Customer Reviews

Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava

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A very well researched work of devotion. It presents the essence of Sarasvati Thakura's teachings and his approach towards missionary activities. A careful study of this book would enable the reader to clearly differentiate between siddhanta and ap-siddhanta and examine at each moment if their activities are really pleasing to Guru and Krsna.

It is also a great resource for anyone who is leadership or management roles.

I received the printed version of this book as a gift a year ago and put it in my bookshelf for future casual reading. I thought it would be more of the same that I have heard or read in my past 36 years practicing Vaishnavism. I took the book off the shelf to browse because a friend borrowed my current book without permission. So, I was looking for "next book".

I glanced through the table of contents and found a chapter that caught my interest. After reading it, I couldn't put it book down. I then chose another chapter and found it even more informative.

This book is more of a reference than a biography. You don't have to read each chapter sequentially. The first volume does give an in depth biography. The other volumes supplement the biography with studies on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's preaching strategies, devotional practices, biographies of prominent disciples, and more.

The philosophical understanding of practicing Vaisnavism and spreading the culture is clearly defined in this book. After all, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta is the achraya who firmly established the practices of Gaudiya Vaisnavas in the early 1900's.

I have added to my wish list the desire to read a book about HDG AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada written by HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami in this same format and presentation. There are many personal reflections written by prominent disciples of HDG along with the BBT Biography and the books written by His secretaries. But, none take the approach used by Bhakti Vikasa Swami in his Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava.

I will include this ebook in my electronic copy reference collection.

I have read the first volume, it is repetitious and rather watered down version of what could have been written. Most of the information is not about the person or his bio, it looks like the author Bhakivikasa on purpose beefed up the volumes, including in biographies of all his own Gaudiya teachers, regardless how relevant it is. In short, it lacks real life or creativity. Why? Don't know really... It could be because it is not the author's native tongue or more likely because he dropped out from school before even doing his essays in high school. Besides rudimentary and institutionalized English, huge bulk of jargon and irrelevant stories; material is shifted through, to present this interesting historical and spiritual person, much like author himself, masochistic monk or chauvinistic proselytizer, which is not so. So if you are interested in this angle, it is book for you. I guess the advantage of kindle edition is to be able to skip rather preachy bits and get at least some information out of it.