Q&A: What books should a new western traditonal Gaudiya Vaishnava read?

Q: Can someone tell me which translations that are in English of Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam and Chaitanya Charitamrta does a traditional Gaudiya Vaishnava use? I realize that many disciples of Ananta das Babaji came from Iskcon and so still have the translations of BVSP to use, but what translations would be recommended for the brand new generation of GV's? Also, what is actually the recommendation of which books to read? Is it these three mentioned and in addition a book similar to Bhaktirasamrta Sindhu, or some other book that outlines the preliminary stages to the devotional path?

A: There is still a long way to go until we have carefully translated, definitive translations of all the core Gaudiya Vaishnava texts. The current selection of translations on the market often calls for a number of footnotes on the credits and shortcomings of the works to go along with the recommendation.

Below is a list of titles I consider essential reading for a Gaudiya Vaishnava, who wishes to be well acquainted with the theological foundations of his tradition – alphabetically listed. Notes on currently available editions, whether partial or complete, have been included.

Bhagavad-gita with Vishwanath Chakravarti’s and Baladeva Vidyabhushan’s commentaries – A classic text outlining the philosophical foundations of all Vaishnava-traditions.

Availability: Bhanu Swami has recently published an edition of Vishwanath Chakravarti’s commentary. BV Narayana Maharaja has published an edition with Vishwanath Chakravati’s and Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s commentaries. Of the two, the latter includes anvaya (“word-for-word”), as does A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami’s, whose well-known edition includes a commentary of his own, using Baladeva’s tika as the foundation. Aside this, there are many contemporary commentaries.

Rupa Goswami’s Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu with the commentaries of Jiva Goswami and Viswanath Chakravarti – The definitive work on devotion in practice and the nature of the perfection sought for.

Availability: David Habermann has published a complete edition in cooperation with Srivatsa Goswami of Chaitanya Prema Samsthan. Some notes from the commentaries have been included. B.V. Narayana Maharaja has published an edition of Vishwanath Chakravarti’s Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu-bindu, a summary of Rupa’s work, which is also very useful.

Jiva Goswami’s Bhakti-sandarbha – A thorough and systematic delineation of the theology of devotion in practice.

Availability: Kusakratha Das has presented a complete translation of the text. Satya Narayana Das of Jiva Institute has recently published the first volume (of three) of the text, including Devanagari-text, transliteration and translation, making a vast improvement over Kusakratha’s edition that is regrettably not a very accurate representation of the original.

Sanatana Goswami’s Brihad-bhagavatamrita with his own commentary, an exploration of bhakti-siddhanta in the form of a narrative, supplemented with Rupa Goswami’s Laghu-bhagavatamrita, a concice thesis of the above.

Availability: Gopiparanadhana Das and BBT have presented a fine edition of the text in three volumes, including a translation of most of the tika, re-worded for smoother reading. Other translations, without a commentary, float around as e-texts. Kusakratha Das has published an edition of Laghu-bhagavatamrita that is being re-published.

Vrindavan Das Thakur’s Chaitanya Bhagavata – A voluminous biography narrating Sri Chaitanya’s years in Navadvipa.

Availability: Bhumipati Das and Pundarika Vidyanidhi Das are publishing a multi-volume edition of the work with the original text and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s commentary. Sarvabhavana Das has published a one-volume edition. BV Puri Maharaja has published an edition that appears to be a polished version of an early draft of Sarvabhavana’s work.

Krishnadas Kaviraja’s Chaitanya Caritamrita – A wonderful blend of biographical narrative and philosophy, focusing on Sri Chaitanya’s later years.

Availability: Edward Dimock has published an edition of Chaitanya Caritamrita with aid from Radha Govindanath’s famous commentary in his translation. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami has published an edition with his own commentaries, drawing from Bhaktivinoda’s and Bhaktisiddhanta’s. Unlike Dimock’s, his multi-volume edition includes both the original Bengali text as well as synonyms. Dimock’s edition appears to be a more literal representation of the original.

Dhyanachandra Goswami’s Gaura-govindarchana-smarana-paddhati – An outline of the specific practices a sadhaka is to undertake in the course of his day-to-day bhajan.

Availability: Haricarana Das has translated the work. It was once available as an e-text, and is currently being re-edited and published in cooperation with the Blazing Sapphire Press.

Krishnadas Kaviraja’s Govinda-lilamrita – A voluminous narration describing the eight-fold daily pastimes of Radha and Krishna.

