as.it.is Bhaktivedanta Manor Sankirtan Newsletter International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Founder Acarya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Autumn 2014 The “Open Secret”
Srila Prabhupada had a Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gain universal message for each and supreme victory in their lives. every devotee: “whoever you Tamal Krishna Goswami offers meet tell them about Krishna!” the following reflection: He regularly promoted this message in every imaginable “To write and distribute books forum: temple classes, morning was a specific order given to walks, press conferences, Srila Prabhupada by his Guru private letters, conversations, Maharaja, and that command and of course, in his he is now in turn giving to me. Bhaktivedanta Purports. He had carried out that order even after the disappearance of “You write to say that you do not Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati know what is my desire, but my Thakura, not considering the desire is an open secret. I simply instruction to be invalid after want all over the Western his Guru Maharaja's countries people may take this disappearance. Similarly now, simple formula of chanting, after the disappearance of Srila dancing and eating Krishna Prabhupada, I still consider this Prasadam, and being happy. I am order to me to be the most simply surprised that they should binding of all of those he gave Inside this issue: not accept this simple formula me. As he himself stated, it is and be happy themselves. My only "most precious." (Quoted in Door-to-Door desire is that all people become “Servant of the Servant”) happy and prosperous in Krishna BBT Books Consciousness.” (Prabhupada Let us increase the sankirtan Letter 19/09/69) spirit at Bhaktivedanta Manor. Scandinavia Tour Every book distributed is a We hope this newsletter, and momentous achievement, and Youth SK Tour the stories contained within. will every book distributed is an increase devotees’ eagerness to incomparable chance for Ratha Yatra Success go out on sankirtan, to talk searching souls to catch the about sankirtan, to read about mercy of the pure devotee, July-August Results sankirtan, to think about Srila Prabhupada. sankirtan, and thus let the UK SK Network sankirtan movement of Shri In your service, Sutapa das as.it.is Youth Summer Sankirtan Tour
In July, the Pandava Sena youth and Bolton, Bradford, Sheffield, World Harinam Party teamed up Preston, Blackburn and with the Manor Brahmacaris for a Nottingham! There were also week-long sankirtan tour in the seminars, nama hatta North of England. programmes and kirtan evenings. The 30-strong team based Everyone was amazed at how themselves at ISKCON Manchester, receptive the public were. and went daily for 6 hours of book It was a unique trip that will distribution and harinam. surely become a regular fixture in Over 5 days they visited 10 the calendar. By the joint efforts of different cities: Birmingham, all the devotees 2,060 books Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, were distributed that week.
Pictured above: The team on the streets of Manchester!
Page 2 Book Distribution @ Weddings
In March we launched an initiative to As we approach a new term of weddings, we distribute books at the Manor weddings. The urgently require many more distributors! The Wedding department kindly sponsors 150 book-table usually runs for two hours at each books for each wedding, and our budding wedding. distributors offer them to the interested guests. It’s a perfect formula. If you would like get involved please contact Sanjaya Madhava das (07949396190) In the months of June and July the team distributed nearly 2,443 books!
Pictured above and right: Happy wedding guests receive their copies of “Higher Taste” and “Chant and be Happy”
Page 3 as.it.is Scandinavia Rathayatra Tour In a wonderful spirit of cooperation, the Manor, ISKCON London, Food For All, HK Festivals UK, World Harinam Party and the German Traveling Temple all teamed up for 10 days of non-stop sankirtan. Every year Parasurama Prabhu organises a Rathayatra tour of Sweden, Norway and Denmark, bringing Harinama Sankirtana and Ratha Yatra Festival to all the major cities!
This year the team visited Aarhus, Copenhagen, Malmo, Gothenburg, Oslo, Stockholm and Aalborg. Along with the Rathayatra processions, harinams and profuse prasadam distribution, 1,280 books were distributed!
Page 4 London Ratha Yatra
Devotees from the Manor, ISKCON London, impression created by meeting a sincere Bhakti Vriksa and UK Nama hattas joined Vaisnava will surely stay with them forever. forces at Trafalgar square for the annual There were also areas for Q&A and Mantra Rathayatra book distribution ‘sprint.’ meditation which added so much to the experience. The day was a grand success. The atmosphere was warmed up with a maha- sankirtan event on the eve of Rathayatra, For the pleasure of Lord Jagannatha Baladeva preparing for Jagannatha’s mercy explosion Subhadra, Their pure devotee Srila on Sunday. Prabhupada, and all the Vaisnavas, the final book distribution score for Ratha Yatra day On Rathayatra day nearly 50 devotees on the Square: participated in distributing books on the Sqaure, meeting hundreds of people. Many of 188 | Chant & Be Happy them radonly 'stumbled upon' a festival they 180 | Higher Taste will never forget! 704 | Ever-Well-Wisher 102 | Bhagavad-gita The 4 directions were filled with people laughing, smiling and having inspirational interactions with each devotee - the
Page 5 as.it.is Bhaktivedanta Manor Sankirtan Results July to August 2014
Name Sml Med Big Maha
Adikarta das 20 36
Amogha Lila das 15 3 7
Ananta Nitai das 200 10
Bh Reuben 1050
Bh Simon 221 25
Bhn Suan 200
Guru Sakti dd 65
Hema Haladini dd 123 255
Janmashtami Festival 255 154 122
Krishna Kirtan das 70 42
Mangala Hari das 20 4 1
Narahari das 50
Sacimata dasi 71 121 7
Scandinavia tour 1125
Sridham das 960
Sutapa das 125 144
Syamalangi dd 20 10
Taruna das 112 2
Wedding Book Distribution 1243
TOTAL 2171 3676 358 683
Page 6 Read the books. Live the books. Distribute the books.
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