Tattva Viveka

Bhakti Tattva Viveka is a profound spiritual book authored by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. This classic work explores the essence of bhakti, the path of loving devotion to God, in the context of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. It delves into the philosophy and practices of devotion, offering deep insights into the principles of pure devotion and the transformative power of love for the Divine. It serves as a guiding light for seekers on their spiritual journey.

Three works on Vaishnava doctrines and spiritual life; explanation translated from Bengali.

In this benchmark five-volume study, originally published between 1922 and 1955, Surendranath Dasgupta examines the principal schools of thought that define Indian philosophy. A unifying force greater than art, literature, religion, or science, Professor Dasgupta describes philosophy as the most important achievement of Indian thought, arguing that an understanding of its history is necessary to appreciate the significance and potentialities of India's complex culture. Volume II continues the examination of the Sankara school of Vedanta begun in Volume I, and also addresses the philosophy of the Yoga-Vasistha, speculations in the medical schools, and the philosophy of the Bhagavad-Gita.

The fundamental mysteries of the Vedic philosophical conclusions are unlocked for the first time in this English rendition of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur's concise treatise on the Absolute Truth, Tattva-viveka. It consists of two chapters. In the book, he points out that the conditioned soul espouses and is subjected to a great variety of speculative explanations concerning the ontological truths of existence. All of these are flawed, and the Thakur points out just how they are so. However, this Tattva-viveka gives us real hope that the Absolute Truth can indeed be realized by any sincere and serious person in this lifetime.As a representative of that Supreme Reality, Thakur Bhaktivinode, a fully self-realized and God-realized soul, briefly touches upon the philosophies of the West. He starts with the prominent Greek thinkers, and includes the Roman poet-philosopher, Lucretius. He then skips to the Age of Enlightenment and discusses Hume and Von Holbach, along with others. He culminates this review with an analysis of modern-day philosophers and philosophies, such as Huxley, Schopenhauer, Mill, and Auguste Comte. He goes into special detail in relation to Positivism.In Tattva-viveka, Bhaktivinode Thakur also discusses, sometimes in detail, Eastern philosophies such as Sankhya, Nyaya, Vaisesika, Karma-mimamsa, and Patanjala-Yoga. There are expositions on Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, and Christianity, as well. Finally, the Monist philosophy is considered.In the second chapter, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur's sums up everything by explaining the Absolute Truth from the perspective of the realized souls, who, wherever they are living in time and space—either on this planet, this universe, or in the spiritual world itself—are always in complete and perfect agreement.

The work appears in five volumes. Vol. I comprises Buddhist and Jaina Philosophy and the six systems of Hindu thought, viz.., Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisesika, Mimamsa and Vedanta. It also contains the philosophy of the Yogavasistha, the Bhagavadgita and speculations in the medical schools. Vol. III contains an elaborate account of the Principal Dualistic and Pluralistic Systems such as the philosophy of the Pancaratra, Bhaskara, Yamuna, Ramanuja, Nimbarka, Vijnanabhiksu and philosophical speculations of some of the selected Puranas. Vol. IV deals with the Bhagavata Purana, Madhva and his School, Vallabha, Caitanya, Jiva Gosvami and Baladeva Vidyabhusana. Vol. V treats the Southern Schools of Saivism, viz., Saiva Siddhanta, Vira Saivism, philosophy of Srikantha. Saiva Philosophy in the Puranas and in some important texts. In the words of the Oxford Journal 'the collection of data, editing and the interpretation of every school of thought is a feat unparalleled in the field of history of philosophy.'