Availability: Advaitadas has published an edition with Rasbihari Lal & Sons. While the language of the translation could flow better, it is a fair representation of the original. Gadadhara Prana Das has also published an edition, and while his language certainly flows colorful, it would benefit from splitting elaborations into footnotes.

Gopala Bhatta Goswami’s Hari-bhakti-vilasa with Sanatana Goswami’s commentary – On matters of sadachar and rules for worship.

Availability: Rasbihari Lal & Sons are currently publishing a five-volume edition of the work with the first two volumes (ch. 1-10) currently available. While certainly helpful, the works could benefit from a translator who would translate directly from Sanskrit. Bhrigumuni Das has published a work called “Dearest to Vishnu”, a faithful presentation of chapters 12-16 dealing with Ekadashi.

Vishwanath Chakravarti’s Madhurya Kadambini – A comprehensive work outlining the course of a sadhaka’s progress towards the perfection.

Availability: Sri Krishna Chaitanya Shastra Mandir has published an edition including the original Sanskrit text and Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja’s elaborate commentary. Sarvabhavana Das and Dina Bandhu Das have both published translations of the text.

Narottama Das Thakur’s Prema-bhakti-chandrika – A beautiful outline of all that’s essential on the path of bhakti.

Availability: Sri Krishna Chaitanya Shastra Mandir has published an edition including Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja’s elaborate commentary, the English edition is currently available in manuscript form. Isvara Das has published an edition that could benefit from more accuracy. The included Bengali script is riddled with mistakes.

Srimad Bhagavatam with Sanatana Goswami’s, Jiva Goswami’s and Vishwanath Chakravarti’s commentaries – The vast garden in which the seed of our tradition of bhakti-rasa was planted.

Availability: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami has published translations of cantos 1-10/1 with the original Sanskrit text, transliteration and synonyms. His followers have published cantos 10/2-12 in the same style, often including translations of passages from earlier tikas in their commentary. Gita Press has published a complete translation of the text, which is, a few blunders aside, generally fine. Bhanu Swami has recently translated Vishwanath Chakravarti’s commentaries on the 10th canto.

Rupa Goswami’s Upadeshamrita from Stava-mala – A concise, yet essential work offering instructions to a sadhaka who seeks progress in his practices.

Availability: BV Narayana Maharaja has presented a translation of the work with three commentaries, by Radha Ramana Das Goswami, Bhaktivinoda Thakur and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. While the translations at times drift a bit aside from the original, the edition is useful.

Rupa Goswami’s Ujjvala-nilamani– The post-graduate study of Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, an extensive study of the nuances of madhura-bhakti-rasa.

Availability: Puri Maharaj of Gaudiya Math has published an edition which is far from being definitive, but helpful nonetheless. BV Narayana Maharaja is rumored to be preparing an elaborate edition with a commentary.

Raghunath Das Goswami’s Vilapa-kusumanjali– The zenith of aspirations on the path of raga, a heart crying out for Sri Radha’s service.

Availability: Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja has published an edition with elaborate commentaries, currently available in manuscript form. Availability is generally restricted, on the author’s request, to initiated traditional Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

Additionally, there is a rich tradition of Pada-kavya in our tradition – thousands and thousands of poems have been written over the centuries by early and modern pada-kavis alike, compositions that are instrumental in entering the world of bhakti-rasa.

Availability: BBT has published a song-book called Songs of Vaishnava Acharyas, Dasarath Suta Das has published a song-book called More Songs of Vaishnava Acharyas. BV Narayana Maharaja has published a song-book called Gaudiya Giti Guccha. Countless individual padas have been translated and are available online.

There are dozens of other titles that could justifiably be included in this list, such as select short works from Rupa Goswami's Stava-mala and Raghunath Das Goswami's Stavavali, or from among Baladeva's voluminous works.

To ensure that there is no room for misunderstandings or misinterpretations, consultation with devotees familiar with the works is recommended, and basic knowledge of Bengali and Sanskrit languages is very helpful. The Gaudiya Grantha Mandira offers a large repository of Sanskrit texts that may be used to supplement editions without the original text included.

* * * * * * *

Q: But I notice that a good number of the works you mentioned are works done by and commented by IGM figures, such as the referral you gave for Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. In some cases, I guess not only the commentaries, but also the verse translation may not be considered accurate by a Traditional Gaudiya Vaishnava. In the case of the various bonafide siddha pranali lines, do they use translations of these texts that are made by people in their own lineage, but are in Hindi or Bengali? In that case, it shouldn't be too hard for an English translation to come fairly soon.

