A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c19.s4.28

c19.s4.28

Chintalapūdi Ellaya was the author of *Rādhā-mādhava-vilāsa* and *Vishnumāyāvilāsa*; the first work was so much appreciated that the poet came to be known by its name. Molla, a poetess of the time, born of a low caste, was the author of the most popular version of the *Rāmāyana*, in chaste and simple Telugu. Kamsāli Rudraya was the author of *Nirankuśōpākhyāna*, a fascinating story of a gifted gambler defeating the god Śiva, the stake being Rambhā, the divine dancer; Nirankuśa, the victor, lives with Rambhā though Indra tries to break up their companionship. Addanki Gangādhara (1570) wrote the *Tapatīsamvaranōpākhyāna* and Ponnaganti Telaganna the *Yayāticaritra*; they are both dedicated to Ibrahim Qutb Shah (1550-83), ruler of Golconda—called by the poets Ibha-rāma-sauri in their dedication. Venkatanātha translated *Pañcatantra* into a Prabandha, instead of a collection of stories as in the original. Pīduparti Somanātha's *Basava Purāna* is the only Śaiva work of the time; the author was a fanatical Vira-śaiva and his intolerance of Vaishnavism which breaks out everywhere in his work is out of place in the tolerant age of Krishnadeva Rāya. Sārangu Tammayya and Chadaluvāda Mallaya were authors of two Vipranārāyaṇa-caritas.