Sanskrit Poets

Sanskrit has its roots deeply embedded in our culture. It is further glorified by the famous Sanskrit writers who wrote masterpieces in classical Sanskrit thus giving the language a very prestigious place in the cultural heritage of India. Sanskrit poets of India are an integral and inseparable part of the historical and cultural legacy of this country. They are the priceless gems of Sanskrit literature. Sanskrit has influenced many Indian and European languages. These poets have made priceless contribution in making the literature of India flourish. All plays and poetry revolved around love. The main Sanskrit poets of India have been discussed in details in our related sections.

Asvaghosa
Born in a Brahman family, Asvaghosa was a noted poet and is considered to be instrumental in the spread of Buddhism. He was born in Central India and was a noted philosopher and poet. He was considered as great as Kalidasa. He was born in Ayodhya; he is also connected to places like Benares and Patna. He is described in Tibetan history as someone who could just solve any question, any query and could give a solution to any problem. His opponents were, intellectually, beaten down by him. He was also known for his musical talents.

Banabhatta
A great poet of India, Banabhatta was born around the 7th century in a village in India. He was born in Pritikuta village, which was situated on the banks of Hiranyavahu. This village used to exist in the district, which is now called, Chhapra. He was born to Chitrabhanu and Rajadevi and his was a family of vatsyayana gotra. Born in a Brahman family, he was a poor but a clever child.

Bharavi
Bharavi was a great Sanskrit poet who wrote one of the greatest classical Sanskrit epics that was hailed as Mahakavya or great poetry. His epic was called Kiratarjuniya or Arjuna and the mountain man. This epic talks of the great warrior Arjuna and his battle with a savage mountain man, who then turns out to be Lord Shiva.

Bhasa
One of the greatest pioneers of classical Sanskrit drama, Bhasa is said to have lived around 3rd Century A.D. He is one of the earliest known Sanskrit dramatists of ancient India. An Indian scholar, Mahamahopadhyaya Ganapati Sastrigal, rediscovered thirteen of his plays in the year 1912. Not much is known about the life history of Bhasa.

Kalidasa
One of the greatest Sanskrit poets that India has ever had, the life history of Kalidasa is absolutely fascinating and interesting. Though the exact time of his fame is not known, it is estimated that he survived around the middle of the 4th or 5th century A.D. This is roughly the period of the reign of the famous Chandragupta, the successor of Kumaragupta.

Panini
There are hardly any written records or biography of Panini as such that have information on the time he was born. It is however estimated that he was born around the 4th, 5th or 6th B.C. Historians differ in these dates as well. It is also said that he was born in Shalatula, near Indus River. This place is now in the present day Pakistan.

Valmiki
Perhaps the greatest poet India has ever had, the life history of Valmiki is a roller-coaster ride. The variations that this saint has had in life are beyond anyone's imagination. Born in the Naga clan, the details of Valmiki's life are not very clear as there no written records. He was the author of Ramayana, one of the greatest epics of India.

Ved Vyas
The life history of Ved Vyas is an interesting one. The author of the great epic Mahabharata, Ved Vyas was the first and greatest acharya of Sanatan Dharma. He is responsible for classifying the four Vedas, wrote the 18 Puranas and recited the great Mahabharata. In fact, the Mahabharata is often called as the fifth Veda.