Latest Posts
Here you will find all the latest posts on the Bhaktivinoda Institute in the form of Articles, Book Chapters, Songs & Poems etc.
A Modern Ideology (Δdhunika VΔda)
αΉ¬hΔkura Bhaktivinoda responds to a sectarian author who advocates the subordination of bhakti to jΓ±Δna, demonstrating through reason and scriptural testimony that knowledge is merely a means and that pure devotion β prema β is both the path and the supreme goal of spiritual life. The article examines the essential relationship between jΓ±Δna and bhakti, cautions against the contamination of pure GauαΈΔ«ya VaiαΉ£αΉava philosophy by mΔyΔvΔda dressed in the language of modern progressivism, and affirms that the bliss of bhakti infinitely surpasses even the highest attainment of brahma-jΓ±Δna. First published in Sajjana ToαΉ£aαΉΔ«, Vol.11, Issue 1 in 1899.
First Shower β First Stream
Written in 1886 at the height of his theological maturity, ΕrΔ« ΕrΔ« Caitanya-ΕikαΉ£ΔmαΉta is Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura's most comprehensive philosophical work β a systematic exposition of GauαΈΔ«ya VaiαΉ£αΉava siddhΔnta covering the nature of God, the soul, and matter, the path of sΔdhana-bhakti, and the perfection of prema.
Introduction to Second Edition (1906)
Written in 1886 at the height of his theological maturity, ΕrΔ« ΕrΔ« Caitanya-ΕikαΉ£ΔmαΉta is Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura's most comprehensive philosophical work β a systematic exposition of GauαΈΔ«ya VaiαΉ£αΉava siddhΔnta covering the nature of God, the soul, and matter, the path of sΔdhana-bhakti, and the perfection of prema.
Introduction to First Edition (1886)
Written in 1886 at the height of his theological maturity, ΕrΔ« ΕrΔ« Caitanya-ΕikαΉ£ΔmαΉta is Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura's most comprehensive philosophical work β a systematic exposition of GauαΈΔ«ya VaiαΉ£αΉava siddhΔnta covering the nature of God, the soul, and matter, the path of sΔdhana-bhakti, and the perfection of prema.
A Discourse on the Muts in Orrissa
This extremely rare English article was written by Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura in 1860 during his residence in Bhadrak, Orissa. In it, he exposes the moral decay, corruption, and vice that had become entrenched within many of the maαΉhas of OαΈiαΉ£a under the leadership of their mahants and temple authorities. Writing with remarkable boldness and social concern, Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura appeals to the British administration to intervene by establishing a special body of inspectors to investigate and regulate the activities of these religious institutions. The article stands as an important early example of his reformist vision and his determination to restore genuine spiritual integrity to religious life. We have retained the original spelling and orthography throughout the article and have included a glossary at the end containing explanations of archaic expressions, historical references, and unusual spellings of place names and other terms.
VaiαΉ£αΉava NimantraαΉa (Invitation to the VaiαΉ£αΉavas)
'VaiαΉ£αΉava NimantraαΉa' is a rare Bengali poem written by Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura in Bihar in 1870. This was unpublished during the αΉ¬hΔkura's lifetime and was first printed in Sajjana ToαΉ£aαΉΔ« Vol. 19, Issue 2 in 1916. In VaiαΉ£αΉava NimantraαΉa, Bhaktivinoda laments not having been born during the time of Caitanya MahΔprabhu to personally witness His pastimes, His deliverance of the impersonalists, and the flood of divine love that He distributed through the Holy Name. The poem then transforms into an impassioned spiritual call - abandon dry karma, dry logic, and impersonal speculation, and instead fill the heart with MahΔprabhuβs prema. Through the holy name, the soul awakens to its eternal nature as loving service to KαΉαΉ£αΉa, attaining peace, oneβs spiritual identity, and ultimately limitless divine love.
