CHAPTER V.
The Literature of the Vaiṣṅavas.
| I. | Vaiṣṅavism in Bengal. | |
| II. | The Life and Teachings of Chaitanya Deva. | |
| III. | Vaiṣṅava Biographies. | |
| (a) Kaḍchā or Notes by Govinda Dās.' | ||
| (b) Chaitanya Bhāgabata by Vrindāvan Dās. | ||
| (c) Chaitanya Maṇgal by Jayānanda. | ||
| (d) Chaitaṅya Charitāmrita by Kriṣṅa Dās Kavirāj. | ||
| (e) Chaitanya Maṇgal by Lochan Dās. | ||
| (f) Brief accounts of Nityānanda — Advaitācharyya — Narottam Dās — Raghunāth Dās — Rupa — Sanātana — Çrinivāsāchāryya — Hari Dās and other Vaiṣṅava devotees. | ||
| (g) Bhakti Ratnākar and other biographical works. | ||
| IV. | Theological books. | |
| V. | The Padas or Songs of the Vaiṣṅavas. |
I. Vaiṣṅavism in Bengal.
Chronological order not followed.Chronologically speaking, a considerable portion of the Literature, which forms the subject-matter of this chapter, precedes works treated of in the last chapter. But as the Vaiṣṅava Literature is marked by distinct characteristics of its own and has little relation to the spirit that predominates in the rest of our Literature, we have found it convenient to group the works of Vaiṣṅava writers together and to deal with them separately in the present chapter, without observing their chronological order, in relation to non-Vaiṣṅava works.
The excellence of Vaiṣṅava Literature.Works written by the Vaiṣṅavas form the most important and interesting portion of our literature.