A: The Gaudiya tradition is very cross-lineage in its approach as far as general themes such as these are concerned. I haven't heard anyone expressing concerns over reading translations from those outside one's own parampara. In fact, it is quite common that one may have an instructing guru from a different lineage - this was the case with my Param-guru, whose first siksha-guru, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Das Babaji, was from Shyamananda-parivar, and whose vesh-guru, Pandit Advaita Das Babaji, was of Advaita-parivar. The stress on diksha-parampara must not be taken out of proportion and context.

Yes - accuracy is a great concern with many, if not most, translations currently available on the market. So much so that I personally refuse to accept any scriptural references as evidence unless accompanied by the original text. How many times have I come across "evidence" that was practically unrecognizable as a translation of the original!

Practically all important Gaudiya Vaishnava texts have been translated to Bengali, most are available in Hindi as well. Goofs in translations, however, are not the privilege of ISKCON and Gaudiya Math publications - as long as one does not familiarize himself with the original language of the text, one will have to live with a degree of uncertainty over the exact and precise meaning of the text.

To accurately translate Sanskrit-texts, I do not consider a mere translation from a Hindi or Bengali translation to be adequate. The translation must be verified against the original Sanskrit, so much can change in translations of translations. The original translator may have found some passages hard to understand, or may have felt a need to explain something more elaborately than the original for ease of reading. The translator of translation, then, will in his turn do the same - how far will the text evolve from the original?

Many works published from ISKCON and Gaudiya Math contain translations or commentaries that we would not consider accurate or tasteful. Regardless, they are helpful, and have therefore been mentioned. I rarely read contemporary commentaries from IGM-sources, aside occasional peeks as a matter of curiosity, or if the work contains a substantial amount of references from earlier sources.

It is a fact that these works should all be soon translated into English, and indeed wiht some volunteer effort, it could easily be accomplished. Sadly, few have come forward to offer their services, even if in return for limited financial compensation. Our society in the West is still in a budding state, and resources for abundant financing of such projects just aren't there.

UP 0: Sri Upadeshamrita - The Nectarine Teaching

The following is a series of post from a brief study group I led on the first verse of Rupa Goswami's Upadeshamrita at the Vilasa Kunja forums. The study follows a formula of opening text followed by questions and answers. Sometimes the initial questions I drafted weren't taken up, though they would have been pertinent; in such cases, I have left them in the end for the reader to reflect on.

Introduction to the work

Sri Upadeshamrita, included in Sri Rupa Goswamipad's Stava-mala, is perhaps the most famous, yet concise, delineation of the sequence of bhajan to be adopted in our sampradaya.

In its eleven verses, the author examines the following themes:

1. The urges to be overcome for gaining eligibility for bhakti-sadhana;
2. The six items that destroy the practice of devotion;
3. The six items that perfect the practice of devotion;
4. The six flavors of loving exchange with devotees;
5. Behavior to be adopted with three different kinds of devotees;
6. Relating to the apparent flaws and shortcomings of devotees;
7. Purifying the heart through worshiping the name;
8. The sequence of bhajan, embracing the raga-marga;
9. The gradation of divine abodes, the glories of Radha-kunda;
10. The gradations of dearness to Krishna, the glories of Sri Radha;
11. The great fortune and blessing of this path of worship.

One who wishes to perfect his practice of bhajan, and become accomplished like mahatmas of yore, should diligently study this text and implement the instructions into his life of bhajan. The sequential path presented by the author contains immeasurable potency for the upliftment of the sadhaka when applied in all earnestness and sincerity of heart.

The work contains two flavors of amrita-instructions. The first amrita is that which leads us to immortality, which lifts us beyond the mundane world in the form of the varieties of restrictions given with the aim of shielding the creeper of devotion from unwanted and destructive influences. The second amrita is the nectar flooding the heart as the gates to the kingdom of devotional worship open and one embarks on the tasteful path of bhajan.

Neglecting the instructions in this eleven-fold treatise on the sequential practice of sadhana, one wastes his precious days reaching for the flower on the sky, the utopia that will never become concrete by neglecting the recommended approach. Let us, therefore, study this text with due enthusiasm and embrace the power it yields through practical implementation.

- What is the proper spirit in which the text is to be studied?

The text should be studied with an open, receptive heart. One should feel willing to take the instructions seriously and to amend one's life accordingly. All of this, in a spirit of service to the author and to one's guru-varga, with all due gratitude, recognizing that without the said instructions we would be aimless, lost in a shoreless ocean of confusion.

