Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura

There are two types of saṅga - association and attachment. One who is serious about advancement in bhakti should avoid bad association completely. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura ellucidates upon this point in this article, "Saṅga-tyāga (Giving up the association of non-devotees)" from Vol.10 of Sajjana Toṣaṇī.

In Upadeśāmṛta, Rūpa Gosvāmī states that acting according to the regulative principles is imperative in bhakti. This article "Tat-tat-karma-pravartana (Various activities favourable for devotional service)" from Vol.10 of Sajjana Toṣaṇī discusses this point in detail.

In the process of devotional service, Dhairya (Patience) is an absolute necessity. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura discusses this point in this article from Sajjana Toṣaṇi, Vol.10.

In this essay "Niścaya (Confidence)" from Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 10, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura deliberates upon the necessity for determination in performing the process of bhakti.

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.

This article Laulya (Mental restlessness) is the sixth 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 sixth article deals with Laulya (Mental restlessness) and how taking shelter of Bhakti is the way to avoid this.

This article "Jana-saṅga (Association with wordly-minded persons)" is the fifth 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 fifth article deals with Jana-saṅga – Association with wordly-minded persons - Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura describes the glories of sādhu-saṅga and the dangers of asat-saṅga.

This article "Niyamāgraha (Attachment or neglect of rules and regulations)" is the fourth 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 fourth article deals with Niyamagraha – Attachment or neglect of rules and regulations - Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains that unnecessary attachment to scriptural rules and also the rejection of scriptural rules at the lower stage of sādhana-bhakti is dangerous.

This article "Prajalpa (Idle speech)" is the third 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 third article deals with Prajalpa - Idle speech and the different types of jalpana (talks) - what sort of talk is favorable for bhakti, and what is unfavourable.

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.