mood he called after her and asked why she wanted that particular book so badly. She replied, “ My husband and I usually read our young son stories before he goes to sleep.

One day we got the Krsna book Volume 1 and he loved it. But once we finished he didn’t want to hear stories from any other book. So we read him the same Krsna book over again. No mater what other stories we tried to read to him he only wanted the Krsna book. I have read it hundreds of times! So when I realised there was a second volume I had to get it because I am tired of reading those same stories over and over again. Maybe now we will get some peace!” She thanked him and went on her way as Tara dasa wondered about what a taste. that young boy had for hearing Krsna Lila.

Prabhupada Siksa

In performing welfare activities for human society Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu presents Himself as not being very rich, thus indicating that a man need not be rich or opulent to act for the welfare of humanity. Sometimes rich men are very proud that they can perform beneficial activities for human society whereas others cannot A practical example is that when there is a scarcity of food in India on account of meager rainfall, some members of the richer class very proudly distribute foodstuffs, making huge arrangements with the help of the government, as if merely by such activities people will be benefited, Suppose there where no food grains. How would the rich men distribute food? Production of grains is completely in the hands of God. If there were no rains there would be no grains, and these so-called rich men would be unable to distribute food to the people.

The real purpose of life, therefore, is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Rupa Goswami describes in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu that devotional service is so exalted that it is beneficial and auspicious for every man. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also declared that to propagate the bhakti cult of devotional service in human society, one does not need to be very rich.

Anyone can do it and thus render the highest benefit to humanity if he knows the art. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu takes the part of a gardener because although a gardener is naturally not a very rich man, he has some fruits and flowers. Any man can collect some fruits and flowers and satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead in devotional service.

Caitanya Caritamrta Adi lila 9.44 purport.

Sankirtana Scores

For the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha Govinda, Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Nitai Sacinandana, Srila Prabhupada and the vaisnavas here are the scores for the months of June, July and August 2006.

GOVINDADVIPA

Maha Big Big Medium small

June: 5 320 18 706

July: 28 443 25 849

August: 31 646 12 1370

—————————————————————————--

Total 64 1409 55 2925

ISKCON BELFAST

Maha Big Big Medium Small

July: 5 9 0 512

August: 0 0 0 126

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Total 5 9 0 638

ISKCON DUBLIN

Mahabig Big Medium Small

July: 10 1 30 0

August: 1 60 32 0

————————————————————————-

Total 11 61 62 0

Total amount of books distributed in Ireland for the 3 month period June-August :

Maha big Big medium small full sets

80 1479 117 3563 15

Grand total 5254 pieces of literature

He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection , nor happiness, nor the supreme destination

B.G. 16:23

A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge , and having achieved it he quickly attains the supreme spiritual peace

B.G. 4:39

Maha Big: 500 pgs +

Big: 300-500 pgs

Medium 150-300 pgs

Small 50-150 pgs

Pages includes pictures, and all text.

Book distribution tips

Excerpt from a lecture given on Nrsimha-caturdasi in Prague by HH Bhaktivaibhava Swami

Sometimes somebody speaks harsh—not all the time, sometimes. And most of the time we are the cause. It is not that I am nice, smiling, I am really humble, then somebody smashes me in the head. No, because I simply misbehaved. When I went on book distribution as a young Brahmacari, I could not understand why sometimes people react so harsh. And then one devotee he gave me some advice, funny advice, “You should carry a small mirror with you and when you feel that people are turning, changing, ‘Everybody is just mad at me, against me’ take the mirror and look into it and see your facial expression.” And I practiced that. When things went down, I just took the mirror and after I looked I thought “ Oh my God! That’s why people react like this.” So that was a little helpful—-it was not a solution, but it was definitely a little helpful. It just demonstrated to me that people react according to you, how you look, how you behave, what you say—-people just react. At least we should try to be as nice as possible. Don’t think that to smile is artificial. We use everything in Krsnas service, we smile, we dance on the stage, we stand on our head—-whatever is necessary for Krsna’s service, we do. On Sankirtana normally people feel more inclined to react, have some relationship, if you smile a little bit, you look a little bit nice, but if you look like a Maha Tapasvi, like you have some digestion problems, you are constipated, then people react accordingly….the real sankirtana devotee thinks, “Maybe my nature is to be grave, not to smile, but I don’t care about this if others don’t feel good, if it is not favourable for my service. Then I don’t care how I feel. I just smile, ‘Hi Hi Hi,’ although I might think this is artificial, this is not me, this is another person.”

A devotee can take on any personality for Krsna’s service. He can one day behave like a King. Another day he acts like a beggar—one who has to sleep underneath bridges—he doesn’t care, “Let me take on any personality for Krsna’s service.” That’s spiritual life. Material life means, “No only this one personality, I can only accept that, nothing else.” Then we are very, very conditioned. Sankirtana exactly means that you take on within thirty minutes, perhaps ten, twenty different personalities, then you’ll become a successful book distributor. All of a sudden you are a businessman , because you’ve met a businessman, you talk like a businessman, you look like a businessman, you argue like a business man. Then the next moment you are a housewife, because you have met a housewife, “ how is your house today? My house is okay,” you just talk like a housewife. And that is why a devotee is so satisfied in the evening, because he did not get hung up with his own conditioned personality.

We Have the experience. Because of forcing our conditioned personality we have to encounter so many conflicts with people all the time—it simply means suffering. But when the devotee is capable to give this up, this conditioning, he becomes happy. Because he factually renounces that conditioned personality, he gives it up for Krsna’s service.

