Date of Visnupuri
By Manoranjan Shastri
Summary
The article “Date of Visnupuri” attempts to determine when the Vaiṣṇava scholar Viṣṇupuri lived by examining his compilation Bhaktiratnavali (also called Bhagavad‑bhakti‑ratnamala) and genealogical lists. The author discusses how Viṣṇupuri’s Bhaktiratnavali compiled devotional verses drawn largely from the Bhāgavata Purāṇafile:///home/oai/share/563036_compressed-113-293.pdf and how this anthology influenced later devotional literature. To estimate the date of its compiler, the paper analyses genealogical lists of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas and cross‑references them with historical eventsfile:///home/oai/share/563036_compressed-113-293.pdf. It shows that Viṣṇupuri belonged to a line of disciples preceding the appearance of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and that his work may have provided material for later writers such as Nabha’s Bhaktamalā. By comparing the language and style of Bhaktiratnavali with contemporary works, the author concludes that Viṣṇupuri probably flourished in the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century. The article thus provides an approximate date for Viṣṇupuri and underscores the importance of genealogical and textual evidence in dating devotional writers.
Conclusion
Through a careful comparison of genealogies and literary evidence, the author argues that Viṣṇupuri lived before the Gaudiya resurgence associated with Caitanya Mahāprabhu, probably in the late fifteenth century. This dating helps to clarify the development of Vaiṣṇava devotional literature and highlights how compilations like the Bhaktiratnavali influenced later anthologies.