Overview
Siddhānta-Ratna – Praṇetā Śrīyukta Upendra-mohana Gosvāmī Nivāsa Khaḍadara (Siddhānta-Ratna – Written by Śrīyukta Upendra-mohana Gosvāmī of Khaḍadara) was published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol.1 in 1881. In this book review, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura praises the author of a new book on philosophy, but bemoans the fact that the style of his language is unreadable to most people.
(translated by Swami B.V. Giri)
We have received two volumes of the book Siddhānta-Ratna from the author. By reading theses books, we have come to know of the inexhaustible wisdom of Gosvāmī Prabhu. All the subjects of this book have been collected from such books as Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī’s Ṣaṭ-Sandarbha and Sarva-Samvādinī. Māyā, dharma, the jīvā, and discussions on the different doctrines such as Dvaita and Advaita can be found in various places in this book. Since Gosvāmī Prabhu himself is a scholar and expert in śāstra, his readers may not be able to understand his book if they are not like that. This is very sad. The book is not written in simple Bengali. The topics are divided without this consideration. It is not written in such a way that people can easily understand. Nowadays, if a book is written in the Bengali of Rammohun Roy, it becomes unreadable. People cannot understand anything. No matter how much scholarship is there in the book, it will not be uncovered.
By this, we are not saying that now and in the future Bengali books should all be written in an English style of Bengali. We have seen some Bengali books which are only written in English style. This is also harmful to Bengali. Our opinion is that Bengali books should be written in Bengali – not in semi-Sanskrit or in English style. The method by which the great scholar Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Mahāśaya has written all his Bengali books is the correct Bengali method. These Bengali books needs to be written in that manner.
If Gosvāmī Prabhu kindly writes a book in a simple language summarising the Ṣaṭ-Sandarbha of Jīva Gosvāmī then the people of Bengal, especially all the Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇavas, will always be indebted to him. It is our hope that the great scholar Gosvāmī Prabhu will be merciful to us and will soon produce such a great book and present that to the world. Life does not last long. Books bestow immortal titles on all their authors, therefore learned Vaiṣṇava scholars should not cease writing such works.
(‘Siddhānta-Ratna – Praṇetā Śrīyukta Upendra-mohana Gosvāmī Nivāsa Khaḍadara -‘Siddhānta-Ratna’ – Written by Śrīyukta Upendra-mohana Gosvāmī of Khaḍadara – was published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol.1 in 1881, 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. 
