Pothana

Pothana Biography

Pothana was a Telugu poet who lived in the 15^th century. He is best known for his translation of the Bhagavata Purana from Sanskrit to Telugu, titled Andhra Maha Bhagavatamu. His celebrated work is popularly known as Pothana Bhagavatam among Telugu speaking communities. Scholars believe that Pothana gave Telugus his magnum opus from Bammera in Warangal district. However, there is no trace of his dwelling in the hamlet. A dilapidated structure of granite slabs on the land is believed to be his Samadhi. He is regarded as a Sahaja Kavi, which literally mean natural poet.  

He was born in Bammera village near Palakurthi of Warangal District of Andhra Pradesh. His father was Kesanna and his mother Lakshmamma. He worked in agricultural fields. He was a great scholar and a natural poet who impressed people through his poetry works. Bhogini Dhandakam was his earliest work, written in praise of Maharaja’s concubine Bhogini.  It is the earliest available Dhandaka in Telugu at present. Virabhadhra Vijayamu was his second poem which describes the adventures of Lord Virabhadhra, son of Lord Shiva. He was a great devotee of lord Siva too. But later he was drawn towards Lord Rama and didn’t find any difference in both.

According to folklore, Lord Rama himself appeared before him on the banks of river Godavari, while he was meditating on Lord Shiva and requested him to translate Bhagavatam into Telugu and dedicate it to him. Though he translated the epic to Telugu, he freely used Sanskrit words throughout his work. He used rhythm and repetition of sounds for writing Andhra Maha Bhagavatamu, the work regarded as the crown jewel of Telugu literature.

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Updated: June 27, 2014