Bammera Pothana
The Poet of the People | Translator of the Bhagavata Purana into Telugu
Bammera Pothana (also spelled Potana; c. 1370 – c. 1450 CE) is one of the most celebrated poets in Telugu literature. He is revered as the first Indian poet to translate the Bhagavata Purana from Sanskrit into his mother-tongue Telugu, creating the immortal Maha Bhagavatamu – popularly known as Pothana Bhagavatam. A farmer by occupation and a natural poet (Sahaja Kavi) who needed no formal teacher, Pothana’s life embodied humility, devotion, and artistic integrity. He famously refused to dedicate his magnum opus to a king, choosing instead to offer it to Lord Rama. His works, especially the Bhagavatam, have been cherished for centuries by common people and scholars alike, with verses quoted in everyday conversation and in classical performances.
Birth and Residence: Bammera Village, Palakurthy Mandal, Jangaon District, Telangana State. He lived approximately between 1370 CE and 1450 CE.
Parents: His father was Kesanna and his mother Lakshmamma.
Teacher: Pothana acknowledged Ivatuuri Somana as his teacher. However, he is widely regarded as a self-taught scholar (Sahaja Panditya) because his scholarship was the result of his own intense effort and divine blessing, rather than formal schooling.
Pothana furnished detailed information about his pedigree in his first work, Veerabhadra Vijayamu. Based on that, his genealogy is reconstructed as follows:
- Mallaya – Bheemana – Annaya – Gaurama (wife)
- Somana – Mallama (wife)
- Rarhaiia – Annaya – JElana – Ayyala – pregada – Machaya – Machama (wife)
- Kesana – Lakkama – Madhavudu – Immadi (wife)
- Tippana – Potana
Pothana belonged to the Niyogi-branch of the Brahmin caste, following the Apastamba Sutra and Kaundi-nyasa gotra.
According to Pothana’s revelations in Veerabhadra Vijayamu, he was first taught by his father. He began composing verses in his boyhood with the blessings of Lord Veerabhadra. His teacher, Somasekhara (a Veerashaiva guru), blessed him with the power of composing poetry. Pothana read extensively on his own and attained knowledge of the Veda, Vedanta, Purana, Itihasa, Kavya, Nataka, Alankara, and other disciplines.
From his Bhagavatamu, it is evident that he had read the Mahabharatamu of Nannaya, Tikkana and Errana; the Hari Vamshamu and Uttara-Harivamshamu; the works of Nachana and Somana; the Ramayanamu of Bhaskara; and, because he was initially a Veerashaiva, also the Basava Purana and Panditaradhya Charitra of Palkuriki Somanatha.
This is Pothana’s first poetic venture, written at an early age to please King Singa Bhoopala (Singama nayaka-II, r. 1384–1399 CE) of the Rachakonda dynasty. Bhogini was the king’s concubine, and the poem narrates how she loved and finally attained him. It is a very small work (about eight pages) but holds three significant distinctions:
- It is the earliest available Dhandaka (rhapsody using the same gana or foot all through) in Telugu as an exclusive work.
- Previously, Dhandakas were written only in praise of gods; this is the first Dhandaka based on a human story and human emotions.
- It shifted the Dhandaka from purely devotional to erotic sentiment (sringara rasa). After Pothana, many erotic Dhandakas appeared, including Vidyaavali Dandakamu, Mohini Dandakamu, and Chandranana Dandakamu.
Some critics note that Pothana’s later maturity led him away from such themes, but the work remains a testament to his early virtuosity.
Written in his boyhood, this work contains four chapters and a total of 1046 verses. It is acclaimed because it was written by Pothana. The poem begins with praises of Lord Siva, Lord Veerabhadra, and Goddess Saraswati. Pothana also praised Sanskrit poets (Vyasa, Valmiki, Kalidasa, Bana, Magha, Sivabhadra, Manibhadra, Bharavi, Bhoja) and Telugu poets (Nannaya, Tikkana, Vemulavaada Bheemana, Ranganatha, Shringara Kavi – Sreenatha). He also reverently mentioned his teacher Ivatuuri Somana.
Plot summary: King Daksha performed a yagna without inviting Lord Siva. Dadichi warned Daksha that the yagna was incomplete without Siva, but Daksha insulted Dadichi. Dadichi reported to Siva, whose anger produced Veerabhadra; Parvati’s anger produced Bhadrakali. Veerabhadra destroyed Daksha’s yagna and beheaded him. Vishnu fought with Veerabhadra, but his wheel (chakra) was broken. Veerabhadra returned victoriously to Kailasa. Siva showed pity, restored the gods and Vishnu, and felt happy at Veerabhadra’s victory.
The work shows that Pothana had already read Nannechoda’s Kumara-Sambhavamu.
This work marks a turning point in Pothana’s faith – from Saivism to Vaishnavism. It is a Satakam (collection of approximately 100 poems) containing 103 poems. It represents the beginning stage of his mental maturity, which attains perfection in the Bhagavatamu. Pothana was originally a devotee of Siva and a disciple of the Veerashaiva teacher Somasekhara. However, Veerashaivas have no hatred for Vishnu, considering Vishnu as a devotee of Siva. Hence, Pothana’s writing of Narayana Satakamu in praise of Vishnu is not contradictory.
Influences of Sarveswara Satakamu of Annamayya and Mukundamaala of Kulasekhara Alwar are visible. Although some scholars doubted its authenticity, Nidudavolu Venkata Rao proved by stylistic comparison with the Bhagavatamu that it is indeed an authentic work of Pothana, written at a stage when his poetic genius had not yet attained full maturity.
