Preface to Padma Purāṇa
The following is the preface to the Padma Purāṇa, published by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in 1901. This was the culmination of many years of collecting manuscripts from different regions of India. In his preface, he explains that after comparing these manuscripts with two printed editions published in Bombay, he chose not to follow the prevailing editorial practice of omitting passages regarded as doubtful or interpolated. Instead, he included every section found in the manuscripts available to him, believing that all extant recensions of the Padma Purāṇa should be preserved in a single edition. He left it to learned readers to determine the authenticity of individual passages, arguing that even sections considered interpolations might still possess value. Acknowledging that he had not been able to obtain every surviving manuscript, Bhaktivinoda regarded his edition as a comprehensive collection of the textual materials then available to him rather than a definitive critical recension.
A Review of Śrī Laghu-Bhāgavatāmṛta
In this review of Laghu-Bhāgavatāmṛta, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura praises both the exceptional printing and scholarship of the edition, especially its inclusion of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī’s original text, Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa’s commentary, and a Bengali translation. He summarises the book’s central theological conclusions – that Kṛṣṇa is the original source of all avatāras, and that the vraja-gopīs, especially Rādhārāṇī, embody the highest form of bhakti. This review was first published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol 11, Issue 3 in 1899.
Vedānta Śāstra
In this brief editorial, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains his plans to publish the Govinda Bhāṣya of Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, whilst first seeking to expand the subscriber base of the magazine. As the inaugural article written for Sajjana Toṣaṇī, this piece establishes the journal’s scholarly mission and vision for disseminating Vaiṣṇava philosophy. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 1, Issue 1, 1881.
‘Śrī Muralī Vilāsa’
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda examines the text Muralī Vilāsa by Śrī Rāja-vallabha Gosvāmī, a descendant of Śrīla Vaṁśīvadanānanda Ṭhākura, and elucidates the concept of kalpa-bheda in reconciling chronological inconsistencies within the ācārya’s writings. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 6, Issue 4, 1894.
Samālocana (A Critique)
In this article, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura reviews eight new publications, including the Caitanya-candrāmṛta, Gaura-gaṇoddeśa Dīpikā, and Vāṁśī Śikṣā. The critique examines these significant works within the Vaiṣṇava scholarly tradition. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 5, Issue 1, 1893.
Preface to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Karṇāmṛta
In this preface, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains the importance of Kṛṣṇa Karṇāmṛta to Śrī Caitanya and how Śrī Bilvamangala Ṭhākura’s life reflects the lives of the jīvas in this world. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 10, Issue 1, 1898.
Introduction to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Vijaya
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s introduction to the poem Śrī Kṛṣṇa Vijaya explains the significance of this work and provides a biography of its author, Guṇarāja Khāṅ (Śrī Mālādhāra Vasu). The poem had become practically lost until Bhaktivinoda undertook its republication, making this introduction an important scholarly contribution that contextualises the text for modern readers. First published in 1887.
A Question and Answer Concerning Śrī Kṛṣṇa Saṁhitā (Praśnottara)
Praśnottara presents Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s response to a question concerning the Bhāgavatam’s narration of kṛṣṇa-līlā as found in his work, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Saṁhitā. Through this question-and-answer format, the article engages with scriptural interpretation and the theological foundations of Kṛṣṇa’s divine pastimes. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 3, Issue 6, 1886.
Identifying the Supreme Object (Vastu Nirdeśa)
This article presents a detailed response to an inquiry concerning the metaphysical positions of Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, and the nature of Vedāntic siddhānta. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura provides a comprehensive analysis of these fundamental theological categories, clarifying their distinctions and relationships within Vaiṣṇava philosophy. First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 2, Issue 6, 1885.
An Assembly to Preserve the Bhakti Śāstra (Bhakti-śāstroddhāriṇī Sabhā)
In this short article, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura laments that the Royal Asiatic Society has not printed any respectable versions of the Bhakti Śāstra and suggests that a new assembly be created for that purpose. The work advocates for the preservation and proper publication of foundational Vaiṣṇava philosophical texts through a dedicated institutional effort.
First published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 1, 1881.
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