Gaudiya.Com: Literature

  Utkalika-vallari of Rupa Goswami

The Gaudiya Vaishnava school, unlike many traditions, does not have a single scripture it focuses on. Its literal corpus consists of some essential scriptures from the older tradition of Vedic literature, supplemented by a vast body of literature compiled by various students and followers of Sri Caitanya, among whom the six Gosvamis of Vrindavan were foremost.

Presenting an exhaustive list of Gaudiya literature here would be next to impossible in this space. So being, we have included only works of choice that have been adopted in most lineages within the Gaudiya tradition, or that are otherwise unique. "Classical Literature" refers to writings predating Sri Caitanya, and the rest are writings compiled by the associates and followers of Sri Caitanya.

A guidebook for lila-meditation

CLASSICAL LITERATURE

Bhagavata-purana
    · Ancient Narrations of the Lord

Bhagavata-purana, also known as Srimad Bhagavatam, is a foundational text from the old Vedic corpus of literature for Gaudiya Vaishnavas. In its twelve Cantos, the Bhagavata narrates histories about the prominent avataras (descents) of God and about the lives of His devotees, along with the essence of the philosophy of the bhakti-tradition.

Bhagavad-gita
    · Song of the Lord

A chapter in the voluminous Mahabharata-epic, Bhagavad-gita is perhaps the most widely known among all Vedic scriptures, studied by scholars and seekers of both the East and the West. In a discourse between Krishna and Arjuna, this book presents a synopsis of Vedanta philosophy and the precepts of bhakti over its eighteen chapters.

Brahma-samhita
    · Hymns of Brahma

A scripture discovered by Sri Caitanya during his pilgrimage to South India. It is said to be the fifth chapter of the original hymns of Brahma in one hundred chapters, recited at the dawn of creation in praise of the Lord. The Brahma-samhita is considered essential among Vedic literatures, since it contains the gist of all Vaishnava conclusions.

Gita-govinda
    · Song about Govinda

Jayadeva's Gita-govinda is a widely known and respected poem presenting the amorous pastimes of Radha and Krishna in the springtime. Along with the writings of Candidas and Vidyapati, Gita-govinda was among Sri Caitanya's favorites.

Krishna-karnamrita
    · Nectar for Krishna's Ears

This composition of the saint Bilvamangala was also among the favorite writings of Sri Caitanya, and has been commented on by Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Krishna Das Kaviraja and Caitanya Das. Some editions of this work include three sets of hundred verses, but only the first one is known to be Bilvamangala's with certainty.

NARRATIVES AND BIOGRAPHIES

Brihad-bhagavatamrita
    · Vast Nectar of the Lord's Devotee

This title by Sanatana Gosvami consists of two parts. The first part narrates the adventure of Narada, and the second part narrates the adventure of Gopa Kumara. The reader is introduced with various philosophical conclusions in the course of the narration. The author has also written a commentary on the title.

Caitanya-bhagavata
    · Divinity of Sri Caitanya

The first among the biographical works on Sri Caitanya, this work of Vrindavana Das Thakur is an in-depth description of the earlier life of Sri Caitanya.

Caitanya-caritamrita
    · The Nectarine Deeds of Sri Caitanya

Focusing on the later life of Sri Caitanya, this is the second among the two major biographical works about Sri Caitanya. It is also an important part of the Gaudiya theological corpus of literature, written with an aim to bring about unity in the early tradition's theology.

Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika
    · Shining Lamp on the Associates of Gaura

This work of Kavi Karnapura's describes the other-worldly identities of the prominent associates and followers of Sri Caitanya, who are presented as Krishna's companions who have descended from the world of Vrindavana.

HYMNS AND POETRY

Gopala-campu
    · Story of Gopala

Gopala-campu is a famous poetic composition of Jiva Gosvami, its two campus (purva and uttara) describing in detail the various pastimes of Krishna. Campu is a composition in which the same subject is narrated through alternations in prose and verse.

Govinda-lilamrita
    · Nectar of Govinda's Pastimes

Compiled by Krishnadas Kaviraja on the basis of Rupa Gosvami's instructions, Govinda-lilamrita is one of the main works focusing on the asta-kaliya-lila, or the daily pastimes of Radha and Krishna over the eight phases of the day, frequently read and meditated on by the mystics of the Gaudiya tradition.

Jagannatha-vallabha-nataka
    · Drama of Lover Jagannatha

This poetic drama of Ramananda Raya, describing the amorous pastimes of Radha and Krishna, was among the favorites of Sri Caitanya. The author was a close associate of his.

Krishna-bhavanamrita
    · Nectar of Thinking about Krishna

This is the third and last among the major works exposing the daily pastimes of Radha and Krishna, compiled by Visvanatha Cakravarti. It is often subtitled "Maha-kavya", or "a great work of poetry", on account of its playful, skilled use of Sanskrit language.

Krishnahnika-kaumudi
    · The Lotus of Krishna's Daily Acts

This work of Kavi Karnapura's is perhaps the first elaborate title describing the daily pastimes of Radha and Krishna. It is somewhat different in content from the other two works mentioned earlier.

Lalita-madhava
    · Playful Madhava

Lalita-madhava was originally intended to be one drama along with Vidagdha-madhava. However, Queen Satyabhama, a consort of Krishna's in the city of Dvaraka, appeared to the author, Rupa Gosvami, in a dream, and instructed him to divide his work into two separate dramas, one (Lalita-madhava) describing the pastimes of Dvaraka, and the other (Vidagdha-madhava) those of Vrindavana.

Padyavali
    · Compilation of Poetry

Padyavali is an anthology of poetry compiled by Rupa Gosvami from various sources.

