Gaudiya writers' extensive production in the field of Sanskrit poetry has earned them a distinct place in the history of literature, particularly for consolidating bhakti as one of the prominent rasas. From Lord Caitanya's days, their deepest philosophical conclusions were in-built in their poetical expression, either in vernacular or Sanskrit compositions. At that early point, no need was felt to translate the subtleties of the Gaudiya ideology into the conventional technical language adopted by ancient schools of thought, both Vaisnava and non-Vaisriava. Their intricate concepts would naturally spring forth during eloquent discourses on the grimad-Bhagavatam. Taking this lead, Sri Jiva Gosvami was the first Gaudiya to make a substantial effort to vindicate and define the Bhagavata philosophy in terms of the dialectic approach that had been in vigour for many centuries amongst learned circles in India. He thus brought out the Bhagavata-sandarbhas, the six treatises in which he reads the Gaudiya philosophy through the verses from the grimad-Bhagavatam in a thematic and methodical manner. His auto-commentary, entitled Sarva-sariivadini, gave even a further dimension to his work by directly engaging with, and debating on various ancient systems of thought in the light of the Bhagavata view. The decades that followed were marked by an acute decline in the literary activity that had blossomed in the 16th century and met its acme in the works of Sri Rupa and Sri Jiva. It was not until late 17th century that another prolific author of a similar stature emerged in the form of Sri Vigvanatha Cakravarti, who made up for a long felt dearth in the scholarly tradition started by Mahaprabhu's followers. While his compositions were much alike those of Rupa in his elaborations on bhakti-rasa and the path of devotion, he did not take the same interest as Jiva did in going to great lengths in comparative philosophy. That task was awaiting another eminent personality that would appear about a couple of generations later.