- Where does the uplifting potency of the work arise from?

There are two main factors. First, following the instructions prepares our heart to contain the treasure of bhakti and molds our minds into a form in which they are always bent on engaging in devotional activities. Second, a great power arises from the satisfaction of the author, as he feels that his work has become successful, that someone has taken it seriously and applies it in all earnestness. The power of the grace of Sri Rupa and other purva-acharyas is powerful indeed. zrI-rUpa-kRpAya mile yugala-caraNa.

- How to get that uplifting potency of work? Is it only some motivation system or something even superb? By the "work" I'm assuming meaning "following the instructions perfectly".

Cast your heart at the feet of the author, your instructing guru. Hold nothing in your life as important as embracing those instructions. That'll attract the presence of the grace-potency contained in the text and propel you swiftly onward on the path of devotion.
Which Gaudiya acaryas have commented on Sri Upadeshamrita? In your class you mention Radha Raman das Goswami as an important commentator -- can anything be said about him, his life, when he lived, other writings, etc?

To the best of my knowledge, there is only one old commentary, that of Radharaman Goswami. In the commentary, the author identifies himself as a disciple and grand-son of of Jivana Lal Goswami. Though the commentary does not specifically state so, I am under the impression that Jivana Lal was a disciple of Gopinath Adhikari, a disciple of Gopal Bhatta Goswami's, reasoning by the course of the mangalacharan going directly from Gopinath to Jivana Lal.

If this assumption is correct, he lived in the fourth generation after the Goswamis. Gaudiya Vaishnava Abhidhan mentions that Radharaman Goswami has also written a commentary called Dipika-dipani on Sridhar Swami's Bhavartha Dipika. In that work, the author notes that he is the son of Govardhan Lal Goswami. I do not have access to that work, and cannot therefore say how elaborate it is or whether further biographical data would be contained therein. His commentary on Upadesamrita, the Upadesha-prakasika, is concice, mainly offering definitions of words and relevant references from the Bhagavata and other sources.

As for other commentaries, what is commonly available are the commentaries of Bhaktivinoda Thakur (Piyusa-varshini) and Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati (Anuvritti). Then, there are also other commentaries from Bhaktisiddhanta's followers, such as the tika of Bhaktiprasad Puri. There is a publication on the market with several commentaries from Gaudiya Math acharyas. Then, of course, there is A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami's rendition published as "The Nectar of Instruction", drawing largely from Bhaktivinoda's and Bhaktisiddhanta's editions.

Baladeva has commented on Stava-mala, at least on some sections of the work. I have never seen the text, it does not seem to be available on the market. I would expect that, had he commented on Upadeshamrita, it would be available in print along with Radharaman Goswami's. There may be some manuscripts of other tikas stacked up somewhere, I am not aware of anything noteworthy.

The English rendition of Radharaman Goswami's tika published from GVS leaves room for improvement in accuracy. God willing, we'll present the tika, bundled with further annotations, in the course of this study. The Sanskrit text of the tika will be available shortly, as I finish keying it in.

- Upadeshamrita doesn't seem to have received much attention back in the early days, and seems to have been first popularized by the Gaudiya Math.

Some titles just seem to come into vogue later on. The Gita, as a famous example, saw its first Gaudiya commentary with Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur, followed soon after by Baladeva's.

Commentaries on Vilapa Kusumanjali are very few and far between. The edition published by Sri Ananta Das Babaji features the rather short and technical tika of Bangeshwar Vidyalankar, and incorporates material from the comments of Madhusudan Das Adhikari and the notes made of the lectures of Ananda Gopal Goswami. I believe Bangeshwar dates to somewhere in the 19th century, and the other two are both 20th century figures.

Radha-rasa-sudhanidhi of Prabodhananda Sarasvati is another such title. I don't have a copy at hand just now, but I believe Babaji Maharaj mentions some earlier work of Madhusudana Das Adhikari's in his preface - beyond that, I am not aware of any tikas.

I believe Baladeva has written a tika on the entire Stava-mala. I've never gotten my hands on a copy of the work, I would be very interested. Many of the smaller works of the Goswamis are really not very extensively commented on.

- Is the content of Upadeshamrita entirely original?

Verses one though three are adaptations of earlier verses on similar themes. The source of the first is unknown to me. The second and the third are near-identical adaptations from Hatha-yoga-pradipika, a 13th century yogic text. SaDbhir yogo prasidhyati! The principles are fairly universal, so I guess there's no need to re-invent the wheel - just polish it a bit.

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.