Writings

This article by Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda was first published in Śrī Gauḍīya Patrikā, 5th Volume, Issue 2, on 13th April 1953. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes a letter to a gentleman who has printed two books “full of apa-siddhānta” and points out their philosophical flaws in relation to a well-known 'sādhu'. This article was translated from Bengali by Swami B.V. Giri and Sanātana Dāsa.

In this introduction to the Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu written in 1947, Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja gives a brief explanation of the importance of Rūpa Gosvāmī’s magnum-opus, how it is the king amongst all other rasa-śāstra, Śrī Jivā Gosvāmī’s commentary on it, as well as the unique features of this particular publication of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. This was translated from Bengali by Swami B.V. Giri.

'Rational Vedānta' was written by Swami B.G. Narasingha in October 2006 as an opening statement for a new website he had begun which compared western philosophies with eastern thought. In this article, Narasingha Maharaja explains the meaning of 'Rationalism' and 'Vedānta'. Vedantic and Pythagorean thinking, the stages of realisation according to Vedānta philosophy, and the defects of the so-called Rationalism in today's world.

‘Sajjana-Kṛpālu’ (A devotee is Merciful) was the first in a series of articles by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda on the twenty-six qualities of a Vaiṣṇava in 1917 and published in Sajjana-Toṣaṇī magazine, Vol. 20, Issue 2. This article explores mercy, the primary quality of a devotee, and illustrates its significance for the followers of Śrī Caitanya.

Verses 46 to 50 of Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja deals with Mahāprabhu's preaching against māyāvāda, and in particular His interpretation of the famous ātmarāma verse of the Bhāgavatam. In his commentary, Swami B.V. Giri expands on these verses with explanations on the Catuh-ślokī Bhāgavata and the Daśa-mūlā of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura.

This short article, “Grow More Food” by Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda was first published in Back To Godhead magazine, Vol. 3, Issue 6, on May 20th 1956. Śrila Prabhupāda discusses agricultural endeavours by the materialists and states that the main factor for growing more food is not more machinery, but the divine will, or ‘daiva.’

This introduction to the Bhagavad-gītā by Śrīla Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī was written for the Bengali edition of the Gītā published by Śrī Caitanya Sārasvata Maṭha in 1961. Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja expounds the glories of the Gītā and explains how śaraṇāgatī (surrender) is its ultimate message. This article was translated into English by Sanātana Dāsa.

The following is an informal discussion on September 29th 2022 between devotees of the Rūpānuga Bhajana Āśrama, Vṛndāvana, on the appearance day of Śrīpāda Āraṇya Mahārāja. Āraṇya Mahārāja shows his gratitude to Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāja and his gurus, and discusses our vision of guru-tattva and how it is our duty to instill faith and hope in others.

‘Sannyāsa Re-initiation’ was first published on VNN on January 13th, 1999. In this open letter, Swami B.G. Narasingha explains the circumstances of his change of name, answering the question whether or not he was ‘re-initiated’ by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja.

‘Śrī Śrī Gaura Gopāla Praśasti’ (In Praise of Śrī Śrī Gaura Gopāla) is a Bengali composition by Śrīla Bhakti Pramoda Purī Gosvāmī, in praise of the pastimes and teachings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Purī Gosvāmī also explains the non-difference between Gaura and Kṛṣṇa and the importance of nāma-bhajana. This was first published on March 29th 1964 in Śrī Caitanya Vāṇī magazine, Volume 2 Issue 4, and translated into English by Swami B.V. Giri.