Prarthana
    · Prayers

Prarthana is a collection of songs composed by Narottama Das Thakura. Its contents are generally divided in three categories, namely prayers of dedication and submission, prayers of lamentation, and prayers of spiritual aspiration.

Radha-rasa-sudhanidhi
    · The Ambrosial Ocean of Radha's Flavours

Radha-rasa-sudhanidhi of Prabodhananda Sarasvati consists of 272 verses in praise of Sri Radha, longing for Her service.

Stava-mala
    · Garland of Praise

Stava-mala is a compilation of Rupa Gosvami's writings. It includes several famous titles such as Gitavali, Upadesamrita and Utkalika-vallari, which are often separately published.

Stavavali
    · Compilation of Praise

Stavavali is a compilation of Raghunatha Das Gosvami's writings. It includes several famous titles such as Manah-siksa and Vilapa-kusumanjali, which are often separately published.

Vidagdha-madhava
    · Clever Madhava

This is a drama compiled by Rupa Gosvami, describing the pastimes of Krishna in Vrindavana. See "Lalita-madhava" for more information.

Vilapa-kusumanjali
    · A Handful of Flower-like Lamentations

Vilapa-kusumanjali of Raghunatha Das Gosvami, 104 verses of praise, longing and lamentation, is perhaps the most excellent example of absorption in the zenith of spiritual life in Vraja in the entire Gaudiya canon.

Vrindavana-mahimamrita
    · The Nectarine Glory of Vrindavana

A vast poetic composition by Prabodhananda Sarasvati, consisting of 16 couplets of 100 verses in praise of Vrindavana.

PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY

Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu
    · Ocean of the Nectar of Sacred Rapture

Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu of Rupa Gosvami is one of the foundational works in the Gaudiya school. In its four sections, it elaborately describes the nature, practices and gradations of bhakti, the constituents of bhakti-rasa (experience of sacred rapture), and the primary and secondary divisions of bhakti-rasa.

Govinda-bhasya
    · The Commentary of Govinda

Govinda-bhasya is the Gaudiya commentary on the Vedanta-sutra, an ancient, concice compilation of philosophical sayings, which is understood to be the essence of Vedanta philosophy. Baladeva Vidyabhusana compiled his commentary under the inspiration of Lord Govinda Himself, hence the name "Govinda-bhasya".

Laghu-bhagavatamrita
    · Brief Nectar of the Lord's Devotee

This work of Rupa Gosvami summarizes what is said at great lenght by Sanatana in his Brihad-bhagavatamrta. The title begins with a disscusion of the intrinsic nature of Krishna. The second part deals entirely with the theme of the devotee of Krishna.

Madhurya-kadambini
    · Cloudbank of Sweetness

This title of Visvanatha Cakravarti is an in-depth analysis of the various stages on the path of bhakti from the very beginning until the perfection. It is based on the famous "adau sraddhah" - verse of Rupa Gosvami's Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu.

Prameya-ratnavali
    · Jewel-compilation of Evidence

Prameya-ratnavali, compiled along with Govinda-bhasya, is Baladeva Vidyabhusana's further contribution in establishing the scriptural basis of the Gaudiya school. Baladeva draws much of what he writes in this work from the teachings of Acarya Madhva.

Prema-bhakti-candrika
    · Moonbeam of Sacred Love

Composed in simple Bengali verse, Narottama Das Thakur's Prema-bhakti-candrika is a beautiful work delineating the basic truths of the theology and practice of bhakti.

Raga-vartma-candrika
    · Moonbeam of the Way of Passion

Drawing much of its contents from Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, Visvanatha Cakravarti compiled the Raga-vartma-candrika as a treatise clarifying the orthodox practice and precepts of the raganuga bhakti tradition.

Sat-sandarbha
    · Six Treatises

This voluminous work was compiled by Jiva Gosvami on the basis of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami's notes. Sat-sandarbha consists of six sandarbhas, namely Tattva-sandarbha (Treatise on Truth), Bhagavata-sandarbha (Treatise on God), Paramatma-sandarbha (Treatise on the Supreme Soul), Krishna-sandarbha (Treatise on Krishna), Bhakti-sandarbha (Treatise on Devotion) and Priti-sandarbha (Treatise on Love). These six treatises systematically present the teachings of Sri Caitanya along with scriptural evidence.

Ujjvala-nilamani
    · Blazing Sapphire of Passion

This work of Rupa Gosvami's exclusively discusses the conception of madhurya bhakti rasa (amorous devotional love), a theme which the author chose not to elaborate on in his Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu.

Upadesamrita
    · Nectarine Instructions

Upadesamrita belongs to Rupa Gosvami's Stava-mala, but is often seen as a separate publication, since it contains eleven essential instructions to be followed by both aspirants and practitioners of the path of bhakti.

RITUAL

Gaura-Govinda-lilamrita-gutika
    · Manual of the Nectar of Gaura-Govinda's Pastimes

Going under a number of names and in various renditions, works commonly known as Gutika are manuals delineating the detailed practice of remembering the eight-fold daily pastimes of Radha and Krishna, compiled on the basis of the teachings of Siddha Krishna Das Babaji of Govardhana.

Gaura-govindarcana-smarana-paddhati
    · Manual of Worshiping and Remembering Gaura-Govinda

Both Gopala Guru Gosvami and his disciple Dhyanacandra Gosvami have compiled a manual carrying the same title. They are the first among the manuals used by Gaudiya Vaishnavas in their practices of esoteric worship.

Hari-bhakti-vilasa
    · Acts of Devotion for Hari

This elaborate title, a joint work of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, was compiled on the request of Sri Caitanya to establish the rituals and rules of conduct for the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. Over its twenty chapters, it focuses on diverse themes of primarily ritual worship and requirements thereof.