Δdi-LΔ«lΔ Chapter Four
ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura composed his AmαΉta-pravΔha BhΔαΉ£ya (βa commentary flowing with nectarβ) on the ΕrΔ« Caitanya-caritΔmαΉta in 1895, after struggling for many years to obtain an extant copy of the original text. Along with this commentary, he also wrote a maαΉ galΔcaraαΉa (invocation) at the beginning and provided concise summaries at the start of each chapter. This translation is based on the original edition of the AmαΉta-pravΔha BhΔαΉ£ya published by ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkuraβs son, ΕrΔ« RΔdhikΔ PrasΔda. Additional translated chapters will be released on a regular basis.
ΕrΔ«mad Bhaktivinoda Carita β Chapter 5
ΕrΔ«mad Bhaktivinda Carita ('The Life of ΕrΔ«mad Bhaktivinoda') is an unfinished Bengali poem composed by ΕrΔ«la KαΉαΉ£αΉa DΔsa BΔbΔjΔ«, a direct disciple of ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura. He was born in Jessore, East Bengal, in 1887, into a vaiΕya family and was given the name Indra-candra. In his early childhood, his father suddenly renounced home, accepted sannyΔsa, and departed for Hrishikesh. Though still a boy, Indra-candra took full responsibility for maintaining his mother and two younger brothers. Yearning to understand the true path of dharma, he set out on foot for ΕrΔ« NavadvΔ«pa-dhΔma, where he was blessed with the association of ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura. The αΉ¬hΔkura soon bestowed upon him harinΔma and paΓ±carΔtrika-dΔ«kαΉ£Δ, and not long thereafter awarded him bΔbΔjΔ«-veΕa. ΕrΔ« KαΉαΉ£αΉa DΔsa BΔbΔjΔ« rendered continuous and intimate personal service to his revered gurudeva. In 1915, just a year after ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura entered the eternal pastimes of ΕrΔ« ΕrΔ« RΔdhΔ-Govinda, ΕrΔ«la KαΉαΉ£αΉa DΔsa BΔbΔjΔ« also departed from this world, at the young age of twenty-eight. His samΔdhi lies beside that of ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura at SvΔnanda-sukhada-kuΓ±ja in GodrumadvΔ«pa. Not only was he deeply beloved by ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura, but also by his entire family - especially by ΕrΔ«la BhaktisiddhΔnta SarasvatΔ« αΉ¬hΔkura and his disciples. Before his departure, ΕrΔ«la KαΉαΉ£αΉa DΔsa BΔbΔjΔ« composed ΕrΔ«mad Bhaktivinda Carita, a poetic Bengali biography of ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura. He was able to complete seven chapters before leaving this world. The translated chapters will be posted as they become available.
ΕrΔ«mad Bhaktivinoda Carita β Chapter 4
ΕrΔ«mad Bhaktivinda Carita ('The Life of ΕrΔ«mad Bhaktivinoda') is an unfinished Bengali poem composed by ΕrΔ«la KαΉαΉ£αΉa DΔsa BΔbΔjΔ«, a direct disciple of ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura. He was born in Jessore, East Bengal, in 1887, into a vaiΕya family and was given the name Indra-candra. In his early childhood, his father suddenly renounced home, accepted sannyΔsa, and departed for Hrishikesh. Though still a boy, Indra-candra took full responsibility for maintaining his mother and two younger brothers. Yearning to understand the true path of dharma, he set out on foot for ΕrΔ« NavadvΔ«pa-dhΔma, where he was blessed with the association of ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura. The αΉ¬hΔkura soon bestowed upon him harinΔma and paΓ±carΔtrika-dΔ«kαΉ£Δ, and not long thereafter awarded him bΔbΔjΔ«-veΕa. ΕrΔ« KαΉαΉ£αΉa DΔsa BΔbΔjΔ« rendered continuous and intimate personal service to his revered gurudeva. In 1915, just a year after ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura entered the eternal pastimes of ΕrΔ« ΕrΔ« RΔdhΔ-Govinda, ΕrΔ«la KαΉαΉ£αΉa DΔsa BΔbΔjΔ« also departed from this world, at the young age of twenty-eight. His samΔdhi lies beside that of ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura at SvΔnanda-sukhada-kuΓ±ja in GodrumadvΔ«pa. Not only was he deeply beloved by ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura, but also by his entire family - especially by ΕrΔ«la BhaktisiddhΔnta SarasvatΔ« αΉ¬hΔkura and his disciples. Before his departure, ΕrΔ«la KαΉαΉ£αΉa DΔsa BΔbΔjΔ« composed ΕrΔ«mad Bhaktivinda Carita, a poetic Bengali biography of ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura. He was able to complete seven chapters before leaving this world. The translated chapters will be posted as they become available.
