SRI BRAHMA-SAMHITA

Om Visnupad Srila Sachchidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur

[His preface to his Bengali translation and commentary]

Lord Brahma meticulously collected (compiled) this Gem, Sri Brahma-samhita, which is a vast mine of Perfect Conclusions or siddhanta; thus did Brahma sing the unending Glories of Sri Krishna. These Holy Prayers are entered into the fifth chapter of the Book. They are the Supreme Wealth of humanity. On His travels throughout South India, Sri Gauranga, the ocean of Grace and supreme friend of the souls blinded in the darkness of this age of Kali, retrieved this Divine Treasure of Brahma-samhita just to deliver the souls surrendered unto Him. The Sanskrit commentary of this work flowed from the pen of Sri Jiva Goswami Prabhu, who is acclaimed by the pious intelligentsia as the greatest philosopher the world has ever known. His commentary was evolved through deep study of the monumental archives of the established Vedic Scriptures. In his benevolence, the venerable Sri Jiva gave this gift to the Gaudvya Vaisnavas.

Once my Divine Master, Sri Bipin Bihari Prabhu, instructed me to write, expanding on that commentary of Sri Jiva Goswami Prabhu. So it is with a joyful heart that this humble servitor has presented a few words herein. If the devotees reflect on these writings with the pure theistic intellect of distinguishing mundanity from transcendence,* the heart's desire of this servitor will be fulfilled, because Pure Devotion will be preached in the world.

*Those who, by the potency of Bhakti, have attained the strength to differentiate between the transcendent and the mundane are alone qualified to enter into the mysteries of this Prakasini Gaudiya Commentary.

O Sri Rupa, Sri Jiva, Sri Sanatana—thy Grace is like an ocean; you are life and soul for the devotees. The purport of the commentary is deep and unfathomable like the ocean, at the edge of which I stand benumbed. You must graciously ordain that the Divine Potency enter my words.

Bringing to bloom with great care the beautiful flower-buds which are the words of Sri Jiva, and offering my prostrate obeisances unto the Divine Master and the Supreme Lord Sri Krishnachandra, I shall know myself to be blessed when I can offer these flowers to the hand of the pure devotee. Such is my heart's aspiration.

• For Reader's Appreciation
• Feelings of Appreciation
• Prologue
• Translator's Note
• Illumination
• Sri Sri Brahma-samhita
• Verse Contents