Śrī Kṛṣṇa Saṁhitā

Translated by H.H. Bhumipati Dasa

Written in 1880, Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṁhitā is a revolutionary treatise on Kṛṣṇa, His pastimes, and His devotees. It opens with an 83-page introduction in which Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura examines the philosophy and historical development of Indian religion from a geographical and historical perspective. The saṁhitā itself comprises ten chapters and 281 Sanskrit ślokas, covering the spiritual world, the potencies of Kṛṣṇa, His avatāras and pastimes, and the inner significance of the demons He defeated — each representing a specific obstacle in the spiritual life of the devotee. The work concludes with a 50-page analysis of the principles of sambandha, abhidheya, and prayojana, in which Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura reveals that his unique philosophical conclusions were disclosed to him during a deep spiritual trance (samādhi).