According to the instructions of Sriman Mahaprabhu, Srila Sanatana Gosvamī Prabhu compiled a vaisnava-smrti called the Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa which was published by Srī Gopala Bhatta Gosvamī Prabhu. Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvamī also wrote a book on the ten samskaras which is known as Sor-kriya-sara-dipika and a manual called Sarkskara-Dipika, which is a book on the rules for taking sannyasa.
Almost half a century after the Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa was published, the non-vaisnava-smrti compiler, Raghunandana Bhattacarya Mahasaya, wrote a work called Astavimsati-Tativa. Before that, the paddhati of Bhavadeva and the Sat-kriya-sara-dipika were the most famous books on samskaras in Bengal.
The various manuals on the smarta rituals never became well spread among the general public. Due to the strong influence of the smartas, Sat-kriya-sara-dipika also lost its prominence. We might hear of the Nrsimha Paricarya of Sri Kısnadevacarya and Smrti Nibandha of Sri Kesava Bhatta were also later published, also the other non-vaisnava-paddhati, Nirnaya Paddhati of Kamalakara Bhatta was compiled.
We can observe from the writings of the smarta bhatfacaryas that there are certain differences of opinions between vaisnava-smrti and non-vaisnava-smrti, in other words, between the smarta-smrti paddhatis and the Sri Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa of the vaisnavas. There were many obstacles in the preaching of the vaisnava-smrti due to the popularity of the non-vaisnava-smrtis. The Vaisnava and non-vaisnava-paddhatis differ in many places regarding polytheistic demigod worship, sraddhas, ekadasi-vratas, etc. Also, due to a lack of genuine Vaisnava grhasthas, for some time, the smarta ceremonies were accepted as vaisnava. Non-vaisnava rituals are not accepted as bonafide by the vaisnava world, and since this has been logically proven with sastric evidence, those sense-enjoyers who are inimical to pure devotional service find this fact unpalatable. Therefore, they have endeavored to stop the publication of books containing vaisnava rituals and etiquette. However, there is no doubt that the futile hopes and desires of the non-vaisnava will be uprooted by the re-publication of this book. Those whose hearts feel pain as if pierced by a lance by the spreading of vaisnava-smrti will not be able to appreciate topics of devotional service. Nonetheless, the customs of the society of pure vaisnava, being like the Pole Star, will shine forth brightly even in the darkness of the new moon.
It is not that the erroneous smarta-vada misconceptions have only penetrated the vaisnava community of Bengal, they have also spread to other vaisnava societies all over India; in some places more, in others, less. Therefore, the Sat-kriya-sara-dīpika was not very famous. By the endeavor of Srī Srīmad Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who re-established the flow of pure devotion, this book was published again some time ago. Now, this is the third printing, and we view this as an opportunity to propagate the vaisnava faith and the rules, regulations, and etiquette of devotional service.
For some time now, many people, who understood the value of following vaisnava sadacara felt the necessity of printing this book again after the second edition was depleted. By the desire of Srīyukta Avidyaharana dasadhikarī and Sevabandhava Mahasaya, Mahopadesaka Pandita (Srīyukta Yaduvara Bhaktisastri, Sampradaya Vaibhavacarya, M.A. B.L.) has helped to correct this new edition. Without his endeavor, this book would not have been published in such a wonderful way. The Gaudiya Vaisnava community is indebted to him for this work.
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