This is Pothana’s magnum opus. Though he did not write the entire Bhagavatam as available today, he wrote the major part. The twelve skandhas (books) are distributed as follows:
- Pothana wrote skandhas 1 to 4 and 7 to 10.
- Gangana wrote the fifth skandha.
- Singana wrote the sixth skandha.
- Naraya wrote the 11th and 12th skandhas.
Two traditional stories explain why portions were completed by others:
- Pothana completed twelve skandhas, kept them in a box, and handed them to his son Mallana. After Pothana’s death, Mallana opened the box and found that insects had destroyed parts. His disciples completed the destroyed portions (first edition of Bhagavatamu, 1848).
- According to Kuchimanchi Thimmakavi (Sarva-lakshana-sara-sangrahamu, c. 1740), Pothana refused to dedicate his Bhagavatamu to King Sarvagna Singa Bhupati. The angry king buried the manuscript, and portions were destroyed. Other poets completed the lost sections.
Pothana’s refusal to dedicate the work to a king is legendary. He famously declared, “It is better to dedicate the work to the supreme Lord Vishnu than to mortal kings.” He dedicated the Bhagavatamu to Lord Rama, whom he worshipped with great devotion. The king himself was a scholar and had written works including Rudranavasudhakara, a Sanskrit drama, but Pothana held that poetry is a divine gift meant for salvation, not for royal flattery.
Pothana was initially patronized by King Sarvagna Singa Bhupati (Singama nayaka-II) of the Rachakonda dynasty, who ruled from 1384 to 1399 CE. The king himself was a scholar and expected poets to dedicate works to him. Pothana had already written Bhogini Dandakamu to please the king. But when it came to his sacred translation of the Bhagavata Purana, Pothana refused to dedicate it to any mortal. Instead, he offered it to Lord Rama, whom he considered the ultimate master.
This act of defiance – refusing a powerful king’s request – is unprecedented in Telugu literary history. It speaks to Pothana’s deep devotion and his conviction that poetry inspired by divine grace must be returned to the divine. The king is said to have been angered, but Pothana remained steadfast. The story is preserved in later literary histories and has become an integral part of his legend.
It is noteworthy that Srinatha, a contemporary poet, accepted royal patronage and dedicated works to kings. Pothana’s choice highlights a different ideal: the poet as a devotee, not a courtier.
Srinatha (c. 1365–1370 – 1441 CE) was a contemporary of Pothana. Popular tradition and films have wrongly depicted Srinatha as Pothana’s brother-in-law, but there is no historical evidence for this. Both poets illuminated the 15th century, but Pothana remained an agriculturist and a devotee, while Srinatha moved in royal courts. Pothana’s lack of interest in patronage and his simple life as a farmer endeared him to common people.
An inscription found at Guduru (in Warangal/Jangaon district) refers to a village named Bammarige, which is identified as modern Bammera. During the reign of the Western Chalukya emperor Vikramaditya VI, his son Prince Somesvara (later King Somesvara III) granted the village of Bammarige as a gift to the temple of Mallesvaradeva in Gumdur. This grant was made at the request of his chief minister, Savipayya.
At that time, Bammarige was part of the Velpugonde-24 administrative division within the larger Kollipaka-7000 province of the Western Chalukya Empire. This inscription predates Pothana by about 250 years but proves that his ancestral village was a recognised revenue and religious centre long before his birth.
For over five centuries, Pothana Bhagavatam has been a household name in Telugu-speaking regions. The verses are recited in temples, at festivals, and in family gatherings. Episodes like Gajendra Mokshamu (the liberation of the elephant king) and Prahlada Charitra (the story of Prahlada) are among the most beloved passages. Pothana’s style is noted for its rhythm, repetition of sounds, and deep emotional appeal that touches the hearts of even common, unlettered villagers.
Pothana is remembered as a Sahaja Kavi – a natural poet who wrote effortlessly, as if by divine inspiration. He never sought wealth or titles. He remained a farmer, tilling his land, and his humility is as celebrated as his poetry. The refusal to dedicate his work to a king has become a symbol of artistic integrity and devotion.
Pothana’s Bhagavatamu set a new standard for devotional poetry in Telugu. It inspired later Vaishnava poets and became a model for translations of Sanskrit puranas into regional languages. The work is also a crucial source for understanding the Bhakti movement in the Deccan during the 15th century.
A famous chatuvu (spontaneous verse) mocking “Karanata Kiraata Keechakulu” is sometimes attributed to Pothana, but there is no proof he actually wrote it. Even if he did, the “Karanata” likely refers to the Vijayanagara empire, which was raiding Rachakonda at the time.
Chronology and Key Dates
References and Further Reading
- Hussain, Ahmed. “Potana.” Indian Literature, vol. 19, no. 1, 1976, pp. 102–13. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24157253.
- Bammera Pothana, Maha Bhagavatamu (critical editions).
- Pothana, Veerabhadra Vijayamu (ed. by various scholars).
- Nidudavolu Venkata Rao, Studies in Telugu Literature (for authenticity of Narayana Satakamu).
- Bammarige Inscription (1124 CE) – Epigraphia Indica and District Gazetteers (Warangal/Jangaon).
- Koravi Goparaju, Simhasana-Dwatrmshika (for identification of Ekasilanagaramu with Warangal).
Note: The traditional stories about the destruction of parts of the Bhagavatam are drawn from later sources (1848 edition and 1740 work) and are presented as literary tradition, not contemporary historical record.
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