Sloka Section

Vasudeva-katha-prasnah

Purusams trin punati hi

Vaktaram pracchakam srotrms

Tat-pada-salilam yatha

The Ganges , emanating from the toe of Lord Visnu, purifies the three worlds, the upper, middle, and lower planetary systems. Similarly, when one asks questions about the pastimes and characteristics of Lord Vasudeva, Krsna, three varieties of men are purified: the speaker or preacher, he who inquires, and the people in general who listen.

Sukadeva Goswami, Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.16

International competition!!

Temples from around the world send their Sankirtana Scores in to The World Sankirtana Newsletter, which keeps a record of book distribution everywhere in Iskcon. In Europe in 2006, 39 temples have sent in regular results. These temples range in size, some having many devotees living the temple and in their community and some with just one or two temple residents and a small congregation.

This is a list of results from January thru July 2006 of European temples. “Book Points” are awarded for different books that are distributed and those temples with the most points are nearer the top of the table. As the year is not over yet there is still time for those Irish temples to move up a few places and get as close to the top as we can manage!!

Temple Country Book Points

1 Karuna Bhavan, Scotland 60325.35

2 Catania , Italy 37924.65

3 Prague, Czech Rep. 29317.25

4 Milan , Italy 27501.10

5 London, Soho, England 15959.80

6 Helsinki, Finland 15916.50

7 Budapest, Hungry 14155.25

8 Rome, Italy 13017.10

9 Baktivedanta Manor, England 11237.90

10 Bratisalva, Slovakia 7966.80

11 Berlin, Germany 7589.00

12 Munich, Germany 4251.15

13 Eger, Hungary 3588.55

14 CP German congregation, Germany 3334.05

15 Zurich, Switzerland 3240.95

16 Villa Vrndavana, Italy 3119.35

17 Govindadwipa, Ireland 3042.70

18 Heidelberg, Germany 3021.15

19 New Vrajadham, Hungary 2939.55

20 Pecs, Hungary 2849.75

21 Prabhupada Desh, Italy 2393.60

22 Madrid, Spain 2045.90

23 Cologne, Germany 1651.35

24 Leipzig, Germany 1523.00

25 Bologna, Italy 1167.05

26 Amsterdam, Holland 718.40

27 Malaga, Spain 692.85

28 Stockholm, Sweden 431.45

29 Balkash, Kazakhstan 406.75

30 Swansea, Wales 390.00

31 Nava Nirsimha ks, Germany 280.75

32 Vilnius, Lithuania 181.15

33 Paris, France 171.75

34 Belfast, Ireland 94.80

35 Weimar, Germany 78.00

36 Sarajevo, Bosnia 77.80

37 New Vrajamandal, Spain 74.65

38 Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan 53.80

39 Dublin, Ireland 29.50

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust – Govindadvipa Ireland

Sastra Dana

Sästra Däna In The Holy Dhama

In the auspicious moth of kartika, a group of devotees headed by Parasurama prabhu, will head to Vrindavana and will travel thought out the entire area distribution Prasadam , the holy name and books. They will visits all the villages in the Vrindavana area travelling with a bullock cart. This year they will be distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in all the local schools. Small books have been printed for the students and Bhagavad-Gita As It Is has been printed for the teachers

This month the Irish BBT used some of our Sästra Däna donations to sponsor the distribution of SrilaPrabhupada’s books in Vrindavana , India . The benefit of giving in charity in the holy Dhama of Vrindavana is multiplied thousands of times and there is no better charitable gift than the gift of Srila Prabhupada’s books.

Here at home , our Sästra Däna is continuing with different devotees distributing sponsored books in different ways. Two months ago the staff at Mc Donald's in Omagh received three small books each including the “Higher Taste” vegetarian cook book.

To contact us and find out more about book distribution, you can:

Call Sri Rupa Dasa: (00353)879565953

E-mail: bbt@krishnaisland.com

Or you can write:

BBT, c/o Sri Rupa Dasa, Inis Rath, Geaglum, Derrylin, Co. Fermanagh, BT92 9GN.

Click here for the Sastra Dana Donation form

Send completed forms plus donation to:

Sri Rupa Dasa, Inis Rath, Geaglum, Derrylin, Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland BT92 9GN.

BBT monies are maintained strictly for the preaching mission and distribution of Sr ila Prabhupada’s books.

Chant

Hare K rsna Hare K rsna

K rsna K rsna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

The Caitanya Caritamrta

In the late fifteenth century, the European kings sent their boldest explorers in search of new routes in treasured filled India . Many returned home on ships laden with silks and spices . But they missed the real treasure of India , just then being profusely distributed by the great avatar Sri Krsna Caitanya.

Lord Caitanya pioneered a great social and spiritual movement, that continues to spread its profound influence world wide. He transformed India in four respects: philosophically, by defeating the greatest Philosophers of his day; socially, by opposing the blindly ridged caste system; politically, by organising India's first civil disobedience movement against repressive governments; and most importantly, spiritually, by teaching and demonstrating the science of love of God. The Caitanya Caritamrta presents the life and teachings of the Golden Avatar, the incarnation of Krsna in this age, in the form of his own devotee. This work is available in nine large golden books complete with colour pictures illustrating the lords different pastimes

The Srimad Bagavatam

Referred to as “the ripe fruit of the tree of Vedic literature,” Srimad Bagavatam is the most complete and authoritative exposition of Vedic knowledge. Five thousand years ago the great sage Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa composed this purana, or history, to explain the essence of spiritual knowledge. This work has been translated with the original Sanskrit text, transliteration, word meanings, and purports by His Divine grace A.C. Baktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. This work is available in thirty colourful volumes with pictures and index.

To purchase a complete set of the Srimad Bhagavatam or the Caitanya Caritamrta and have it delivered to your place of residence, email: bbt@krishnaisland.com or contact at the numbers above.