Bhakti Ratnavali is an anthology of selected verses from Bhagavata Purana with a few verses by the anthologist Vishnupuri and their complete commentary. Bhakti Ratnavali contains 398 out of the 18,000 verses of Bhagavata Purana. The work deals with the theory and practice of devotion to Bhagavan.
Swami Vishnupuri, though hailing from Tirhauta (Mithila,
Bihar), lived in Varanasi. He was a contemporary of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1485 –
1533 CE). Chaitanya and Vishnupuri had met when the former visited Varanasi on
a pilgrimage. Vishnupuri was charmed by him. He too impressed Chaitanya by his
learning and devotion.
Once a disciple of Vishnupuri, on pilgrimage to Puri, while returning,
asked Chaitanya for any message for Vishnupuri. Chaitanya wished to convey to
the disciple’s master a request for a Ratnavali (necklace of gems). Vishnupuri,
however, understood the true import of the request, and so he composed Bhakti
Ratnavali (necklace of gems of devotion) with his own commentary Kantimala. The
anthology was divided into thirteen cantos called ‘strings’. Chaitanya was
delighted on receiving this necklace, practiced it, and then offered it to
Bhagavan Jagannatha.
Ratnavali is not an abridged form of Bhagavata but a
well-designed and meticulously arranged selection. The commentary exhibits
Vishnupuri’s deep study and careful exposition. He has added seven verses composed
by him – four in the first canto and three in the last. In the former, the
anthologist describes his own task, and comments on the excellence of the
anthology and its need, wishing the work to be useful to those devotees who
lack leisure to study the complete Bhagavata. The last three verses show his
humility and his hope that the devotees will welcome this work.
The thirteen cantos successively deal with bhakti
(devotion), its causes, nine modes of devotion – remembering god’s name (nama-smarana),
kirtana (singing hymns), praising god’s virtues (gunakathana), listening to God’s
virtues (guna shravana), company of the virtuous (satsanga), all mentioned in
Bhagavata (7.5.23). The last canto is Sarnagati (refuge in Bhagavan).