Notes on Religion and Philosophy

Gopinath Kaviraj (1887-1976) does not need presentation in the world of modern Indian philosophy and thought. After brilliant studies, Kaviraj ji was for many years librarian in the Sanskrit College, Varanasi, and took advantage of this opportunity to read and research on every topic of Indian and contemporary thought, as well as editing and publishing some seventy-two books in the field of Indology. He later became Principal of the Sanskrit College until 1937, when he voluntarily retired to devote himself to research and Sadhana. He was conferred the titles of Mahamahopadhyaya in 1934 and of Padmavibhusana in 1964. Kaviraj ji possessed a vast and profound erudition, and the depth of his thought was remarkable. He studied every branch of Indian thought, he came to be known mainly as an expositor of yoga and Tantra. He wrote articles on a wide range of subjects in English, Hindi, Bengali and Sanskrit. But, besides being an epoch-making scholar, he was also a man of noble personality and a true sadhaka. He was disciple of the renowned yogi Swami Vishuddhananda, and become later a Bhakta of Sri Anandamayi Ma, on whose ashram at Varanasi he spent the last days of his life. This book presents a collection of his articles in English.