Worldly Activities and Renunciation (PravαΉtti o NivαΉtti)
ΕrΔ«la Bhaktivinoda offers an in-depth analysis of the paths of pravαΉtti (worldly activities) and nivαΉtti (renunciation), explaining that whilst pravαΉtti yields material pleasures, true eternal happiness comes from transcending material nature through nivαΉtti. He emphasises the practice of compassionate bhakti with faith and defines what real saαΉ ga means. First published in Sajjana ToαΉ£aαΉΔ«, Vol. 1, 1881.
The VaiαΉ£αΉavism of Ancient Δryan Women (Pracina Δrya MahilΔdiger VaiαΉ£αΉavatΔ)
In this article, Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura narrates the account of ΕaαΉ karΔcΔryaβs mother, who, as she lay on her deathbed, expressed her longing to attain VaikuαΉαΉha. Through this exemplary narrative, the piece explores the VaiαΉ£αΉavism of ancient Δryan women and their spiritual aspirations. First published in Sajjana ToαΉ£aαΉΔ«, Volume 2, Issue 9, 1885.
Human Society & VaiαΉ£αΉava Dharma (Third Essay)
Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura classifies VaiαΉ£αΉavas into three categories, insisting that each must act strictly according to their proper qualification. He warns that deviationsβespecially improper renunciation and livelihood practicesβlead to spiritual and social decline. This essay represents the third and final instalment in the series βHuman Society and VaiαΉ£αΉava Dharma,β exploring the critical relationship between individual qualification, ethical conduct, and the maintenance of both spiritual integrity and social order within VaiαΉ£αΉava communities. First published in Sajjana ToαΉ£aαΉΔ«, Vol. 2, Issue 9, 1885.
Human Society & VaiαΉ£αΉava Dharma (Second Essay)
Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura examines the Caste VaiαΉ£αΉavas (VaiαΉ£αΉava JΔtis)βa community of outcastes prevalent in Bengal and Odishaβand discusses how they can be integrated into a VaiαΉ£αΉava society that adheres to varαΉΔΕrama-dharma. This article serves as a follow-up to βHuman Relations and VaiαΉ£αΉava Dharmaβ and explores the practical application of VaiαΉ£αΉava principles to contemporary social structures. First published in Sajjana ToαΉ£aαΉΔ«, Vol. 2, Issue 8.
Human Relations and VaiαΉ£αΉava Dharma (First Essay)
This article examines the importance of human societies, the need for reform within the varαΉΔΕrama system, and the challenges of implementing such reform in the contemporary world. Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura also discusses the position of Kalki-avatΔra in relation to the present age of Kali-yuga. First published in Sajjana ToαΉ£aαΉΔ«, Vol. 2, Issue 7, 1885.
Religion and Science (Dharma o VijΓ±Δna)
Bhaktivinoda αΉ¬hΔkura discusses the position of religion and science, the defects of modern science and Evolution, the Christian concept of the soul, and how Naturalism, Progressivism, and Evolution ultimately arise from a demonic disposition. First published in Sajjana ToαΉ£aαΉΔ«, Vol. 7, Issues 4β5, 1895.