Overview
Andhera Cakṣe Añjana (Salve for the Eyes of the Blind) was first published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol.8 issue 12 in 1897. In this short article, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains the historicity of the name of Māyāpura. Some scholars opine that the name only became known as Māyāpura during the time of the Sena Dynasty, whereas Bhaktivinoda claims that it was known as Māyāpura since time immemorial.
(translated by Swami B.V. Giri)
In the Bengali year 1252, that is, fifty years ago, a book called Kāyastha Kaustubha was published. Fifty mahā-mahā-paṇḍitas, such as Haldhara Tarka-cuḍāmaṇi, a resident of Bhaṭṭapalli, offered daṇḍavats to that book and confirmed the things written in there to be true. There is a chart in that book. In that it is written thus:
“The kings of the royal Sena Dynasty were mixed kāyasthas. Śrīmān Śatrughna Sena was an idolator. This king made his new capital on the island of Navadvīpa. It was surrounded by the waters of Gaṅgā Devī on all four sides. The king was a siddha (perfected being). By the potency (māyā) of Gaṅgā Devī, the city became the repository of all holy tīrthas and the place of all knowledge. It is for this reason that it is known as Māyāpura in the śāstra. Māyāpure maheśāni vāram ekaṁ śaci-sutaḥ (‘O Pārvatī, the Lord will appear in full, as the Son of Śacī in Māyāpura’ – Urddhvāmnāya Tantra).”
The information was written in Kāyastha Kaustubha from the perspective of the book, Chātraral Motākṣīn. The statement from the Urdhvāmnāya Tantra has been gathered and put together by the authors. During the reign of the Bengal Sultanate, Śrī Navadvīpa was known as Māyāpura. Māyāpura Navadvīpa is the place where the fort of the Sena kings was located. Fifty years ago, only Bengali Aryan men believed that the oldest tīrtha that appeared due to the potency of Gaṅgā Devī known as Māyāpura, had existed there since time immemorial. At this place, during the first sandhyā of the age of Kali, the Supreme Lord, Śacīnandana appeared. No one disbelieved all these words then. It seems that some professors from Pūrvasthālī signed this book and gave this information which had already been famous for a long time. The words of selfish people are one thing, and the truth is another. The reader can understand and see this.
If somebody has the book, Chātraral Motākṣīn, please look at that. That book has much information about Bakhtiyar Khalji. That Bakhtiyar Khalji approached the Hindu king, destroyed the fort at Navadvīpa Māyāpura, and defeated Lakṣmaṇa Sena. From that time onward, the prosperous sun of Gauḍa set.
(‘Andhera Cakṣe Añjana’ – Salve for the Eyes of the Blind – was first published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol.8 issue 12 in 1897, and translated into English by Swami B.V. Giri)
More Articles by Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Prayāsa (Over endeavouring)
This article "Prayāsa (Over-endeavouring)" is the second of a series of articles published in the 10th Volume of Sajjana Toṣaṇī which deals with the six things that are favourable to bhakti and the six things that are unfavourable according to the second and third verses of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Upadeśāmṛta. This second article deals with Prayāsa – Over-endeavouring and how it can become a serious obstacle to the free flow of bhakti.
Utsāha (Enthusiasm)
This article Utsāha (enthusiasm) is the seventh in a series of articles published in the 10th Volume of Sajjana Toṣaṇī which deals with the six things that are favourable to bhakti and the six things that are unfavourable according to the second and third verses of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Upadeśāmṛta. This seventh article deals with Utsāha – enthusiasm – Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains that without genuine enthusiasm (utsāha) one becomes negligent in bhakti.
Who is a Māyāvādī? (Māyāvādī Kāhāke Bali?)
In Māyāvādī Kāhāke Bali? (Who is a Māyāvādī?), published in Sajjana Toṣaṇi, Vol.5, Issue 12 in 1894, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thākura explains in detail why māyāvādīs are considered to be offenders to Kṛṣṇa, and why their so-called displays of devotion are useless.
On 18th August 2012, on the occasion of his Vyāsa Pūjā, Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja announced to the devotees that he had a strong desire to create a website called “Bhaktivinoda Institute” in honour of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and his teachings in order to preserve and propagate them. 
