KRISHNA AND THE PURANAS ESSAYS ON THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT’ OF VAISHNAVISM LY SITANATH TATTVABHUSHAN or of The Vedunta and its Relation to Modem Thought’, "he Philosophy of Brokmaisw’ and other works, andj. « Nditor of the Devanagari aud “English and the Sanskrit aul Bengali edition of the: Upanishads. - CALCUTTA PRINTED AND! PUBLISHED Trigunanatu Roy AT THE BRAHMO MISSION PRESS 212 Cornwaliis. Street 1026.PREFACE The following essays, originally contributed to the Indian Messenger, but now much altered and added to for the purpose of incorporation in a book, are mainly a sequel and supplement to the author's Krishna and the Gétd, The conclusions arrived at in the first leoture of the latter, that on the “Origin and Growth of the Krishna Legend,” have been set forth in a more detailed, consistent and, it is hoped, a more convincing form in the first six essays, As Krishna and the Gité has been out of print for some time past and may not be reprinted as early as might be wished, its second lecture, that on “The Krishna of the Mahibhirata and the Puranas,” has been given ina condensed form in the appendix, so that readers who have not read that book and may not have the opportunity of reading it may not feel any difficulty in following the argument in the first part of this book, The remaining essays embody the result of the author’s study of the chief Vaishnava Puranas and the literature of the Bengal School of Vaishnaviaw, They endeavour to expand the hints given in the eighth chapter and other parts of Krishna and the Gitd as to the origin and development of Vaishnavism, specially its bifurcation into the old and the new school, To many this bifurcation is all but unknown, In Bengal specially, the identification of VaishnavismE. iv J with the Radha-Krishna Cult, and even with the teachings of Chaitanya and his followers, is very common, If the present work does nothing more than clear this misconception and bring out the distinctive characteristics of the two schools, it will perhaps have done aome service to the modern atudent of comparative theology, The object of the book, however, is mainly practical, namely to help the reader in feeling his way to that Universal Religion towards which the teachers and scriptures of all ethnic and denominational religions are contributing more or less and whioh, in the wise and beneficent dispensation of Providence, is to bring “on earth peace and good-will toward men.” If the hook renders even the least help in this respect, its composition and publication under the disadvantages of failing strength and eye-sighi will be amply justified and rewarded. Caxcurra, 210-8-2, Cornwallis Street, May 16, 1926.