Vaiṣṇava Nimantraṇa (Invitation to the Vaiṣṇavas)
'Vaiṣṇava Nimantraṇa' is a rare Bengali poem written by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in Bihar in 1870. This was unpublished during the Ṭhākura's lifetime and was first printed in Sajjana Toṣaṇī Vol. 19, Issue 2 in 1916. In Vaiṣṇava Nimantraṇa, Bhaktivinoda laments not having been born during the time of Caitanya Mahāprabhu 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 Mahāprabhu’s prema. Through the holy name, the soul awakens to its eternal nature as loving service to Kṛṣṇa, attaining peace, one’s spiritual identity, and ultimately limitless divine love.
Śrī Daśa-Mūla (The Ten Foundational Principles)
The Daśa-Mūla represents an important contribution of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura to the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, comprising ten foundational principles that summarise the teachings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as found in the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. This article provides a concise explanation and history of the Daśa-Mūla, followed by the Sanskrit verses originally composed by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura delineating each of the ten topics.
Samāvedana (A Respectful Petition)
In this brief editorial, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura offers a respectful petition to Mahāprabhu, glorifying Him and predicting that His message will soon travel to distant lands. He also mentions the service that the ‘beggar-girl’ Sajjana Toṣaṇī is performing in propagating the message of Śrī Caitanya. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 3, Issue 1, 1886.
Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura reviews a new edition of Śrī Caitanya Bhāgavata by Atula Kṛṣṇa Gosvāmī. While the Ṭhākura expresses satisfaction with most aspects of the publication, he also identifies and discusses several defects in the work. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 13, Issue 1, 1901.
Śrī Sīmantadvīpa
In this article, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura narrates some of the features and pastimes of Mahāprabhu on the island of Sīmantadvīpa. First published in Viṣṇupriyā Patrikā, Vol. 2, 1891.
Śrī Śrī Navadvīpa Dhāma
This article presents Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s exposition on Śrī Śrī Navadvīpa Dhāma, written shortly after his publication of Śrī Navadvīpa Dhāma Māhātmya. The text offers compelling evidence for Māyāpura as the birthplace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, establishing the sacred significance of this holy site. First published in Śrī Viṣṇupriyā Patrikā, Vol. 2, Issue 5, 1891.
‘Yugāvatāra’
In this review of the book *Yugavatāra* by Narendranātha Mukhopādhyāya, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura offers suggestions for the improvement of the text and then cites a passage from the work describing the destruction of Bengal by the Muslim fanatic Bakhtiyār Khilji. First published in *Sajjana Toṣaṇī*, Vol. 8, Issue 7, 1896.
Śrī Śrī Abhirāma Gosvāmī
In this short biography, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura recounts the life of Abhirāma Ṭhākura and describes how he tested Śrīnivāsa Ācārya. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 2, Issue 5, 1885.
The Soma Prakāśa and Vaiṣṇavism (Soma Prakāśa u Vaiṣṇava Dharma)
This essay by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is a response to an article by the editor of the Soma Prakāśa newspaper, who made derogatory statements against Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Vaiṣṇavism. At the conclusion of his article, Bhaktivinoda explains something about Hinduism and Vaiṣṇavism. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 2, Issue 11, 1885.
A Critique – ‘Śrī Śrī Caitanyadeva and Prema Dharma’ (Samālocana – Śrī Śrī Caitanyadeva o Prema Dharma)
In this critique of Candra-vinoda Pāla Chaudhuri’s book on Śrī Śrī Caitanyadeva and prema-dharma, Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda commends the author for his modern style of writing and elucidates the concept of sāragrāhi (the essence-seeker). Through his analysis, Bhaktivinoda explores how contemporary approaches to presenting Vaiṣṇava philosophy can effectively communicate spiritual truths to modern readers. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 6, Issue 8, 1894.