Palkuriki Somanatha
Encyclopedia
Palkurthy Somanatha was one of the most noted Telugu language
writers of the 12th or 13th century. He was also an accomplished writer in the Kannada
and Sanskrit languages and penned several classics in them. He was a Veerashaiva (devotee of the Hindu
god Shiva
) by faith and a follower of the 12th century social reformer Basavanna (also called Basaveshwara), and his writings were primarily intended to propagate this faith. He was a well acclaimed Shaivite poet. He was among the first to write in pure Telugu in the 12th century.
as the mother. However, the scholar Bandaru Tammayya has argued that he was born a Jangama (devotee of the god Shiva). The scholar Seshayya places him in the late 13th to early 14th century and proposes that the writer lived during the reign of Kakatiya
king Prataparudra II, whereas the Kannada scholar R. Narasimhacharya dates his writings to the 12th century and claims Somanatha was patronised by Kakatiya king Prataparudra I (1140–1196).
Basavapurana, Paditaradhya charitra, Malamadevipuranamu and Somanatha Stava–in dwipada metre ("couplets"); Anubhavasara, Chennamallu Sisamalu, Vrishadhipa Shataka and Cheturvedasara–in verses; Basavodharana in verses and ragale metre (rhymed couplets in blank verse); and the Basavaragada.
Kannada language
Basavaragada, Basavadhyaragada, Sadgururagada, Silasampadane, Sahasragananama, Pancharantna and several Vachana and ragale poems are his contributions to Kannada literature
. Somanatha's Telugu Basavapurana was the inspiration for Vijayanagara
poet Bhimkavi (c. 1369) who wrote a Kannada book by the same name. Somanatha was the protagonist of a 16th century Kannada purana ("religious text") written by the Vijayanagara poet Tontadarya.
Sanskrit language
Somanathabhashya, Rudrabhashya, Vrishabhastaka, Basavodharana, Basavashtaka, Basava panchaka, Ashtottara satanama gadya, Panchaprakara gadya and Asharanka gadya are his contributions to Sanskrit literature.
link Palkuriki Somanathudu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
writers of the 12th or 13th century. He was also an accomplished writer in the Kannada
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
and Sanskrit languages and penned several classics in them. He was a Veerashaiva (devotee of the Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
god Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
) by faith and a follower of the 12th century social reformer Basavanna (also called Basaveshwara), and his writings were primarily intended to propagate this faith. He was a well acclaimed Shaivite poet. He was among the first to write in pure Telugu in the 12th century.
Early life
His early life has been debated by historians.It is generally accepted that Somanatha was born into a Brahmin family and he later took to Shaivism (devotion to the god Shiva).His place of birth is Palakurthy in Warangal district of Andhrapradesh,India.Life
Indication that he was not a Shaiva by birth comes from the fact that he mentions the names of his parents in his very first work, Basavapurana, violating a general practice of Shaiva writers who do not mention their real parents but rather consider the god Shiva as the father and his concert ParvatiParvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
as the mother. However, the scholar Bandaru Tammayya has argued that he was born a Jangama (devotee of the god Shiva). The scholar Seshayya places him in the late 13th to early 14th century and proposes that the writer lived during the reign of Kakatiya
Kakatiya
The Kakatiya dynasty was an Indian dynasty that ruled most parts of what is now Andhra Pradesh, India from 1083 CE to 1323 CE, with Orugallu , now Warangal , as its capital. Orugallu is also called 'Eka Sila Nagaram'...
king Prataparudra II, whereas the Kannada scholar R. Narasimhacharya dates his writings to the 12th century and claims Somanatha was patronised by Kakatiya king Prataparudra I (1140–1196).
Writings
Telugu languageBasavapurana, Paditaradhya charitra, Malamadevipuranamu and Somanatha Stava–in dwipada metre ("couplets"); Anubhavasara, Chennamallu Sisamalu, Vrishadhipa Shataka and Cheturvedasara–in verses; Basavodharana in verses and ragale metre (rhymed couplets in blank verse); and the Basavaragada.
Kannada language
Basavaragada, Basavadhyaragada, Sadgururagada, Silasampadane, Sahasragananama, Pancharantna and several Vachana and ragale poems are his contributions to Kannada literature
Kannada literature
Kannada literature is the corpus of written forms of the Kannada language, a member of the Dravidian family spoken mainly in the Indian state of Karnataka and written in the Kannada script....
. Somanatha's Telugu Basavapurana was the inspiration for Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire , referred as the Kingdom of Bisnaga by the Portuguese, was an empire based in South Indian in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Yadava lineage. The empire rose to prominence as a culmination of attempts...
poet Bhimkavi (c. 1369) who wrote a Kannada book by the same name. Somanatha was the protagonist of a 16th century Kannada purana ("religious text") written by the Vijayanagara poet Tontadarya.
Sanskrit language
Somanathabhashya, Rudrabhashya, Vrishabhastaka, Basavodharana, Basavashtaka, Basava panchaka, Ashtottara satanama gadya, Panchaprakara gadya and Asharanka gadya are his contributions to Sanskrit literature.
link Palkuriki Somanathudu