The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c31.10

v1.c31.10

Sadasiva’s Regent, the powerful Rama Raya, was also a patron of learned men, more especially of poets, and was, perhaps, even a poet himself. The British Museum plates of Sadasiva state that Rama Raya is ‘a King Bhoja in exercising imperial sway over the sentiments of poetry’⁵. One of the protégés of Rama Raya was the great sage Ramanuja, to whom the grant recorded in the British Museum plates was made by Sadasiva at the request of Rama Raya⁶. His guru, Tatacharya, who lived with them for some time at Chandragiri⁷, wrote a work entitled *Panchamatabhanjanam*⁸. The Madhva teacher Vijayindra, the successor of Surendra, was also patronized by Sadasiva's Regent; he was well versed in several arts and wrote works on various religious subjects. Rama Raya honoured him with ‘jewel baths’ and presented him with several villages ¹. Shashta Parankusa of the Ahobala *matha*, was also prominent among Rama Raya's attendants; he wrote a number of works, such as the *Siddhantamanidipam*, *Panchakaladipika*, *Prapattiprayoga*, and *Nrisimhavastav* ². This Vaishnava teacher was for a time the agent of Rama Raya ³. But the highest literary authority of the court of Rama Raya was the poet Bhattu Murti, who received the title of Ramarajabushana, ‘the ornament of the court of Rama Raya.’