Topic: Vaiṣṇava History

Articles on the topic of Vaisnava History by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Śrī Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī


‘Śrī Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī’ was published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol.2, Issue 6 in 1885. Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda gives a brief biography of Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī and finally calls upon the devotee community to give support so that Sajjana Toṣaṇī magazine may continue to publish the glories of great Vaiṣṇava personalities.

The Temple of Śrī Śrī Jagannāthadeva 
(Śrī Śrī Jagannāthadevera Mandira)

In this brief article, 'Śrī Śrī Jagannāthadevera Mandira 
(The Temple of Śrī Śrī Jagannāthadeva)', published in Sajjana Toṣaṇi, Vol.4, Issue 2 in 1892, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thākura gives a short history of the temple of Jagannātha in Purī. He then goes on to explain the poor condition of the temple premises and requests the rich people of Bengal to generously donate towards the cause.

The Instructions of Śrīmad Rāmānuja Svāmī – the Ācārya of the Śrī Sampradāya (Śrī Sampradāyera Ācārya Śrīmad Rāmānuja Svāmīra Upadeśa)

Śrī Sampradāyera Ācārya Śrīmad Rāmānuja Svāmīra Upadeśa (The Instructions of Śrīmad Rāmānuja Svāmī - the Ācārya of the Śrī Sampradāya) was published by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol.7, issues 3 &4 in 1895. Due to the fact that there were not many Śrī Vaiṣṇavas in Bengal, the Ṭhākura wanted to familiarise his readers with the teachings of Śrī Rāmānuja, which are very akin to Gauḍīya Vaiṣnavism. The ślokas that he has included in this article are from Chapter 65 of the Prapannāmṛta-tarpaṇa, an old hagiography of the Āḷvārs and ācāryas of the Śrī sampradāya, written by Anantarāya. The Sanskrit verses from Prapannāmṛta-tarpaṇa are followed by an English translation of Bhaktivinoda's Bengali explanations.

Śrīman Nimbāditya

The article “Śrīman Nimbāditya” was written by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in 1881 and published in the first volume of Sajjana Toṣaṇī. Bhaktivinoda gives a short introduction about the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas and their philosophies, then explains how he attained a copy of Nimbāditya’s ‘Daśa-śloki’ in Vṛndāvana. He also gives a short narration of Mahāprabhu’s meeting with Keśava Kaśmīri and informs the reader of the date of Nimbāditya.After the introduction, Bhaktivinoda presents the ten verses of Nimbāditya’s ‘Daśa-śloki with a brief explanation for each. At the end of the article, he states that in future, he will present a short commentary on the Daśa-śloki. It should be pointed out here that later, in Sajjana Toṣaṇī Vol. 7, issue 7, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wrote another article on Nimbāditya and gave another explanation of the Daśa-śloki.

Śrī Acyutānanda’s Departure (Śrī Acyutānandera Niryāṇa)

In this amazing article, 'Śrī Acyutānandera Niryāṇa (Śrī Acyutānanda's Departure)' from Sajjana-toṣaṇī, Volume 7, Issue 2 from May 1895, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura narrates the miraculous passing of his eldest son, Annadā Prasāda Datta, also known as Acyutānanda. In this article, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes in the third person.

The Society of Śrī Gaurāṅga (Śrī Gaurāṅga Samāja)

In this article "Śrī Gaurāṅga Samāja (The Society of Śrī Gaurāṅga)" from the 10th volume of Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura deliberates upon what is the actual society of Śrī Gaurāṅga and explains the true meaning of iṣṭa-goṣṭhi according to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

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