Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura

Saṁśaya Nivṛtti (Dispelling Doubts)
Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura appeared in this world in 1836 and is considered to be the pioneer of the modern Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava movement. The Thākura was a respected district magistrate and despite his busy schedule, he wrote volumes of books, articles and commentaries on Vaiṣṇava philosophy in Bengali, English and Sanskrit. He began a monthly journal named Sajjana Toṣaṇī and began the Nāma-haṭṭa (‘marketplace of the Holy Name’) programme of preaching in rural villages as well as in the metropolis of Kolkata. Bhaktivinoda also rediscovered the original birthplace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in Śrīdhāma Māyāpura. After accepting the renounced order of life in 1908, he left this world in 1914.

Articles by: Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura

Kuṭīnāṭī (Politics and Duplicity)

Kuṭīnāṭī (Politics and Duplicity) was published in 1894, in two parts in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 6, issues 3 and 7. In this essay, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains the meaning of kuṭīnāṭī according to the philosophy of Śrī Caitanya and also speaks about the verse from Gītā, ‘api cet suduracāro’ in relation to kuṭīnāṭī.

Asat-saṅga Parityāga (Abandoning Bad Association)

Asat-saṅga Parityāga (Abandoning Bad Association) was published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 4, Issue 5 in 1892. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes about the necessity of rejecting bad company, and especially describes  Mahāprabhu’s phrase ’strī-saṅgi’ - being overly attached to one’s wife and not attached to Kṛṣṇa.

By |October 5th, 2020|Tags: , , |

Conceiving of Caste Distinctions in Vaiṣṇavas (Vaiṣṇave Jāti-buddhi)

Vaiṣṇave Jāti-buddhi (Conceiving of Caste Distinctions in Vaiṣṇavas) was first published in 1897 in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol 9, Issue 1. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura warns his readers of the dangers of meditating upon the caste or birth of a Vaiṣṇava, explaining how high birth in a Vaiṣṇava family does not guarantee purity, and the low birth of a Vaiṣṇava should not be considered.

By |October 4th, 2020|Tags: , |

The Hindu Idols

This thirty-two page English letter "The Hindu Idols" written in 1899 was in response to the Christian Tract Society of Calcutta who had previously published an article entitled, "Prof. Max Muller on Durgā", in which Kālī, Durgā and Śiva were slandered from an evangelistic viewpoint. Bhaktivinoda wrote an exhaustive response on the true identity of the personalities in question. He concludes by briefly mentioning Mahāprabhu and discusses the true Christian attitude of universal love, devoid of sectarian dogmatism, and discusses the nature of prema. It is interesting to note that, due to the academic nature of this letter, he signs off as ‘Kedarnatha Vidyavinoda’ rather than Bhaktivinoda. In 1901, he rewrote and summarised the same article for Dawn Magazine and renamed it, ‘On Durga, Siva and Kali in Their Exoteric Aspects: A Criticism on Max Muller’.

By |October 4th, 2020|Tags: |

Jīvera Dayā (Mercy to the Living Entities)

Jīvera Dayā (Mercy to the Living Entities) was published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 4. Issue 8 in 1893. In this important article, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains the absolute necessity for a Vaiṣṇava to cultivate compassion for other living beings and states that this is one of the most important qualities of a devotee.

By |October 3rd, 2020|Tags: , |

Service to the Vaiṣṇavas and the Practice of Festivals at Present (Vaiṣṇava Sevā u Pracalita Mahotsava Prathā)

Vaiṣṇava Sevā u Pracalita Mahotsava Prathā (Service to the Vaiṣṇavas and the Practice of Festivals at Present) was first published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol 4. Issue 5. Herein, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura describes the three types of Vaiṣṇavas according to Caitanya-caritāmṛta and what is actual Vaiṣṇava sevā.

By |September 29th, 2020|Tags: , |

Books by Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Garbha Stotra Commentary (Prayers to Kṛṣṇa in the Womb)

Garbha Stotra Commentary (Prayers to Kṛṣṇa in the Womb)

Siksastakam with the Sammodana Bhasyam of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Śrī Śīkṣāṣṭakam with the Sammodana Bhāṣyam

Śrī Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā Prakāśinī Commentary

Śrī Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā Prakāśinī Commentary

Datta Kaustubham - by Bhaktivinoda Thakur

Datta Kaustubham

Jaiva Dharma - Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Jaiva Dharma

Bhakti Tattva Viveka

Bhakti Tattva Viveka

Bhagavad-Gita-Rasika-ranjana

Rasika-Rañjana Commentary of Bhagavad-gītā

Krsna-Bhajanamrtam

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Bhajanāmṛtam with Āsvāda-vistāriṇī Commentary

Śrīman Mahāprabhura Śikṣā

Śrīman Mahāprabhura Śikṣā

Vaiṣṇava Siddhānta Mālā

Vaiṣṇava Siddhānta Mālā

Isopanisad

Īśopaniṣad with the Vedārka Dīdhiti Commentary

Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi - Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi

Datta Vaṁśa Mālā

Datta Vaṁśa Mālā

Tattva Viveka

Tattva-Viveka

Manaḥ Śikṣā

Manaḥ Śikṣā of Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī

Bhajana-Rahasya

Bhajana Rahasya

Svaniyama-Dvadasakam

Sva-niyama Dvādaśakam

Navadvīpa-dhāma Māhātmya - Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma Māhātmya

Sri Nama Pracara - Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Śrī Nāma Pracāra

Śrī Hari Nāma

Śrī Hari-Nāma

Śrī Nāma Mahimā

Śrī Nāma Mahimā

Upadeśāmṛta

Śrī Upadeśāmṛta of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī

Śrī Caitanya Upaniṣad

Śrī Caitanya Upaniṣad

Śrī Navadvīpa Bhāva Taraṅga

Śrī Navadvīpa Bhāva Taraṅga

Krishna Samhita

Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṁhitā

The Poriade - Adventures of Porus

The Poriade – Adventures of Porus

Śrī Godruma Kalpāṭavī

Śrī Godruma Kalpāṭavī

Gaurāṅga-līlā-smaraṇa-maṅgala-stotram

Gaurāṅga līlā smaraṇa maṅgala Stotram

Prema Pradīpa

Prema Pradīpa

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu His Life and Precepts

Shri Chaitanya His Life and Precepts

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