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• Shortly after moving to Bhavnagar, Manilal published a book, Raja Yoga (literally 'King of all Yogas'), in 1885. This reproduced a lecture he had delivered on the topic of 'The Logic of Commonsense', together with an introduction to the noted theosophist Tookaram Tatya's English version of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita. This same book also contained his English versions of the Vakyasudha and the Aparokshanubhuti. The English orientalist Edward Arnold, who met with Manilal and conversed with him at length, admired the book for its content and clarity. Shortly after its publication, Manilal received a letter inviting him to speak in the 7th Oriental Congress in Vienna, which was to be held in December, 1886. However, the political agent of Saurashtra decided to replace Manilal. (Thaker, 1987 p. 25). Manilal wrote two articles for later Oriental Congresses: the first on The Purans (Philosophy verses Symbology), which was written for the 8th Oriental Congress held in Stockholm in 1889; and another on Jain philosophy for the 9th Oriental Congress held in London in 1892. He was awarded a certificate of merit for the second article (Thaker, p. 30)(Thaker, p.46)

• Manilal's philosophical position was grounded in Advaita Vedanta, a branch of Hindu philosophy which believes that the true self, or "atman", and the highest metaphysical reality of the universe, the "brahman", are identical. Manilal made Vedantic philosphy popular among the Gujarati community, and reveled the main features of Indian philosophy and Hinduism, and by doing so, he instilled in the minds of the Gujarati reader community a kind of awareness of the foundation of their religion and culture.

• He believed that the root of all activities of human life can be traced to the principle of Advaita Vedanta and that the essence of Bhagavad Gita is the karma yoga (path of unselfish action). With this premise, he made tremendous efforts to establish the superiority of Indian culture in comparison to Western culture. He was recognised both in India and more widely as a staunch protagonist of ancient Indian religion and as a learned Indian philosopher.

New content for Manilal Dwivedi

Shortly after settling in Bhavnagar, he published a work entitled Raja Yoga (literally 'King of yoga'). This reproduced a lecture he had delivered on the topic of 'The Logic of Commonsense', together with an introduction to the noted theosophist Tookaram Tatya's English version of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita. This same book also contained his English versions of the Vakyasudha and the Aparokshanubhuti. The work was highly praised by the English orientalist Edward Arnold who had had occasion to meet up with Manilal and converse with him at length. Shortly thereafter an invitation was made to have Manilal attended the Oriental Congress in Vienna in December 1886. The Political agent of Saurashtra saw things differently and selected another candidate to attend the Congress. Notwithstanding this decision, Manilal was proud of the honour accorded to him by the invitation.(Thaker, 1987 p. 25)

Original contents from the source

Even in the midst of serious illness, Manilal pursued his literary and academic projects with full vigour. Soon after his arrival in Bhavnagar, he published a book in English entitled Raja Yoga which contained his lecture on 'Logic of Commonsense', an introduction to the English translation of Shrimad Bhagawad Gita by the well-known theosophist Tookaram Tatya, and English translations of Vakyasudha and Aparokshanubhuti by himself. The book was highly commended by scholars in India and abroad. Edwin Arnold, the reputed author of "Light of Asia" who visited Bhavnagar in the course of his tour in India, was very favourably impressed by Prof. Manilal Dvivedi, as is evident from his following statement:

Nor does Poona or Bombay contain any Shastree, with clearer conclusions on Hindu theology and philosophy, better command of lucid language, or ideas more enlightened and profound than Mr. Manilal Nabhubhai Dwivedi, Professor of Sanskrit in the Samaldas College here [Bhavnagar], whose book just published on the Raja Yoga ought to become widely known in Europe and to converse with whom has been a real privilege.

Raja Yoga earned for Manilal another distinction also. He was invited to attend the Oriental Congress to be held in Vienna in December 1886, as a delegate from Saurashtra in place of Pt. Bhagwan Lal Indraji, who, for some reason, expressed his inability to attend. The Secretary of the Congress, Georg Bühler, requested the Political Agent of Saurashtra and the State authorities to make necessary arrangements for sending Prof. Dwivedi. However, Dr. Bhandarkar was deputed by the Political Agent of Saurashtra, at the instance of the Secretary to the Governor of Bombay, to attend the Oriental Congress, instead of Manilal. Far from being disappointed Manilal was content with the recognition he won from the Oriental Congress, which had extended invitation to him.

Oriental Congress, Stockholm, 1889

Manilal wrote an article on Puranas in English entitled The Puranas (Philosophy versus Symbology) and sent It to be read before the Oriental Congress which held at Stockholm in 1889. As the paper refuted the views of Western scholars like Max Muller, it provoked a good deal of discussion at the Congress which resulted in drawing the attention of western scholars to certain aspects of Hinduism and the Puranas. (Thaker, p.46)

Oriental Congress, London, 1892

Manilal submitted a paper on Jain Philosophy to be read at the conference of the Oriental Congress held at London. The paper received a certificate of merit. He prepared English editions (with translation and notes) of Patanjali's Yogadarshan and Mandukya Upanishad for the Theosophical Societies of India and America respectively. (Thaker, p.30)

Atmavrittanta

• It begins with a chronological account of his childhood, college years, and career as a professor. In later chapters, Manilal adopts a Diary style, writing about themes such as his relationship with ...... {cn}

• Manilal's poor social and family background is reflected in... the writing's crude and offensive style [or] in his crude and offensive language.

• The book has 33 chapters with, a detailed introductory chapter written by its editor Dhirubhai Thaker.

• Manilal Dwivedi

• During his lifetime he befriended many people including Kavi Kant, Kalapi, and Mansukhram Tripathi who are now part of the 19th-century Gujarati literary canon.

• Manilal's philosophical position (or Manilal's philosophy) was grounded in Advaita Vedanta, a branch of Hindu philosophy which believes.. or [Manilal made Vedantic philosphy popular among Gujarati community.] and reveled the main features of Indian philosophy and Hinduism, and by doing so, he instilled in the minds of the Gujarati reader community a kind of awareness of the foundation of their religion and culture.

• His biography is divided into two sections, a preamble and a twenty-seven part set of diary entries.

The publication of his autobiography several decades after his death was received by some critics with disappointment. Like Gandhi's autobiography, it was said by Anandshankar Dhruv, who was also critical of its less than literary prose style, that Manilal's revelations are marked more by a concern to vindicate himself before a future readership than to allow that audience to peer into his inner conflicts. The actual diary entries give a day-to-day account of his experiences in several places, covering his failed marriage, powerful sexual drives and the degenerate street world in his environments. For Chandrakant Topiwala, the value of his autobiography possibly lay in the material it furnishes not only for future sociologists and psychologists, but also for ecologists who might find in the book's invaluable material shedding light on the organic realities of the Gujarati environment in Manilal's heyday.

Gandhi's autobiography

• Autobiographical Writings of Mahatma Gandhi

Saraswatichandra

In 1898 while writing his praface of Saraswatichandra (Part 3), Govardhanram Tripathi says:

While keeping in mind a total picture of our people, our times, our manners, morals and the problems that we face today. this novel aims especially at presenting at imaginative and colourful picture of the forthcoming generation in a similar way.