Understanding Ramacharita and Dvyasrya-Kavya

The question asks about the author of a specific literary work called Ramacharita, which is noted for being an example of dvyasrya-kavya. Let's break down what this means and identify the author.

What is Dvyasrya-Kavya?

The term dvyasrya-kavya (sometimes transliterated as 'dvyashraya-kavya') is a Sanskrit literary concept. It refers to a type of poetic composition that possesses a dual meaning or supports two parallel narratives. Essentially, the text is crafted in a way that it can be interpreted on two different levels simultaneously.

• One level typically follows a well-known story, like an epic.
• The second level offers a different, often contemporary or related, narrative or interpretation.

The Ramacharita by Sandhyakara

The specific work mentioned, Ramacharita, is a famous example of this dvyasrya-kavya form. It was written by the poet Sandhyakara Nandi (also spelled Sandhyakar). He was a court poet in the 12th century during the reign of the Pala king Ramapala.

Dual Narratives in Ramacharita

Sandhyakara Nandi's Ramacharita masterfully tells two stories:

• Primary Narrative: The epic story of Lord Rama, as told in the Valmiki Ramayana.
• Secondary Narrative: The contemporary story of the Pala king Ramapala, detailing his life and achievements.

The brilliance of the work lies in how Sandhyakara uses language and phrasing that perfectly suits both narratives, allowing readers to appreciate the story of Rama while simultaneously learning about King Ramapala's reign. This technique makes it a prime example of dvyasrya-kavya.

Evaluating the Options

• Subandhu: Known for his prose work Vasavadatta, not Ramacharita.
• Bhatti: Author of Bhattikavya (also known as Ravanavadha), another epic poem but not a dvyasrya-kavya in the same sense, and not Ramacharita.
• Sandhyakara: Sandhyakara Nandi is the correct author of Ramacharita, the dvyasrya-kavya.
• Kamban: Famous for the Tamil epic Kambaramayanam, a retelling of the Ramayana, not the Sanskrit dvyasrya-kavya Ramacharita.

Therefore, the author of the dvyasrya-kavya, Ramacharita, is Sandhyakara.