Samālocana: A Review of Dvijendranath Tagore’s Lecture
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura reviews a lecture by his close friend, Dvijendranath Tagore, on Āryan dharma and Buddhism, appreciating its literary imagination, but pointing out its lack of historical grounding and his misunderstanding of Vaiṣṇava philosophy. The Ṭhākura argues that jñāna is not separate from bhakti, and that knowledge is meaningful only when it leads toward bhakti – not when it remains dry speculation. This article was first published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol.11, Issue 10 in 1900.
A Modern Ideology (Ādhunika Vāda)
Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda responds to a sectarian author who advocates the subordination of bhakti to jñāna, demonstrating through reason and scriptural testimony that knowledge is merely a means and that pure devotion — prema — is both the path and the supreme goal of spiritual life. The article examines the essential relationship between jñāna and bhakti, cautions against the contamination of pure Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava philosophy by māyāvāda dressed in the language of modern progressivism, and affirms that the bliss of bhakti infinitely surpasses even the highest attainment of brahma-jñāna. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol.11, Issue 1 in 1899.
The Inclination to Engage in Pāpa on the Strength of the Name (Nāma Bale Pāpe Pravṛtti)
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura provides a clear definition of pāpa (sin) and explores why the inclination towards pāpa sometimes persists in a devotee, even as spiritual practice advances. The text also examines pāpa in relation to nāma-aparādha (offences against the Holy Name), offering important insight into the nature of sinful tendency and its relationship to the chanting of the divine Name.
First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 8, Issue 9, 1896.
The Glory of Ārya Dharma Within Pure Sampradāyas (Viśuddha Sāmpradāyikatāī Ārya Dharmera Gaurava)
In this article, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains how sectarianism and the sampradāya concept of the Vedas are not the same thing. He also discusses the dangers of mixing various ideologies with hari-bhakti. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 3, Issue 3, 1886.
Vaiṣṇava Granthāvalī
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura reviews a book that includes three texts by the bāulas and sahajiyās, offering his scholarly assessment of these traditions. The Ṭhākura provides critical commentary on the doctrines and practices presented in these esoteric texts. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 10, Issue 12, 1899.
Śrī Bhāgavatācārya
In this short article, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura criticises a descendant of Śrīla Bhāgavatācārya who has written two books expounding the beliefs of the sahajiyās and bāulas. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 10, Issue 2, 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.
Śrī Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī Prabhu
In this brief biography, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura discusses the life of Sanātana Gosvāmī and addresses the various apa-sampradāyas that claim connection to him. The article presents Sanātana’s genealogy and concludes with the Ṭhākura’s lamentation that Sajjana Toṣaṇī is not receiving sufficient support. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 2, Issue 7, 1885.
A Critique of the Book Rasa Śaivalinī Gītā (Samālocana – Rasa Śaivalinī Gītā)
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura reviews a book by Pañcānana Gosvāmī Padaratna and warns how certain individuals claiming to be ‘sādhus’ misuse scholarly works such as Ujjvala Nīlamaṇi to engage in nefarious activities. The critique examines the problematic uses to which such texts may be put and the dangers posed by those who distort their teachings for immoral purposes. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 10, Issue 6, 1898.
Ṭahala (Patrol)
In this short essay, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura calls his reader's attention to those who make money through chanting the Holy Name, and explains how this nefarious practice is against the instructions of Mahāprabhu. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 8, Issue 8, 1896.
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