Somadeva Bhatta was an 11th century writer from
Kashmir, and author of the ''
Kathasaritsagara''.
Not much is known about him except that his father's name was Rama and he composed his work (probably during the years 1063–1081 CE) for the entertainment of Queen Suryamati, a princess of Jalandhara and wife of King Ananta of Kashmir. The queen was quite distraught as it was a time when the political situation in Kashmir was 'one of discontent, intrigue, bloodshed and despair'.
He was a
Shaiva
Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangi ...
Brahmin, and very respectful of
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
and some of the tales in the ''Kathasaritsagara'' show Buddhist influences. It is also known as the encyclopaedia of social life in the 11th century.
References
* The Katha Sarit Sagara, or Ocean of the Streams of Story, Translated by C.H.Tawney, 1880
External links
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11th-century Indian poets
Collectors of fairy tales